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1954 Chevy Panel Van Turned Into a Luxury Cruiser Hides Mysterious Engine Under the Hood

When GM introduced the Advanced Design series in 1947, the new lineup represented the carmaker's first major redesign and, moreover, it offered a very broad line of commercial vehicles based on the same chassis, like this 3800, One-Ton Van, that went through a major make-over.
Restomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel Van 9 photos
Photo: JimT / Hemings
Restomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel VanRestomodded 1954 Chevrolet 3800 One-Ton Panel Van
The seller said the car was built by Whipple Motorsports from Spokane Valley, WA, while the paintjob and the graphics were done by Ken Kurtz from Temple Customs. As a result, the car looks so orange that it needs some pinstripes on it, and from the waistline downward, the color is more intense. In addition, the bodybuilder replaced the original hinges at the back and hid them behind the clam-shell opening doors. At the rear, under the metallic, chromed bumper, the car featured a shining, custom-made dual exhaust.

But the interior might blow your mind. It is handcrafted and features a seven-seat layout with bucket seats for the first two rows and a folding bench at the back. The builder didn't consider cutting windows in the side panels and installed sound-proof materials and loudspeakers connected to a modern infotainment system with a DVD player for the rear-seat entertainment. Maybe it didn't find the best-looking solution for that, but at least it offers more than just an AM radio, which was an option for the Advance Design trucks back in the '50s.

Whipple Motorsports ditched the original powerplant from under the hood and replaced it with a GM 350 small-block engine paired to a three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic. The car rides on a Mustang II-style front and a Ford Explorer rear end for the suspension. That might annoy some GM hard-core fans, but we have to admit that it was a smart decision.

This cool-looking panel van is up for grabs at Hemmings, and you have time until January 7th to place your bid. Just remember that the reserve is higher than 30k greens, and we can understand that. Only the interior cost more than 20k. But look on the good side: you can't get more privacy in the rear seats than in a panel van. So while it looks like a delivery vehicle for a tuning shop, it can provide fast and comfortable transportation.
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About the author: Tudor Serban
Tudor Serban profile photo

Tudor started his automotive career in 1996, writing for a magazine while working on his journalism degree. From Pikes Peaks to the Moroccan desert to the Laguna Seca, he's seen and done it all.
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