The 1956 model year 3100 was only available with the stepside bed, a design that features the wheel arches outside of the bed for a perfectly rectangular box. This particular truck received the fleetside bed from a 1959 model for a flatter aesthetic that suits the slammed makeover.
Modified by Orange Country Hot Rods with one-piece windows and poppers, the half-ton pickup still features the original cabin even though it’s very different from stock. A triangular instrument cluster opens the list of improvements, along with the six-spoke wheel, column-mounted shift lever, black leather upholstery for the bench seat, lap belts, and a custom-fabricated center console with two cup holders and the Air Lift controller.
Vintage Air climate control also needs to be mentioned, along with Ridetech Shockwave bags, two 480-cc air compressors, a forged-steel rear sway bar with dual filters and a regulator, four-link rear end with an adjustable Panhard rod, and a shortened 9.0-inch Ford third member with Strange Engineering 4.11 gears. Upper and lower control arms also need to be mentioned although the ride is clearly soft because this Chevy is a cruiser.
Fitted with Wilwood four- and six-piston brake calipers, drilled rotors, and Schott Vulcan forged wheels that measure 19 by 8.5 inches and 20 by 12 inches, the one-off pickup also rocks Michelin rubber shoes and powder-coated exterior trim. The Oracle LED headlights, taillights, and turn signals, rear bumper delete, custom fuel cap, and matte-finish grille are joined by a spotless engine bay where an LS2 and long-tube headers reside.
The rebuilt engine now rocks a Holley oil pan, FiTech manifold, injectors, and control unit, a conical air filter, an X-pipe element, and MagnaFlow mufflers for approximately 450 horsepower. All that fury is channeled to the rear wheels by a Hydra-Matic 4L80-E transmission, an extremely durable four-speed automatic that General Motors produced until the early 2010s.
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. Full profile
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