Some classics may have humble origins, but can make a startling impact when restored to a high standard. That sentence perfectly describes this 1950 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup. Dismantled to the last nut and bolt, this old workhorse presents better today than it did the day it left the lot. The new owner can slip behind the wheel of a vehicle that would receive plenty of positive comments on the show circuit or at a Cars & Coffee. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Jack M. for spotting the Pickup listed here on Craigslist in Sacramento, California. The seller set their price at $32,000 and welcomes in-person inspections by interested parties.
The American automotive industry was playing catch-up during the early post-war years, with many vehicles gracing showrooms little more than slightly revamped versions of those sold before the war’s outbreak. Chevrolet’s first major update occurred in 1947, when it released its Advance Design commercial range. The company’s latest offering featured more modern styling than its predecessor, while increased interior space and robust engineering ensured market success. The Advance Design remained available until 1955, with this 3100 Pickup leaving the line in 1950. The seller confirms that they followed a frame-off process during its restoration, and the finished product justifies that approach. Its panels are as straight as an arrow, cloaked with Mayland Black paint with a mirror shine. The underside shots confirm the Pickup’s rust-free status, while the sparkling trim provides a stunning contrast to the dark paint shade. I would probably only carry items like soft, fluffy pillows in the bed, because I would be scared to scratch the perfect paint and beautiful timber slats. The build included replacing every piece of glass, while the 16″ wheels with their spotless hubcaps, trim rings, and whitewalls add a genuine touch of class.
The listing indicates an odometer reading of 100 miles, and I suspect that is the distance this Pickup has covered since its restoration ended. The floors and frame look new, and the same is true of its interior. I have scoured the images, trying to find anything worth criticizing. I’ve drawn a blank because it appears to be perfect. The painted surfaces look spotless, there is no wear on the seatcover, and the rubber mat doesn’t have so much as a dirty mark. If you parked this 3100 on a showroom floor, it wouldn’t look out of place. It is typical of commercial vehicles from this era, with the heater the only creature comfort.
Powering this Pickup is Chevrolet’s venerable 235ci Thriftmaster six-cylinder engine. The motor should deliver around 100hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. This Pickup won’t be fast, but the Thriftmaster’s low-end torque delivery made it the perfect tool for vehicles where load-carrying was the primary focus. The seller confirms that the restoration included a complete mechanical rebuild, the installation of a new exhaust, brakes, tires, and a wiring harness. They upgraded the electrical system to 12-volts and installed an aluminum radiator for more efficient cooling. They don’t expressly state it, but it seems a safe bet that this Pickup is a turnkey proposition.
Some classics raise more questions than they answer, especially about whether they are as good “in the flesh” as they appear to be in the listing images. The fact that the seller encourages in-person inspections suggests they have complete confidence that this 1950 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup won’t disappoint. The price looks quite competitive, especially considering this beauty has no apparent needs. If a classic Pickup has been on your radar, could this beautiful Chevy be a contender?
When Johnny came marching home again,,oops, wrong war, well, anyway, after Dubja Dubja 2, der, the world was riddled with problems. Unemployment, material shortages, strikes, and a new pickup was not in the farm budget, but by 1950, things smoothed out some, ironically just before Korea, and it was time to buy a new truck. The pre-war truck was pretty shot, and the whole family came down to the Chevy garage. Ma, pa, the younguns, “Johnny”, Cousin Pearl, the twins, and there it was. Their new pickup. Okay, sans the wide whites, but the farm shelled out just over $1461 bucks for this truck. Very few options, the heater, $30, was about it. ( Gee-gaws, mirrors, trim rings, etc, added later) If only life could only be so simple again,,,I suppose here’s a start,,,speaking of, “GRANDPA,,,HOW DO YOU START THIS THING??? Ha, ha,,,,,but it’s not funny,,for those of us that DO know what that pedal is next to the foot feed, and the tip-toe dance it takes, it’s a beautiful truck.
That starter pedal was the first thing I thought of when I saw this. When I was a young lad in the fifties a neighbor Gert had a car with that floor starter. It was a little puzzling ’cause my dad’s 1947 Ford had that advanced key-start feature. My dad was not a car guy though, did not do any work on it, just complained that anything that needed done had to have 2 or 3 things removed first.
Now that this truck was upgraded to 12v, I wonder if a starter with a solenoid could be installed, just leave the floor pedal in place to puzzle the youngsters….
I started first grade in 1948 and graduated high school in 1960. To the best of my memory (such as it it and what’s left of it) every school bus that I rode on was a Chevrolet and had that starter button on the floorboard. No doubt the configuration of the starting system had changed by 1960, but I did not live in a highly prosperous area and none of the busses were brand new.
I’m a blue oval guy (except for the aluminum bodied F150) but several of the bow ties have been on my most appreciated list since day one including the 5 window versions. Be 82 in a few weeks so probably never have one. The price is slightly out of my range but is more than fair considering what appears to have been achieved in restoration. It shows love, care, an investment beyond $ and deserves minimally the price shown. Nice truck.
This would be like walking into a Chevy dealer and buying a brand new 3100 Chevy pickup, what a amazing job on this restoration she is a beauty. I remember going to the dealer when my father picked up his brand new 1969 Chevy C20 pickup and it was not this nice.
I don’t think these looked that good when they were new,
& not sure if Black was available from the factory.
Funny when i first saw this truck was i thought the same thing not sure black was available. Now seems like half the pickups you see are black.
Back in the day, most of these were green. Some were red, but they were relatively few. I don’t think black was a factory color. I absolutely love this truck, however, except for the whitewall tires. Whitewalls weren’t seen on trucks of this era until hot-rods began sporting them in the mid-fifties.
I certainly wouldn’t turn one of these down if the opportunity presented itself. These trucks had a lot of class.
All the Advanced Design trucks were locked into six-volt systems. Compared to Fords and Dodges, I never saw one of these hard to start hot. Converting to 12V is good if you want to run modern accessories. I might add that changing to a 235 is an improvement although those old 216s were tough…
Next door neighbor was a plumber and had one of these… when he came home for lunch his daughters and us other kids would want to ride in the back… sometimes he agreed and we would climb in and find a place amid the open boxes of pipe fittings etc…. he would take us around the block… then we were happy….
Everythng about that is illegal now….. maybe even being happy….
We had one of these when I was a kid…50s on a farm in Arkansas. I remember sitting on the tailgate, having to sharpen the hoes we used to chop cotton while we drove to the house for dinner. Certainly not as nice as this one! As I remember, most of these were painted green. I’d love to have this one, but I sure don’t miss chopping cotton!
Feel the same way sometimes. Was talking to someone the other day one i was a kid my Dad would go to the dumps on Saturdays me and my friends would ride in the back of the pickup. Then on the way home he would stop at the roadside hot dog truck and gets all of us dogs and soda we would eat them in the back of the truck good times indeed.
I have one of these in swift red, 4spd and 216 engine. Only thing different on mine is the fuel tank is relocated under the bed like a suburban. Good price for this, no way doing a restoration for this price…. been there with mine. Beautiful truck!
This truck is a show piece, NOT a workhorse. $32k is not a bad price for someone who wants to enter the the classic car hobby and drive directly to a show.
hard work is done. pay the man! outstanding pick up.
The seller dropped the price $5k so it may not be around long. My dad had a flatbed that he taught me to drive on the beach in south Texas when I was nine. My legs were too short to reach the pedals so he sat me between his legs and had me steer and shift while he did the rest. That was really cool for my nine year old self and I imagine has a lot to do with why I’ve liked them since then.