To refresh its designs after World War II, General Motors introduced the “Advanced Design” trucks. The new style’s first year was 1947 and marked quite a departure from earlier models: the windshield wiper was now inside the cowl, headlights were faired into the fenders, the interior was larger, and the rear view included corner windows for better visibility. In a modern twist, one option was an in-dash radio. These trucks gained market share rapidly, becoming number one in category sales from 1947 to 1955. Here on eBay is a 1952 Chevrolet 3100 5-window pickup for sale, bid to $12,800, and located in Carroll, Iowa. This truck is said to start, run and stop well. The “3100” designation means this was a half-ton short-bed.

The Advanced Design trucks all came with the “Thriftmaster” 216 cu. in. inline six-cylinder motor until 1953, when two larger sixes were offered. Our seller indicates that the engine here was refreshed by the previous owner. New items include the fuel tank, battery, fan, water pump and belt, and fuel pump. The radiator was restored. The transmission is a three-speed manual on the column and it is said to shift well. The odometer reads 59,606.

The rear of the truck shows the spare mount, and the seller says there’s very mild damage where a non-original bumper was once attached at the bottom of the rear fenders. Other than a few nicks and scrapes the paint is fairly good. The truck has one tail light which doesn’t work. Other lights work, including the cool spotlight seen on the driver’s side above. The horn and heater work. The bed is said to need refinishing but it’s clean and could remain as-is. The truck has new-ish wide white walls and new hubcaps. The underside isn’t bad! Dry and slightly dirty, but not a rust-fest.

The interior is decent. This year – coinciding with the Korean War – some chrome trim went away, such as the “3100” badge on the fenders, and the chrome trim on the dash. During the Korean War, nickel was rationed as a strategic material and consequently not available as part of the plating process (steel had also become very expensive). Skipping the nickel and coating the trim with clear enamel produced “Korean Chrome”, which rusted away in no time. The best solution was to eliminate some trim altogether, thus the paucity of chrome on vehicles during this era. Here’s part of a tag off an Oldsmobile illustrating the dilemma. Overall, this is a respectable ride. Does it deserve a place in your garage?