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Solid Survivor: 1957 Chevrolet 3600 Stepside

It wasn’t that many years ago when an older pickup might expect to see out its useful life as an unloved workhorse on a farm. A significant mechanical problem or the onset of old age would see it eventually abandoned in a field or barn to deteriorate beyond the point of no return. However, times change, and those same vehicles are now a hero of the classic scene. The previously unloved has become a must-have, and solid examples can command impressive prices. Our feature truck is a 1957 Chevrolet 3600 Stepside, and apart from a color change, it is an original survivor in excellent mechanical health. It needs a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on Craigslist. Located in La Mesa, California, the seller has set its price at $16,500. A big thank you goes out to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting this gem for us.

The first thing to note with this Stepside is that I don’t believe its current Cardinal Red paint is original. There is visual evidence suggesting that it rolled off the line wearing Arctic Beige, but there’s no information on when the color change may have occurred. Once we look beyond that detail, the news seems optimistic. Most of these pickups saw an active life involving plenty of carrying. The loads were almost always heavy, and many owners weren’t particularly careful about how they treated these vehicles. The result is that we see our share of classic truck projects at Barn Finds looking pretty battered and bruised. This one arrives like a breath of fresh air, with its lack of significant dings and dents suggesting its owners have treated it with respect. Trucks of this era are prone to rust, and this Stepside is no exception. It has afflicted the usual spots, although the recent growth in popularity means that replacement steel is readily available and affordable. There is rust near one door hinge, in one pillar, and the cowl. Otherwise, it is structurally sound. That will allow the buyer to tackle these issues as time and circumstances permit. There are no missing trim pieces, and with good glass, this 3600 has no pressing needs.

The Chevy’s interior is complete, and while it looks tired, it remains serviceable. The seller has thrown a blanket over the seat, protecting the original unripped upholstery. The wheel exhibits wear, while the painted surfaces have accumulated plenty of scratches and marks. A previous owner installed aftermarket turn signals and these work as they should. The remaining electrical items and gauges also function correctly, so once again, nothing demands immediate attention. Even if the new owner intends to retain the exterior in its current state, refurbishing the interior to provide a striking contrast could prove too tempting to resist. One of the attractions is that they are easy to dismantle and reassemble. That makes them a prime candidate for an individual with good preparation and painting skills to perform the task in a home workshop. As someone who has tackled this aspect of a project build, I can vouch that few experiences are more satisfying than surveying an interior revived with your own two hands.

Powering this Stepside is a 235ci “Thriftmaster” six-cylinder engine that should produce 140hp and 210 ft/lbs of torque. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission with a “granny” low to maximize load-carrying abilities. The seller indicates the Pickup is numbers-matching, and they have worked through a process that should guarantee excellent mechanical health. They replaced the master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and tires. They treated the carburetor and fuel pump to a rebuild, and this effort has proved worth it. The 3600 runs and drives perfectly, and while the seller admits it is no freeway cruiser, it still provides acceptable performance.

This 1957 Chevrolet 3600 Stepside isn’t perfect, but that is part of its charm. It isn’t a trailer queen, carrying the signs that it has worked to earn its living. That leaves potential buyers with choices to consider. Its essentially solid structural state means it could be driven and enjoyed largely untouched. Its original nature makes the Stepside an ideal candidate for a satisfying restoration project. However, the next owner could throw caution to the wind and use this classic as the foundation for a custom or ratrod build. Which path would you follow?

Comments

  1. Avatar HadTwo

    Please, someone adopt this wonderful old Task Force Pick-Up.
    I already have one. It’s a best friend. I’d keep the blanket over
    the seat too.

    Like 14
  2. Avatar Tbone

    Nice truck and probably priced appropriately in today’s market. I remember 20 years ago when a family friend had no takers on a similar truck (but green) at 5500 bucks. Should have bought like one hundred of these apparently.

    Like 4
  3. Avatar Connecticut mark

    Nice truck, would love to see a Chevy with a 292 six cylinder , that’s all my grandfather bought all 2wd, could not kill that engine. He never wanted 8 cylinders because too much gas even though gas was cheap back then. He really would pull out stumps with those trucks with those motors.

    Like 4
  4. Avatar Scuderia

    Nice truck but not the one people want. Half ton shortbed big window is the one to have.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Jay McCarthy

    This is a truck that begs to be married to a modern chassis and driveline, just not those ugly Halo headlamps

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Jay McCarthy

    This truck deserves a modern driveline and chassis under that beautiful body

    Like 0
  7. Avatar GOM

    I beg to differ with the modern driveline advocates. Please keep a truck like this one true to its origins. This was the truck of choice for farms and commercial users in its era — simple, relatively economical to run, inexpensive to repair. No one really expected comfort or high performance back then. Prime attributes centered on practical considerations like durability and reliability. My contention is that a truck like this should be kept as a time capsule of post-war era agricultural and commercial productivity, the “American dream,” so to speak. Only a 292 would make this one better!

    Like 4
  8. Avatar HadTwo

    Untold numbers of these Task Force Series GM pick-ups
    have been modifed with high horsepower V-8’s and for what purpose?
    The trucks are heavy. They have a leaf spring suspension at every corner.
    The steering gear box, the suspension, and the weight do not make
    them good hot rods. However, they are great dependable trucks
    if rebuilt and left the way the factory built them.

    Like 5
  9. Avatar Jim

    Fill the bed with batteries & put a tonneau cover on electric motor under the hood and have a long range cruiser Nice

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Kenneth Carney

    I’m with you on that one Jim! I saw a
    ’51 Chevy 3100 on YouTube set up like that. The folks that converted it
    kept the original 4 speed tranny and
    clutch and mated them to a dual motor setup good for 200 HP and up to 100 miles to a charge. Just right
    for cruising around town or to your
    local car show. As for this truck,
    leave it alone and drive as is. After
    all, there are still a lot of rusting hulks
    out there that could be turned into EVs. They’re only original once!

    Like 1
  11. Avatar drew

    This was my first vehicle in high school, 57 3200 long bed. All original 235 with granny tranny, push button starter. My dad had new kingpin bushings put in it and it steered like a dream. You can drive this everywhere like it is, no need for “modernization”

    Like 2
  12. Avatar 1940 DeSoto

    Leave it as it is. I had a 1950 1 ton 3800 Chevy for several years that had a stump pulling slow top speed of 45 and I loved it. Fly out to California, map out a slower paced route and see the sights NOT whizzing by. Sleep in the bed in campgrounds, not as if I haven’t done that before. Meet new people and possibly make lifelong friends. 10 to 14-day trip back home, nice vacation. Add a 5th pickup to my fleet, all having their own niche. Perfect!

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Sandra

    B E Autifull truck! Better shape than my 57 chevy 3200 is. I would restore the interior and give it a good make over. This one won’t take much. I restored my interior and the seat completely. All the wiring, gage cluster, & etc. I agree keeping this original as possible, just one thing to keep in mind, the original motor doesn’t run on unleaded gas. Of course that can be resolved.

    Like 0

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