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1953 Chevrolet 3100 Looks Fantastic After Frame-Off Restoration

Produced from 1947 to 1955, the Advance-Design line of pickup trucks gave us the 3100 we’ll talk about on this occasion. Offered at no reserve by “virginia_speed_and_customs” on eBay, the half-ton pickup looks fabulous because it has racked up three miles since it was restored.
Restored 1953 Chevrolet 3100 with 305 small-block V8 24 photos
Photo: virginia_speed_and_customs on eBay
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Purchased by the selling vendor in 2019, the single-cab truck retains the original cab, cowl, doors, and dashboard. As part of the frame-off restoration, the workhorse received an S-10 frame from Code 504. Manufactured with pride in Seward, Nebraska, the ladder-frame chassis is joined by all-new suspension, steering, braking, and electrical components.

The AkzoNobel paintwork complements oak wood panels and polished stainless-steel strips in the bed, the interior has been spruced up with Procar seats and a Lokar floor shifter, and the drivetrain was improved as part of the restoration. “The prior owner indicated it was an excellent, reliable driver,” even though the 305 SB isn’t the most desirable engine out there.

Introduced in 1976 with the same 3.480” stroke as the 350 but a smaller cylinder bore and a lighter crankshaft, the 5.0-liter V8 was discontinued in 1998. The airflow-restricting design and premature camshaft failure are two of the biggest disapprovals that one can make about this small-block engine.

Dressed with an Edelbrock Performer intake and carburetor, the 305 is rocking a new oil pan, valve covers, Sanderson ceramic headers, MagnaFlow polished mufflers, and a water pump paired with a new pulley. The Summit Racing HEI distributor and ProForm alternator add a little bit of modernity to the free-breathing V8, which drives a 10-bolt rear end with the help of a Turbo Hydramatic 200-R4 four-speed automatic transmission.

The successor of the TH200 is pretty popular to this day because it’s a straightforward fit into cars and pickups that used to sport the three-speed TH350 and two-speed Powerglide. However, it’s not as easy to come by and not as durable as the 700R4 introduced by GM for the 1982 model year.

A thoroughly gorgeous build from the roofline to the 10-spoke wheels, chassis number H53L007303 carries a starting bid of $35,900.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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