For Sale: 1953 Chevrolet 3100 1/2 ton Deluxe 5 window, 2 owners truck, frame off

Up for sale: 1953 Chevrolet 3100 ½ ton – 2 owners truck, matching engine number & restored with patina preservation. The beauty of imperfection.

I purchased this original standard cab, a 1953 Chevrolet 3100, from the original owner in Virginia around 2007 It arrived with the expected 54 years of history with rust & mechanical imperfections. The VIN is the engine number; that was how Virginia DMV identified it back then. The 216 ci engine needed to be rebuilt & and there was excessive rust on the cab. Other than that, all original exterior, interior & mechanical.

My goal was to restore this truck, yet preserve the patina look.

I decided to do a frame off restoration. I found a straight & rust-free Chevrolet 3100 frame & deluxe 5-window cab with minimal rust in Fontana, CA. We sent the donor cab & frame for sandblasting, followed by powder coating of the frame.

The frame off restoration was done at Johnson Classic Auto Body in Corona, CA. The restoration took six years to finish. We fixed all the rust on the fenders. I replaced any body parts that couldn’t be saved, like running boards and inner front fenders. Rocky of Johnson Classic painted the cab matte green to match the rest of the truck's original patina paint. The floor bed was done with reclaimed gray weathered wood & matte powder-coated bare steel strips. All new laminated glass was installed as well.

During that frame-off restoration, I sent the engine to be rebuilt by OC Fleet in Santa Ana, CA. To get the truck ready for today’s roads. I installed turn signals, power brakes, and power steering. I also replaced the original style radiator, carburetor & new lowered suspension for today's comfort & safety standards. For the wheels I sandblasted & powder coated the original split 16" steel wheels & installed all new tube style 4 ply nylon tires. It still has the original patina hub caps. Even with all the modifications, it still drives like an old truck

After the frame off and engine rebuild, I had the seat and headliner redone by Martin Auto Upholstery in Santa Ana to try to match the original look.

In 2019, I met a patina painter, who did the patina look to match the original patina of the truck. I love the result.

This truck looks old, untouched and look original in my opinion, but a lot of work have been done to meet my expectations. Currently around 1000 miles since engine rebuilt & restoration. Many people ask me if I will paint my truck.

Thank you