Nice original style 3100 pickup truck

This 1951 Chevrolet 3100 pickup truck is looking for a job. Willing to put in long hours, carry heavy loads, and look good doing it, it can still be used as a truck. On the other hand, this is also a nicely restored truck and these are great-driving vehicles with a decent ride and reasonable power in addition to those timeless good looks. Capture the best of both worlds with a hobby vehicle that you can use as Chevrolet intended without worry, and still drive it to the local cruise night where it'll draw a crowd.

Traditional Hunter Green is the right way to restore one of these trucks, and this one is looks just about how it might have in the early '50s when it was still being used regularly. It has that no-nonsense look that makes old pickups appealing, but also carries an accessory windshield visor, chrome bumpers, and dual taillights, so it looks like it just got home from the dealer ready to get to work. The Advance Design pickups are a favorite among truck enthusiasts, and they were one of the first trucks to take into account that just maybe all those farmers and carpenters wanted something that was stylish and comfortable as well as durable and versatile. Up front there's a simple painted grille with correct off-white inserts, a pair of sturdy running boards, and all the body panels appear to be OEM. The bed's finished with painted oak planks, which is correct; those beautifully refinished beds aren't how Chevy was doing it in 1951. This truck shows off its blue-collar roots with pride, so it's nicely dressed but it doesn't mind being a truck!

The interior covers the basics, and that's part of the truck's charm. The bench seat will accommodate three, and we believe the interior is mostly original, not restored. The round gauges and steel dashboard make a handsome design that's functional, although the speedometer is offline. Like the exterior, the interior is fitted with a few upgrades, including an AM radio and a heater, both of which were optional in 1951. The radio isn't working, which isn't unusual, but it looks right up high in the dash. The three-speed manual transmission is easy to shift and the big steering wheel makes this truck easy to wheel around town. Seat belts have been added for safety. It's not exactly luxurious, but it's a great place to experience the '50s.

We believe that's the original "Thriftmaster" inline-six engine under the hood doing its job, and if you've ever driven a vehicle with one of these engines, you know they're smooth and torquey. The gray paint gives it an industrial look and this one shows plenty of signs of proper care over the years. It fires up easily and idles well, and moves the truck easily, empty or loaded. Maintenance is easy, and keeping these running is never a chore thanks to a booming aftermarket. On this one, the hoses, belts, plugs, and wires also appear to be recent, and it retains the original 6-volt electrical system, oil bath air filter, and coil mounted on the side of the block. It's solid underneath with no structural rust, and it rides on a proper set of truck-like blackwall tires mounted to the original steel rims with chrome hubcaps.

Fun hobby vehicles don't get much more practical than this, and when they're also handy around the house, well the argument is easy to make. Call today and give this truck a job!

Also published at eBay.com