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Hot Rod Hauler? 1955 Chevrolet 3100

If you don’t mind some body work and rust repair, this may be the project for you. This 1955 Chevrolet 3100 is for sale here on Hemmings in Great Falls, Montana with an asking price of $6,000. While there is a lot of work to be done, the truck is said to run good and could be worked on while it’s driven and enjoyed.

There isn’t much information in the ad regarding the history of this truck. Based on the color, custom bumper and lights mounted on the fenders, I’m thinking this may be a county work vehicle?  Every panel on this truck will need some attention as dents and dings cover the entire truck. The ad does state that the truck runs well, but the engine is not original.

The steering wheel cover and carpet don’t really back up the theory of this being a work truck, but they may have been added by a subsequent owner.  You have to love the simplicity of the dash and steering wheel designs.

There appears to be some rust on this truck. No telling how in depth it is until you start taking it apart and poking around. To me the asking price seems like a lot considering the current condition of the truck. Once you start getting into repairing/replacing panels, the dollar investment will go way up. I hope this truck gets a second lease on life though and I hope the seller is open to offers.

Comments

  1. Avatar Fordguy1972 Member

    Price seems quite high considering non-original motor, overall hammered metal and sporting considerable rust. I’d like to see what horrors are present on the underside. I like the rear bumper though.

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  2. Avatar Classic Steel

    Other than a tune up and mend breaks
    If needed for safety then baby is done and ready to drive 👍👍👍👍
    Possible baby moons if they have chev logo or non emblem!

    I luv it !!!

    Like 0
  3. Avatar 68custom

    A series 2/55 with factory V8 has to be quite rare!

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    • Avatar TJ

      IF its the 265 Cubic Inch V-8, yes ! It was only around for a couple years and then was quickly replaced with the 283 V-8. 265’s are hard to find now

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Had Two

    This is a very good find!
    This has the desirable big back “panorama” window and looks to be a
    short-bed, that is a 6-foot bed. These trucks are so popular that
    replacement metal panels are readily available as are almost all parts.
    They are easy to work on. $6,000 is a very realistic price on this
    as the seller likely figures someone will have to pay to ship it elsewhere.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar CanuckCarGuy

    A nice play and pay as you go project…the added bonus, no need to park in the furthest spot from the mall entrance to avoid door dings.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Rube Goldberg Member

    I had a truck like this in the 70’s, only it was kind of a drag truck, jacked up, 327, 4 barrel, car 4 speed and fender well exit headers. It was a fast truck, but one had no business going really fast in one of these. On the street is was down right scary, and I didn’t keep it long. I’m looking for an older truck, and from what I see pop up here in Colorado, this is a little steep. I could buy something like this for $3g’s all day long. Still, a great find.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Steve

      I would advise you to buy all of them you can for $3k from Monday through Thursday, but take Friday off since you will probably have too many trucks to deal with by then anyway.

      I had a tenant next door whose brother in law saw the truck in the barn and pestered me to sell it to him every time he saw me. I finally told him I would take and all the parts for $10,000. Of course he said I was crazy. I told him that was beside the point. It wasn’t advertised for sale, but everything I have is for sale for the right price!

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Steve

    I have had a 55 2nd series like this, but with a 6 cylinder engine (it’s even a big window and a short bed 3100) since I was 13 or 14 y.o. (I will be 47 in May.) My brother (his 69 Camaro Pace Car was featured on BF’s a couple of years or so ago) originally bought it in Waco, Tx in the early 80’s, installed a junkyard 3 speed overdrive out of a 58 or 59 3100, drove it a while, then sold it to my cousin, who pulled the engine and trans and installed a 350 and TH400, which he never finished. (He gave me the engine and trans). He lost interest and I traded a 79 Kawasaki KX80 to my him for it. It was completely slathered in bondo and primer by the previous owner and was starting to rust, so I completely tore it apart and had everything media blasted. Now it sits in my barn, due to the fact that I cannot bring myself to completely revamp the old antiquated straight axle and drum brake arrangement, since it is so complete, but impractical. It’s going to take a ton of money to finish, due to the fact that even though its pretty solid, it needs body work, paint, glass, wiring, window regulators, weatherstrip, etc. I have restored a couple of 67-72 chevy and GMC swb trucks, and they are inherently more driveable, due to having IFS and disc brakes, or economically swapped disc brakes and other modern conveniences such as power steering and brakes. I have amassed many spares over the years, including all sheetmetal except for the cab, (Extra doors, hood, fenders and stepside bed and even an extra rear glass).

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Steve

    “Based on the color, custom bumper and lights mounted on the fenders, I’m thinking this may be a county work vehicle?” The paint job looks too nice to have been a municipal vehicle. The pinstripe on the wheels is too lavish for such use, IMO. The bumper is typical of 99% of these trucks. Mine had one originally. (I found an original chrome bumper that matches the front, but has the “cut out” in the middle.) As for the lights, due to the fact that these trucks didn’t have turn signal from the factory. The lights above the bumper were just “parking” lights. It was common for owners to drill holes in the front fenders and mount signals there. (All of the fenders I have have holes in this area as well.) (My brother modified the original parking lights to be blinkers, but since we didn’t have a wire feed welder at the time, never got around to welding the holes up.) As for the tail lights, he original tail lights usually got knocked off (would you be surprised, judging by all of the dents in this truck? Who was the original owner? Ray Charles?)

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jim H

      Fair points, Steve, but pic 11 on the Hemmings site shows a spraypainted “GVW.6.000” which seems like something a gov’t vehicle would have sprayed on it. That’s probably a little too esoteric for a private individual. The dents could have been provided by employees who had other things to care about than the work truck.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Bellingham Fred

        I know that in Washington state it was a requirement to display the tonnage on trucks, including pickups. Maybe the same in Montana. You paid a fee as part of your annual license tabs. The higher the GVW the higher the fee.

        Like 0
  9. Avatar mark

    My Dad had a 56 cheyy stepside only it was the 3600 3/4 ton. Four speed and the straight six. Had it until the mid 70’s. We used it to haul hay and any other thing around the small farm that I grew up on. It was the first vehicle that I actually drove on the road although even then I was too young for a drivers license.1st gear in that 4 speed was good for about 3 miles an hour. Top speed on the road was maybe 60 downhill with a tail wind. It was a 3/4 ton however the way trucks were made then it was probably equivalent to about a one and a half ton today., It still ran when my Dad sold it for something like $250 bucks in about 1975.

    Like 0

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