1950 Chevrolet 3600 Pickup Has Modern Flare

An increased wheelbase, seating for six, an improved carburetor, and a modern suspension help this 3600 shine.

Modern pickup trucks may be extremely popular at the moment but the heavy-duty machines were even more sought-after in the past. The vehicles offered unprecedented levels of versatility and usability, and when a new model came out, it brought new changes with it to stomp the competition. This 1950 Chevrolet 3600 we found on Mecum Auctions is a great example of what kind of changes automakers made between model years.

Featuring General Motors’ Advance Design styling that was round and muscular, the ’50 3600 was the automaker’s three-quarter ton truck of the time period and came with some extra goodies over the previous model. The pickup ditched lever-action shocks in favor of modern tube-type ones, claims Classic Car History and was also fitted with new rear quarter windows for improved visibility.

The wheelbase and bed were enlarged, while the bed now featured single-sheet plywood instead of the multiple-board construction that previous models utilized, states Old Ride. The engine was also massaged with an updated carburetor to bump up power from the 216 cu. in. inline-six to 92 horsepower. All of these changes, as Old Ride points out, helped Chevy’s lineup of trucks rank at the top of the charts in sales.

The listing for the specific ’50 3600 we found on Mecum isn’t exactly filled with information on the vehicle, but it’s clear to see that a lot has been done to the machine. The pickup’s finished in a gorgeous shade of bright red with white-walled tires that look amazing. Par for the course in the ‘50s, there’s a bunch of chrome on the vehicle, including on the grille, mirrors, badges, and headlights.

The interior has been heavily modified with brown seats that ditch the bench-style seating for two modern ones with an armrest, which has two cup holders built into it, a wooden steering wheel with chrome, upgraded pedals.

Under the engine lies a Chevy 383 cu. in. motor that, as the listing claims, cranks out 500 horsepower, which is paired to an unspecified automatic transmission. If the horsepower figure is to be believed, this truck would put an original model to shame. The 3600 was a special pickup, and the previous owner of this specific machine did everything to bring out the best qualities in the truck.