Brook Walsh, Author at Restomod Academy

Let's talk numbers for a minute. We'll begin with the number 1. As in this 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod is quite possibly the nicest, or '1 of' the nicest, pickups on the planet. Of course, a number that substantial has to have quite a few more numbers to back it up. So, how about 9? As in 9 years' worth of restoration and customization. Moreover, next comes 6. As in 6 figures worth of parts and materials for that restoration and customization. And last but certainly not least: 12. As in the number of significant features and awards the truck has won in four years. https://youtu.be/LBi_2iD9l9M Please click on the image above to view a video of this world-class restomod BODYWORK/TRIM Purchased as a solid driver, then lovingly reimagined by a knowledgeable PPG employee. This 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod had a 6-figure, 9-year restoration. Moreover, it included an obsessive focus on details. Its solid body was hand-altered, painted PPG Liquid Gold, and clear-coated PPG High-Performance Glamour. However, today, the truck rolls as a game-changing half-ton that's one-part lust and two parts envy! If this Chevy is any indication, concise knowledge of paint fosters an excellent sense of style. However, a custom, smoothed valance hangs a tucked, smoothed, and fully chromed bumper beneath. Moreover, this lies under a fully chromed grille flanked by custom billet parking lamps. Above those one-off LEDs, frenched halogen headlights lead to re-shaped fenders that complement a peaked, 1-piece hood. Moreover, behind that hood, a filled and shaved cowl leads the eye to a smoked greenhouse. In addition, this plants 1-piece side glass beneath shaved drip rails and custom, 1-piece window moldings. Aligned, gapped, and shaved doors hang simple mirrors above smoothed running boards on homemade brackets. Moreover, those boards melt into original fenders that balance a custom fuel door opposite smoothed and capped bedsides. In addition, oak boards float in 12 coats of PPG clear, sanded, and polished top and bottom, between a bowtie-branded header, custom-covered skid strips, and a smooth Center High Mount Stop Lamp. This lamp spotlights a bowtie-branded tailgate with hidden latches and bespoke billet supports over a Brothers Truck roll pan with an enlarged tag pocket and frenched LED taillights. In addition, to stainless hardware and high-quality glares from Nashville, Tennessee's Advanced Plating, Lucky Strike Designs custom-painted the truck's pinstripes. 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod - ENGINE As young car guys, most of us are taught that 8's definitely greater than 6. And when it comes to great 8s, it doesn't get much better than a GM Performance Parts ZZ502 big block. However, the 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod's show-detailed engine is a testament to the old rule. Which is, that more cubic inches equal more horsepower. Air/fuel mixture is supplied by three finned O'Brien Truckers air cleaners. In addition, there are three chromed and powder-coated Demon 2-barrels. That dynamic duo rides on a polished Demon Six Shooter intake. Moreover, the intake's bolted between polished aluminum heads. Those heads hang classy PML valve covers and a matching breather over stamped steel rockers, 2.25-inch intake valves, and 1.88-inch exhaust valves. Hydraulic roller cam sequenced to MSD 6AL ignition engages these rockers. A color-keyed billet distributor, Pertronix Flame-Thrower coil, and woven MSD Street Fire plug wires complete the engine. Spent gases roar through custom, 2-inch MotoFab headers that are bathed in QC Coatings High Gloss High Temp. At the front of those headers, a familiar Billet Specialties Truetrac system spins a polished Edelbrock water pump between a polished alternator, a polished AC compressor, and modern power steering. And that water pump feeds a custom Griffin radiator that's wedged between custom support, a custom shroud, a polished expansion tank, and a thermostatically controlled SPAL puller fan. Visually, the fully smoothed block reflects PPG Liquid Metal skin inside a color-keyed, LED-lit bay that includes a custom firewall and custom inner fenders. And details like polished hood supports, Billet Specialties fluid reservoirs, trick bowtie bolts, and a complete Aeromotive fuel system create an appealing yet purposeful appearance. 