My Restored 1952 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup

When I was a kid there were two early 1950's red chevrolet pickups sitting behind the barn on our family farm. They belonged to my two older brothers and I guess they planned to restore them someday, but they never got around to it so the trucks just sat there for probably forty years. They're gone now as is the farm, but I always wanted a truck like those. Well, it's not red, but I finally found my dream truck.
We bought this truck from a classic car dealer in Winchester, Virginia. He told me this is the second time in twenty odd years that he has sold this vehicle. The first time it was on his lot was way back in the early 2000's. That buyer had it for several years, but ended up selling it to another gentleman who eventually brought it back to his store at Christmas 2023 to trade on a classic car. It had only been out on the lot for a day or two when I just happened to drive by after the holidays.

The truck was restored as a "hot rod" about twenty to twenty-five years ago, but still looks great, and the previous owners took very good care of it. Plus, it had less than 4500 miles on it since the restoration.
One thing from the restoration that I initially wasn't particularly crazy about was deleting the radio holes in the dash and installing the radio in a customized speaker grille, because it eliminated the possibility of installing an original radio. But they did a nice job of it, and after I found reproduction radios that look just like the original and fit right in this custom grill, I've learned to love it. I'm just waiting on the new radio.
The radio did help narrow down when the truck was likely restored. It's a Kenwood KRC-2007 AM/FM with a cassette deck, and according to what I found online it was available new between 1997 and 2002. Since the dealer sold the truck the first time in the early 2000's that would date the restoration to somewhere in that 1997 and to early 2000's range.
My wife wanted a red truck, but I really like the metallic blue paint and it's still in very nice condition. I also really like the custom interior. The fabric resembles burlap, which I think was a great idea for a 71 year old truck.
Of course, as soon as I brought the truck home it snowed. Then it rained, and afterwards snowed some more for good measure. I tarped the back to try to protect the bed boards, but I need to get the truck in my garage. However, it's full of tools, junk and antique radios, but I repeat myself. Now I have to clean it out pronto.
I don't know for sure who did the full restoration, but I do know who did at least part of it. There is a tag on the interior that reads "Bill's of New York, Hot Rod Interior Designs". It took a bit of online searching but I eventually stumbled across an article on topspeed.com about Bill Wyso Jr., which states he owned and operated "Bill's of New York Custom Hot Rod Interiors". There is also a related youtube video which says that Bill passed away in 2005. He was apparently a well-known figure in the world of Hot Rods and drag racing along with his dad, and was a professional upholster and restorer.
​​According to the truck's serial number it was manufactured in Kansas City, Missouri. It was evidently restored in New York, later sold twice in Virginia, and now lives in my garage in West Virginia, so this old truck has been around the block a few times.
Front and rear views of the truck. Some Advanced Design year models came with a chromed grill, but apparently due to material shortages caused by the Korean War the '52 pickups had color-matched grills. But I still like the chrome better.

I originally thought the Chevrolet tailgate lettering should have been white instead of black, but then I discovered that from the factory it was actually the body color, too.

The polyurethane finish on the bed boards is starting to crack and peel, so I'll probably refinish those maybe next summer. I had assumed original bed boards were oak, because I see many replacement kits in catalogs that are oak, but actually it seems the factory used yellow pine painted black. And that's what the boards in this truck appear to be, but urethaned instead of painted.
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Also, when I first looked at the truck I thought the rear bumper had been removed as part of the restoration, but I later read that 1952 3100's did not originally come with a rear bumper, again because of material shortages. How times have changed.

So far I don't see anything on the vehicle in serious need of immediate attention, but I'm making a list of all the minor things I'll need to take care of as time permits.
Side views of the truck. My wife wanted to give the truck a nickname, and started making suggestions, but I reminded her that she had already named it over thirty years ago. She was a fan of the original MacGyver TV show, on which in some episodes he drove an old pickup truck. And every time my wife would see an antique truck anywhere she would say, "there's a MacGyver truck". Plus she said some day she'd buy me a "MacGyver truck". So, MacGyver it is.
Another look at the interior. It's very clean and has an Ididit first generation chrome tilt steering column, a billet steering wheel, plus the Classic Instruments Vintage Gauge Clusters. The air vents and original fresh air heater work, but the cable that operates the defrost flap is stuck so I'll need to take a look at that.

The radio doesn't have an external aerial, only a small powered antenna under the dash, so it doesn't pick up so well out here in the country. Under a metal dash is about the worst place you could pick for an antenna, but since I plan to get into the dash to replace the radio anyway, I'll also relocate the antenna to a better spot.
The speakers are in the doors and I noticed the driver side speaker isn't working. After a little troubleshooting I see it's an open speaker or wiring, and not the radio itself, so I'll have to pull the door panel to see what's going on.
The power train consists of a small block Chevy 350 V8 with a Quadrajet 4-barrel carburator, an Edelbrock intake manifold, a performance camshaft, electronic ignition, chromed valve covers and a chromed alternator. At least those are the engine upgrades I can easily see or the mechanic has pointed out. The transmission is a TH350 3-speed automatic with a performance shift kit installed, and at the other end of the drive shaft is a GM 1/2- ton, 12-bolt, 8.875" positraction rear differential. I guess that's why Grandpa keeps accidentally barking the tires.

The truck still has the original front I-beam axle and was updated with a mono-spring suspension kit, front disc brakes, and power steering. It also has an all aluminum radiator with aluminum overflow tank and an integrated transmission cooler, plus an electric cooling fan. And it has twin exhausts with Hooker exhaust headers.

An automatic transmission was a requirement to get my wife's blessing to buy the truck. She refuses to drive a stick shift, even though she originally learned to drive on one.

​This build was not a frame swap, but rebuilt from the ground up on it's original chassis, which is in excellent condition. When we put it on a lift to check the underside I was pleasantly surprised at how good it still looks after two decades. Everything was painted underneath so there's no rusted metal on the frame or body other than just a few scratches and chips that I'll touch up. The exhaust pipes were originally painted black, but heat and time have now caused the usual surface rust on those. There's also some surface rust on a few other things like the u-bolts for springs, but that will all get touched up, too, after the weather warms up.
A front-on view with the hood up showing the aluminum dress plate on the firewall. I was looking for a truck that was updated, but still had some originality to it. I did want a small block V8 with an automatic transmission, as well as disc brakes and power steering to make it more drive-able, and I wanted a nice interior with the original bench seat, because I'm tall and a bench seat is more comfortable for me and my back.

However, I did not want power windows or power door locks, or LCD displays, or computers, or GPS, or any other modern-day gadgetry. If I wanted all those annoyances I could just buy a new car. I can roll the windows up and down myself; to me that's part of the fun of having a classic truck. A nice retro-style radio sound system is about as hi-tech as I care to get. Simple is good.
​It still amazes me that I finally found my dream truck, already professionally restored, and equipped pretty much as I wanted, and at a price I could afford. Especially the part about being able to afford it. I think all-in-all I found a real gem. And if I'd driven by the car dealer a day later, I might not have gotten it because while we were completing the paperwork someone called the dealer asking if the truck was still for sale. Whew, that was close.
Updates to the truck are on a separate page. Click the link below or browse to it through the menu.
Page created 1/9/2024
Last edited 4/30/2024