Back in the ol’ days of trucking, U.S. customers bought pickups mostly for work instead of daily driving and leisure driving. The Chevrolet Advance Design was the best-selling workhorse in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, but chassis number NM88594 is anything but your grandpa’s farm truck.
A 1947 model purchased by the current owner in 2020, this fine-looking Thriftmaster doesn’t feature the straight-six motor the Golden Bowtie used to market as the Thriftmaster. As I’ve spoiled it from the headline, the engine bay is home to a big-block crate engine from Chevrolet Performance.
ZZ427/480 is how the Detroit-based automaker dubs the 7.0-liter mammoth, and a brand-new one retails at $11,500 right now. Lightweight aluminum heads top a sturdy iron block, and a hydraulic roller camshaft replaces the period flat-tappet setup for improved airflow and scavenging.
A classic recreated if you will, the 427 that Chevrolet Performance offers today is no snail thanks to 480 horsepower and 490 pound-feet (664 Nm) at merely 3,800 revolutions per minute from the factory. The V8 lump in this tasteful pickup is certain to make a little more than advertised because it flexes a four-barrel carburetor from Holley, an electric choke, aluminum intake, Hooker stainless-steel headers, and two beefy Magnaflow mufflers.
Last serviced in March 2021 and currently showing just under 740 miles (1,191 kilometers) on the clock, the one-of-one restomod sends the goodies to a 10-bolt rear axle that boasts a Quick Performance limited-slip differential. A built 700R four-speed automatic and a steering column-mounted shifter do the cog swapping, and a 2,500-rpm stall is featured as well.
Refurbished and modified under previous ownership with a frame sourced from a mid-‘60s Chevelle, this four-wheeled labor of love rides on Wheel Vintiques steelies wrapped in Uniroyal and Cooper tires. Complemented by QA1 adjustable coil-over suspension up front and tubular control arms on both ends, this brute stops on a dime thanks to a Wilwood master cylinder, a proportioning valve (brake force regulator), front rotors, and rear drums.
With six days of bidding left on Bring a Trailer at the moment of writing, chassis number NM88594 currently sits on a high bid of $33,000.
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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