Is This Classic Chevy a Good Buy?
This week, we’re taking a look at a classic pickup that’s sure to turn heads. This 1959 Chevy 3100 has been restored, and the seller is asking $31,500. But is it worth it?
Yesterday, we saw a modern vehicle with a high number of miles on the odometer, and the final results weren’t pretty. The 2013 Dodge Durango Crew was asking a price of $8,500 despite having nearly 200,000 miles on the odometer. It makes today’s subject all the more interesting.
This particular Chevy 3100 is part of the “Task Force” lineup, which debuted in 1955, replacing the “Advance Design” pickups. This series was a significant shift in the truck market.
Chevy’s engineers aimed to combine the work capabilities of a truck with the comfort of a passenger car. This expanded their customer base to those who previously found pickups too utilitarian. Chevy offered body style options like the Cameo Carrier, which included a sleek fleetside bed design, with a more car-like appearance, and the addition of features such as air conditioning, power steering, and more luxurious upholstery. They also introduced a V8 engine. These trucks laid the foundation for the succeeding C/K line of trucks, which emphasize broad appeal and have been Chevy’s sales leaders to this day.
The nomenclature of these trucks also offers us clues about our subject. “Task Force” was an internal term, while the bed length was indicated by a numerical identifier, with 3100 representing the short bed. Chevy also assigned individual names to the different vehicle weight classes. Light-duty trucks identified as Apaches, the mid-duty trucks earned the name Viking, and the heavy-duty work trucks were called Spartans. Since this truck is the light-duty, short-bed version it carries the Apache designation and has related badging. The bright work on the truck is minimal, with a checkered hood accent and full-wheel covers. The white-painted grille, headlamp surrounds, and chrome bumpers combined well with the 1950s blue body hue.
Reports indicate the truck has undergone an older restoration. Other than a scrape on the front bumper, it appears to have held up well.
Under the hood, it appears to be just as tidy. While these trucks could be optioned with a 283 cubic inch V8 engine, this particular example is powered by the standard 235 CID “Thriftmaster” straight-six. This is one of the most highly regarded engines Chevy produced, and in its high-compression variant dubbed the “Blue Flame,” it even powered the original Corvette. In this application, the engine produces 135 (gross) horsepower and 217 (again, gross) lb-ft of torque and is paired with what appears to be a three-speed manual transmission. Chevy offered a 4X4 conversion engineered by the Northwestern Auto Parts Company (NAPCO) during this era, although this example is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle.
The transmission uses a “three-on-the-tree” shifter. The seller added a cupholder console to the cab. One of the interesting aspects of these older trucks is the starting procedure which involves pushing in the clutch and then hitting the starter button with your right foot.
Inside the cab, everything looks to be in excellent shape. The seller describes the condition as “EXCELLENT CONDITION!” and states that it “RUNS & DRIVES FANTASTIC!” The title is clean, and the truck has only traveled a claimed 5,000 miles since its restoration. The tires, according to the ad, have only 100 miles of wear. The asking price is $31,500.
What’s most remarkable about this truck is its unrestored or “unmolested” appearance. Many Chevy light-duty trucks from this period have been modified with newer engines, lowered suspensions, and wider wheels. This truck is a pure, uncut, old-school truck, and the better for it. But does that quality warrant the asking price?
What do you think? Is this a fair price for a well-sorted, restored truck? Or is this one to pass on?
