The arrival of Advance-Design trucks from Chevrolet caused quite a stir. Chevy was America’s favorite pickup by the time WWII began and with Harley Earl at the helm of the design department, that was set to continue in the post-war period. The public had already seen headlights incorporated into fenders (1941) and fixed, split windshields coupled with cowl venting, but much of the rest of the series was new. Five horizontal grille bars emphasized the truck’s lower, wider stance and were a departure from the waterfall effect of the early 1940s. The hood opened alligator-style from the rear, enhancing access to the engine bay. The interior was conceived around “comfort first” with more spacious dimensions, better seating, and a variety of add-ons – mirrors, vents, and an in-dash radio. Here on eBay is a 1950 Chevrolet 3100 half-ton pickup, a former barn resident, bid to $18,600, with its reserve not yet met. This truck is located in Hudson, Wisconsin and it comes with a plethora of parts for future repairs.
The engine is the Thriftmaster stovebolt 216 cu. in. in-line six-cylinder with a single Rochester carburetor, making about 92 hp. Photos in the listing include a receipt showing substantial work dating from a year ago: the cylinder head, carb, generator, and fuel pump were rebuilt and the exhaust system is new. One item noted in the receipt is “got running” – so I think we can assume the engine will start. The transmission is a column-shift, three-speed manual. Driving these older trucks is an art nearly extinct in today’s driving population, but patience pays!
This cab is the Deluxe version, equipped with rear corner windows that make it a five-window. The upholstery is fine, all the handles and trim are present, the heater heats, and the radio – currently missing a tube – was rebuilt in 2002, so achieving working condition is on the horizon. Incredibly, the original tools survived all these years, and the truck’s spare is still slung under the bed. Burnishing its credentials still further is the library of documents that come with the sale.
Speaking of the bed, it’s in fine shape, made of yellow pine. The seller indicates the material is true to factory, but I’m betting it was replaced at some point – it’s just too nice. The seller notes that the paint has scratches and dents here and there, and that he may perform a repaint in order to auction the truck at a higher price if it doesn’t meet its reserve. Scanning prices, I find lots of resto-rods at the $50k mark or more. Original 3100s are few and far between but if you can find one, Hagerty pegs the value at $19k for a “fair” example and over $30k for one in “good” condition. By those metrics, this handsome original is slightly underbid.
Handsome is correct.
Stately in fact. Nice bed and classic looks.
How nice it would be to welcome this gem to the household.
Wonder what this 3100 will sell for!
The date on the receipt is August 2002.
That’s a fair bit more than a year ago.
Nice example – but I prefer the later versions, with vent windows and push-button door handles. Mostly because that was my experience, the Advance-Design trucks I’d worked with.
Thanks, I thought I saw 2022.
Sweet ride. Another I’d take over any muscle or pony
Back in the early 1990s I bought a 1950 Chevy 3800 1 ton pickup from a local farmer. I think it was $300. It ran OK, but at the time I was working for auto mechanic, and we did a valve job on it as well as updated it to 12 volts. The top speed was a hindrance to the traffic behind me, but it was still fun to drive. In granny low, with the window rolled down so I could steer I’d stand on the running board, just for fun. There was a farm auction in SD about 100 miles away that had a 49 3800 on it. I called the auctioneer and gave him my bid. I won it for $400. Fetching it was another matter though. Using my pickup as a template, I welded up mounts for my tow bar, brought along a good 6 volt battery and an air tank and off I went. It towed just fine. I wired the taillight to my battery as I knew I wouldn’t get home before dark. Lots of waves and puzzled looks as I drove. Home, it joined my ‘fleet’ of 1946-52 Chevy and GMC trucks, half ton to 2 ton. All have been gone for decades but I should have kept the ’50 1 ton, the ’46 half ton and the ’51 GMC ton and a half 5 window cab. The end of an era.
Nice restoration! And a built in theft deterrent system-not just the clutch, it’s 3 spd on the column would throw many a new driver into a tailspin not unlike folk that never experienced the pedal arrangement on a Model T..
Good find, love to have it but they’ve all gone astronomical in price. I’ll bet this goes for at least $24000!
Theft deterrent, LoL. I’ve had column-shift cars/trucks drift through my young years all over…that fleet of Chevy trucks for the village I worked for; and they also had a Cushman Truckster three-wheeler, also with a thre-speed column shift (many of those had tiller steering; but ours had a wheel and a very-car-like column shift).
My ex’s father hated automatic transmissions and never owned a car with one. Even in the 1980s, all their cars, from the old Duster to the new Omni, were four-onna-floor. She learned to drive, that way.
Then, I got a deal on an old Econoline van. Perfect work truck, and only $250. Ran fine – but rusty. It had a three-on-the-tree.
She was completely bamboozled by it. I had to walk her through it…picturing the top of the column shifter like a floor rod. THEN…remembering, R is where 1 would otherwise be. AND DON’T JUST DRAG THE LEVER ACROSS! The 1-2 shift was THREE MOVES! Up, then towards the dash, then up again!
She came up on a mental block on that one.
Not only a clutch and a column shift as a theft deterrent. Should also have a floor mounted pedal to engage the starter after you turn the ignition on with the key.
“Advance Design”, but still sporting a 2piece windshield, with no wing windows. Clean pickup though
Yeah, the vents came in a few years later. Only 1954 got the solid, slightly-curved, one-piece windshield.
Remember the times. First, vent windows were considered a luxury frill – the way power windows were, more recently. Trucks were for WORK. GM invented the vent window, but it was for gentleman motorists who wished a pipe or cigarette while cruising down the road.
The split window took more time to come into the truck world. As recently as 1950, some cars came with two-pane windshields. Curved auto glass was a technological wonder – tempered glass, curved in such fantastic ways. The wraparound windshield of the late 1950s and the reverse dogleg A-post wasn’t just a styling exercise – in fact it wasn’t that terribly attractive. It was to show off the new possibilities made possible with precision heat-formed wraparound glass. Of course the structural compromises of the body, and the dogleg waiting to break kneecaps, meant that fad had a short life.
The improvement of trucks’ insides, was the democratization of automotive comfort – first for the Cadillac, and finally, 25 years later, into the interior of farm-boy trucks. And recall, it was only very recently that Class 8 heavy trucks FINALLY moved away from two-piece windshields.
When they changed to the one piece glass in class 8 trucks they increased the costs to the owners. Lots of difference in a $150 piece of flat glass that any decent glass shop could cut in an hour versus a $1500 or more single curved glass that has to be ordered, shipped, then installed. And the curved single gives no more visibility than a curved two piece does. I’ve driven all of them, flat,curved two piece and curved single piece. The only difference was the prices.
The arch rival had a one piece windshield and vent windows in 1948, International in 1950, so leaders don’t always lead. I never thought of a vent window as a luxury, although it would seem like one now, I miss those old features, along with drip rails
Great example of how to care for an old pickup truck. Thanks for the article also.
My Dad bought a used ’53’ one ton pick up in 1963 when I was about 16. The only bad thing about that was when the rubber around the foot starter wore out and cold air came in – in the winter time. So, that cab was not exactly a warm place until the 6 banger was warmed up.
The ’53’ Dodge dump truck he bought had similar features as far as warmth was concerned during colder weather…
Advance Design was the Chevy name for these trucks. The vent window in the door and the stationary push button door handles came into the line in 1950-51.