’57 Chevrolet Pickup Combines Restoration and Patina
Did your wife say there was no way she’s riding in a rusty pickup? Well, there are ways around that which still get you that patina character.
Maybe you’re not as lucky as us, since a few of us have wives that say, “I don’t care what you drive as long as you don’t mess with my car.” If you find yourself with a more reasonable woman, there are still options for you if you crave that patina look that’s so popular on these classic trucks nowadays. Ladies, if you find yourself in a similar situation, let this be a message of hope for you too.
We stumbled across this 1957 Chevrolet Pickup while spending perhaps too much time on the Classic Cars classifieds. At first glance, you wouldn’t know this pickup had a frame-off restoration only 7 years ago. Sure enough, the seller has the pictures to suggest that it has. The underbody is spotless and rust free.
Call us suckers if you want, but we have a thing for these late-50’s Chevys. Here’s one that’s a little more traditional, and here’s one that needs a bit more attention.
Under the hood of the yellow truck is a “high performance” 454 big block Chevy, which sends power through a Turbo 400 to a 12-bolt rear-end. We bet this thing rumbles. The suspension and brakes have also (wisely) been upgraded.
Inside the truck sports custom gages, a simple dash, modern sound, and what appears to be a blower for a retrofit air conditioning system. All the creature comforts that matter, with some classic touches like the crank windows and door handles that double as door locks.
Perhaps the most controversial bit is the airbrushed patina look on the truck. It’s a compromise to be sure, but it’s the closest thing you can get while also have a frame-off restored big-block 57 Chevy (in this case). Like we mentioned before, maybe this is one way to get that style without the disapproving significant-other looks.
Would you go to the same lengths for style? Join us in the forums and let us know.
