Photo: Mecum Auctions
Now aged 77, Harry Bradley is revered as one of the most important car designers of all time. Among his creations, this 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS pickup is up there with the best of them.
Known for the 1995 Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, 1967 Dodge Deora, and 1951 Chevrolet La Jolla, Bradley’s crowning achievement is the original set of Hot Wheels model cars from 1968. Harking back to those die-cast toy cars, the 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS pictured here certainly has a Hot Wheels vibe to it.
Designed by Bradley and built by a man called David and a retired GM design staff technical stylist, the custom workhorse is one of the main attractions of Mecum’s upcoming Anaheim auction. Everything from the front grille to the headlights, side-exiting exhaust system, squared-off flared wheel arches and slick-looking rear end make this truck here a one-of-a-kind chef-d'oeuvre.
But do you notice something strange about this truck from the side profile? Yup, no side mirrors. Instead, the custom-designed 454 SS features two rearview cameras in its B-pillars. Beat that, 2018 Lexus LS! The interior, I’m afraid, is pure 1990s hogwash. Garnet red cabin, velour seating surfaces, four-spoke steering wheel, foot-operated parking brake, you know the drill.
Albeit outgunned by the fancy EcoBoost V6s and Power Stroke V8s we have in this day and age, the 454 cu. in. (7.4-liter) V8 in the 454 SS has that certain something about it that makes it irresistible. On paper, however, 230 hp and 385 lb-ft sent to the rear wheels via a 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 doesn’t sound like an irresistible proposition. To put that into perspective, all but one engine in the Ford F-150 lineup (3.5 Ti-VCT V6) have more goodies to offer.
Discontinued after the 1993 model year, Chevrolet produced merely 16,953 units of the 454 SS. And there you have it. If you’re in the market for a pickup truck unlike any other out there, this 454 SS certainly fits the bills.
Designed by Bradley and built by a man called David and a retired GM design staff technical stylist, the custom workhorse is one of the main attractions of Mecum’s upcoming Anaheim auction. Everything from the front grille to the headlights, side-exiting exhaust system, squared-off flared wheel arches and slick-looking rear end make this truck here a one-of-a-kind chef-d'oeuvre.
But do you notice something strange about this truck from the side profile? Yup, no side mirrors. Instead, the custom-designed 454 SS features two rearview cameras in its B-pillars. Beat that, 2018 Lexus LS! The interior, I’m afraid, is pure 1990s hogwash. Garnet red cabin, velour seating surfaces, four-spoke steering wheel, foot-operated parking brake, you know the drill.
Albeit outgunned by the fancy EcoBoost V6s and Power Stroke V8s we have in this day and age, the 454 cu. in. (7.4-liter) V8 in the 454 SS has that certain something about it that makes it irresistible. On paper, however, 230 hp and 385 lb-ft sent to the rear wheels via a 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 doesn’t sound like an irresistible proposition. To put that into perspective, all but one engine in the Ford F-150 lineup (3.5 Ti-VCT V6) have more goodies to offer.
Discontinued after the 1993 model year, Chevrolet produced merely 16,953 units of the 454 SS. And there you have it. If you’re in the market for a pickup truck unlike any other out there, this 454 SS certainly fits the bills.
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