Cool 'Ol School Panel Truck! Smooth 235 inline 6, 4 Spd Man, Long Term Ownership

Description

Panel trucks like this 1954 Chevrolet 3800 Panel Delivery have been functional alternatives to the pickup for decades, and who can deny their appeal when they look this good? This Champagne on Black Cherry panel truck has been wonderfully preserved throughout the years and restored as needed, including a repaint 5 years ago and mechanical rebuild/freshening to make it fun and reliable on the road today. These panel trucks don't come on the market that often, take a closer look...
The two-tone Dark Gray over Black Cherry suits the substantial panel truck perfectly in our opinion and the smooth body sides are just begging for your business's logo or even a fun made-up logo for your home shop. It's all about attracting attention, and this truck does it quite well. Repainted approximately 5 years ago, it spent a lot of time being well cared for by a diligent owner (same owner for the past 28 years to be exact) so it still looks great with only minor signs of use, mostly up front in the usual spots. After all, who can blame the guy for wanting to drive it? Thin pinstripes were added around the perimeter as a line of demarcation between the two colors, and it's exactly the right signal for the transition; not too much but enough to make you notice. The twin cargo doors out back almost look chopped (they're not) and the single commercial-grade taillight is all you get out back. In addition to the usual timeless styling, 1954 was the only year for significant changes both inside and out on the Advanced Design GM trucks, specifically with the introduction of the "bull-nose" front grille and the one-piece curved windshield. The chrome grill sparkles against the dark finish, giving it a bit of an upscale look, as do the heavy-duty bumpers that complete the industrial-strength look that makes these trucks such enduring favorites.
Inside the stock theme continues, with a combination of both newer and original components throughout. The gray vinyl split-bench up front could easily still be the original, and despite a few imperfections here and there, it works perfectly well with the original dash and instruments inside. Much like the seat, the door panels look original as well and also show their age, and while they might be a little dated, it's a very easy and inexpensive thing to change them and the seat cover if it's not your thing. The factory gauges and dashboard are all original too, and even though there's a little age on them as well, the utilitarian set-up is perfect for this panel delivery. The rest is fairly spartan, but the 4-speed shifter on the floor, the big steering wheel, and the rubber mats on the floor below all serve the truck very well. Overhead there's an original headliner still in place, and the cargo bay is a fully carpeted on the floor and side panels, and with no seats back there, there's plenty of room to haul just about anything inside this big 3800.
The 235 cubic inch inline-six "Blue Flame" under the hood was rebuilt approximately 30k miles ago, bored .040 over, and now fires up with ease and runs superbly. It starts easily with 6 volts running through the starter and the familiar corporate blue paint brightens up the otherwise all black engine bay. A correct oil bath air filter, newer hoses and wires, and other pieces make it look correct without harming its bulletproof reputation. The 4-speed manual transmission (with a Granny low) is believed to be original and shifts smoothly through the gears, while the rear end was swapped in from a 1986 Chevrolet ¾ ton truck, so it's as heavy-duty as they come. This big delivery actually a lot of fun to drive while cycling through the gears and listening to the familiar grumble of the straight six, aided by the factory replacement exhaust. It looks quite stock underneath, right down to the solid pans and frame rails and the 9.50/16.5 blackwall tires the rig rides on. Trim rings and hubcaps are just the right dress-up for the panel truck, adding a little flair without getting excessive about it.
A neat truck with a very affordable price tag means you can start having fun and still have some room to make it your own. Call today!