‘Red Hills Rods & Classics’ is very happy to offer you this absolutely gorgeous 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Custom Pickup, a ground up build that was completed in 2004 w/ no expense spared totaling over $150,000! This one-of-a-kind pickup was dreamed up by Terry Alexander from Tracy, California, who hoped to teach his teenage son about building the perfect classic truck. Terry’s son lost interest rather quickly and went on to purchase an ’82 Chevy Blazer project. This didn’t deter Terry from completing his dream, and along w/ David Philpott who built the custom chassis, and Troy Gaskins who did all of the bodywork & paint, the final result is nothing short of breathtaking!
‘BORN IN 54’, the truck’s nickname, was featured in ‘Classic Trucks’ magazine in 2005 and was a staple in the Southern California’s car show circuit for several years. The bodywork done by Troy Gaskins is extensive to say the least, featuring: a smoothed-out beltline, deleted cowl, shaved drip-rails, completely reworked fenders, handmade running boards, dropped & sectioned hood, custom-built grille, custom built bed w/ steel floor, frenched headlights & taillights (Billet Specialties), Billet Specialties mirrors, etc. You only have to look at the photos to see how beautifully the body flows on this custom pickup. The gorgeous PPG Burnt Orange paint was then applied, which still shows like new w/ an absolutely brilliant shine throughout. The original plan to add graphics was scrapped, as the truck looked so perfect as is. The body was then mounted onto Dave Philpott’s custom powder-coated frame, which features: boxed rails, C-notched rear, Fatman independent front suspension (IFS) w/ Shock Wave springs & shocks, 4-link 10-bolt 8.5” Posi rear-end, Wilwood disc brakes, etc. The truck originally had an Air-Ride set-up but the bags were removed after a year or so and replaced w/ the coil-overs due to the owner’s preference. All of the Air-Ride controls, air-tank, valves, etc. are still present so if the new owner wants to go back to an Air-Ride system all that needs to be done is to add the bags. The undercarriage is as clean & show-worthy as the topside of the truck (see photos). She sits on Boyd Coddington wheels (20” in the rear & 18” up front), wrapped in Nitto radial tires (275/35/R20 in the rear & 245/40/ZR18 up front). You can walk around this ’54 Chevy Pickup a hundred times and never find a bad angle.
When the project was nearing completion, the final interior design was done by the best man in the area, Howdy Ledbetter of Fremont, CA. Credited as designing some of the finest Hot Rod interiors that you are ever likely to see, Howdy treated the ’54 w/ all of the respect it deserved. Interior features include: Corbeau tan leather bucket-seats, hand-built steel dash, hand-built center console, hand-built paneling, Mercedes wool carpeting, Ididit steering column, wrapped Lecarra billet steering wheel, Dakota digital gauges, power windows, Vintage Air climate control, billet AC vents, Painless wiring, and a custom Panasonic/Alpine sound system w/ overhead drop-down DVD player. Despite its show-like appearance, this truck was built to drive and has all of the creature comforts that are needed for a comfortable and enjoyable ride.
Pop open the hood and inside the ultra-clean engine bay, which features a fully massaged assembly of sheet metal, resides the GM Gen-4 454ci crate motor painted in body-matching Burnt Orange. Components include: Moroso aluminum valve covers, Edelbrock Performer Air-Gap intake manifold, Demon 750cfm carburetor, flamed billet oval air cleaner, MSD ignition, March serpentine system, Hooker headers, custom-built aluminum radiator, chrome alternator, hidden AC plumbing, stainless steel lines throughout, etc. The 454ci big-block is linked to a 700R 4-speed automatic transmission, which feeds power to the 10-bolt 8.5” Posi rear-end w/ 4.11 gears. She fires up instantly, settling into a nice smooth idle, and when it’s time to go, let me tell you she GOES! This beautiful 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Custom Pickup is a BLAST to drive, she runs extremely strong and is brutally fast! The custom-built 3” stainless steel exhaust system w/ Flo-Pro mufflers sounds absolutely amazing! Anywhere you decide to take this truck, I guarantee that there will be a crowd around you within minutes. With an overall construction price of $150K, the new owner will be getting this one-off custom pickup at a fraction of what it cost to build. A stack of receipts, manuals, etc., along w/ the ‘Classic Trucks’ magazine from February 2005 where this truck is featured on the cover, will all go to the new owner as well.
If you have been searching for a highly unique classic pickup that will separate you from all of the others out there, you have found your truck!