Imagine you're strolling through the woods, and all of a sudden, you stumble into a hoard of vintage Chevrolet pickup trucks. That would be cool, right? Well, it's totally possible because someone actually stored no fewer than nine Chevrolet half-tons from the Advance Design era in such a place.
Documented by the folks over at YouTube's "Mr. Goodpliers," these trucks have been resting their bones in the woods for almost 50 years. The story goes that the owner bought them one by one, used them, and then parked them into the forest when they stopped working. Some were eventually sourced for parts to fix other trucks, but others are more or less complete.
Of course, since they've been exposed to the elements for so many decades, none of them are road-worthy. And it's safe to assume that the trucks that still have engines won't run without proper maintenance. But if you're interested in saving any of them, the owner wants to sell.
There is a problem, though. He's asking a bit too much for them. According to "Mr. Goodpliers," who offered $10,000 for the entire hoard, the owner thinks they're worth $5,000 each. Granted, Advance Design trucks can get quite expensive when properly restored, with Concours-ready examples valued at around $50,000.
On the other hand, trucks in Fair condition change hands for around $10,000. A vehicle that's been sitting in the woods for decades is obviously in far worse shape than Fair, so $5K may be a bit too much for most of the trucks in the video. Let's hope the owner will eventually take offers so we can see some of these trucks get a second chance at life. Also, keep in mind that we don't know where these trucks are located.
Chevrolet built the Advance Series line of trucks from 1947 to 1955. It replaced the AK Series, and it was followed by the iconic Task Force Series. The lineup included one-, 1/2- and 3/4-ton trucks and was sold with "Thriftmaster" and "Loadmaster" badges until 1949.
After that, Chevy introduced numbers that designated cargo capacity. The half-tons were called the 3100, while the 3/4-ton trucks came with "3600" badges. Finally, the one-ton hauler was named the 3800.
Chevrolet offered three inline-six engines for the Advance Design series. A 216-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) mill was the only option from 1947 to 1953, but 235- and 261-cubic-inch (3.9- and 4.3-liter) units were added in 1954. Likewise, the truck was offered with a manual gearbox only until 1954, when Chevrolet introduced a four-speed automatic.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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