1950 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup

Collectors' Motorcars and Automobilia Auction|7 October 2019, 13:00 EDT|Philadelphia, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

1950 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup
Chassis no. 3836848

216.5ci OHV Thrift-Master Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Twin Carburetors
90bhp at 3,330rpm
3-Speed Column Shifted Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs with Front Solid and Rear Floating Axle
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes

*Charming piece of Americana
*Fitted with an Offenhauser twin carb intake manifold
*Simple to run and use

THE 3100 PICKUP

Chevrolet began building pickup trucks at the start of WWI and in the first year of production about 900 trucks rolled off the line. By 1942 when civilian production stopped, Chevrolet had produced two million trucks. Clearly they were doing something right. Following WWII the Bowtie brand sought to maintain its dominance and in 1947 it debuted its 'Advance Design' series of pickups. Ranging from the ½-ton 3100 to the 1-ton 3800 and initially powered by reliable straight six of 216.5ci—later growing to 235ci and then 261ci—the full-bodied and modern looking line-up quickly became the best-selling truck in America, a title it held for the duration of its eight year production life.

While a handful of body styles were available including pickups, panel deliveries, and cab-only models, the number of options was rather limited with the primary one being a Deluxe package that added a bit of flair to the utilitarian machine with the addition of a chrome grill and additional chrome trim pieces.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This classic Chevrolet pickup had been enjoyed by its previous owner for nearly 15 years after having been purchased in 2005. Cared for and used, the presentation of this truck is entirely inviting for continued use. Its blue paint has some fade, but the brightwork and chrome has retained a good deal of luster. Inside, the cab is fitted with a bench seat that appears to have been reupholstered sometime in the not to distant past. The dash shows with a good bit of originality in the main gauges and radio, but a set of auxiliary instrumentation can also be found. The doors contain a modern set of speakers. Under the hood, the Thrift Master inline-6 has been given some extra thrust thanks to the installation of an Offenhauser twin carb intake manifold.

The vintage rustic charm of this pickup is sure to draw plenty of smiles and waves from passersby. This is a wonderful opportunity to get being the wheel of a piece of pure Americana.

Saleroom notices

Please note, the correct model for this truck is in fact a 3600, not a 3100 as cataloged.

Additional information

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