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod - DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION One peek under this sweet 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod reveals some of the best work money can buy. First and foremost, a custom Fatman Fabrication chassis wraps smoothed and filled rails in PPG Gray Metallic Envirobase. Moreover, it's sanded and polished clear and has a full roster of fasteners that are either hand-polished stainless or grade 8 chrome. Behind the 502, a Phoenix 700R4 4-speed, smoothed and bathed in PPG Liquid Metal, utilizes a 2,500 RPM stall to twist a custom Dynotech driveshaft. At the end of that driveshaft, a polished Currie 9-inch spins a proven Traction-Lok differential around Strange 3.73 gears. That fully dressed drivetrain pushes a polished 4-bar suspension, which features leveling Ridetech ShockWaves. Tracking is provided by a fully polished front half, which centers power rack-and-pinion steering between two more Ridetech ShockWaves. Braking is equally class, with Wilwood 4-piston calipers utilizing custom, clear coated lines to squeeze a quartet of 11-inch drilled and slotted rotors. The aforementioned headers dump spent gases into a custom, 3-inch exhaust system, which wraps electric cutouts and Flowmaster Super 44 mufflers in a QC Coatings High Gloss High Temp sheen. There's an 18-gallon No Limit fuel tank, smoothed and body-matched, that cycles fossils through a 10 AN mainline and an 8 AN return. However, Power meets the pavement through Billet Specialties Rivieras, which twist 225/45ZR17 BF Goodrich Radial T/As in front of 255/45ZR18 BF Goodrich Radial T/As. Moreover, one quick look at our professional photography reveals the true craftsmanship of this truck's build, with items like custom wheel tubs, a custom compressor box, a polished master cylinder, and fully hidden air and fluid lines highlighting incredible attention to detail. 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod - INTERIOR The Trim Shop in Manitou Beach, Michigan, installed this 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod's bespoke interior. Front and center, a custom '59 Chevy dash found Auto Meter Old Tyme telemetry and a mirrored Boese instrument panel above pushbutton ignition, controls for the truck's Ride Tech bags, and controls for a Vintage Air climate system. Opposite that dash, a Glide Engineering seat stretches Light Almond leather under stylish alligator inserts and 3-point Juliano belts. Beneath that seat, quality Eastwood insulation anchors premium cut-pile carpet under Lokar pedals. Moreover, there's a Lokar parking brake and a custom console that's centered on a tall Lokar shifter. At the edges of that carpet, tailored door panels front 1-piece power windows. However, at the top of those windows, a taut headliner backs a billet mirror and a second small console. Moreover, the driver stays connected to the road through a tilting Ididit column and Lecarra Mark 10 steering wheel. 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Restomod - AWARDS/FEATURES According to this Chevy's builder and current owner, the truck has amassed quite a collection of prestigious accolades. Best Truck in Show at the 2016 Cleveland Autorama in Cleveland, OhioFirst Place Full Custom Pick Up at the 2016 Cleveland Autorama in Cleveland, OhioBillet Specialties Pick at the 2013 Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, OhioChevy Truck Pick at the 2013 Goodguys WIX Filters Speedway Nationals in Indianapolis, IndianaBest Truck in Show at the 2012 Detroit Autorama in Detroit, MichiganFirst Place Full Custom Pick Up at the 2012 Detroit Autorama in Detroit, MichiganBuilders Choice at the 2012 Goodguys WIX Filters Speedway Nationals in Indianapolis, IndianaGoodguys Truck of the Year Finalist for 2012Featured on PPG Vibrance's 2014 metal signFeatured on the cover of the March 2013 edition of Custom Classic Trucks MagazineFeatured in the May-June, 2013 Summit Racing CatalogMerchandise Feature Vehicle at the Goodguys WIX Filters Speedway Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana Related Questions: What is the difference between a Chevy 3100 and 3600? A 3100 is a half-ton while a 3600 is a 3/4 ton with 8 lug wheels. However, the wheelbase is a big difference but some half tons also have a long wheelbase. What is a Chevy 3100? The 1948-1953 Chevrolet Series 3100 half-ton pickups benefited from a redesign that took Chevy trucks into a new era of comfort, convenience, and style. Moreover, Chevy's restyled "Advance-Design" trucks were introduced in 1947, well ahead of its first new postwar cars, and little changed in appearance through 1953. What years did Chevy make the Apache truck? 1955-1960