This is Mel, a 1955 Chevrolet 3100 series pickup. He is so named after my Uncle Merald who owned this truck in Pasco, Washington for many decades until I acquired him in 2010. Since none of the kids could pronounce let alone spell Merald, we just called him Uncle Mel. As a child I loved to climb all over the truck and pretend I was driving him in the garage when we would visit Uncle Mel and Aunt Bernie in Pasco during the holidays. It inspired a love of vehicles that I cherish to this day. This was his personal work truck. Mel.
As I was growing up I used to always ask Mel when he would sell the truck to me. He would smile and say, “I sold it to Matthew (his grandson and my godson) for a nickel.” Despite my offer to double the price, he graciously declined.
When Uncle Mel passed away in 2009, Aunt Bernie asked if I was still interested in the truck… We brought him back to Lake Forest Park and he’s been with us ever since. 75,000 original miles and going strong…
Details:
- 1955 “First Series” Chevrolet 3100 pickup – the last of the “Advanced Design” body style first launched in 1947 – replaced mid-year 1955 with the “Task Force” model
- Built in Oakland, CA
- 235 c.i. straight six cylinder engine with 6V electrical system and oil bath air filter
- Original 4 speed Hydramatic transmission – rare for these trucks
- Sold to Uncle Mel for $725 in 1958 (approximately $1,400 new- about $16,500 today)
- Original paint (mostly), lightly coated with Penetrol to preserve the patina
- Lived in Pasco until 2010, then Lake Forest Park, and now Chelan
Engine rebuild receipts from 1963 and 1965:
Additional repairs:
- Rebuilt carburetor
- New transmission seals, U-joints, fuel pump, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, pinion seal, automatic transmission repainted and restored automatic shift points
- New brake pads, master brake cylinder, brake lines, brake fluid
- New tires, shocks, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wires
- Rebuilt heater radiator core, new radiator hoses, clamps, thermostat, antifreeze, fan belt
- Oil changes.
This is a special truck with a great background. Of particular value is its originality, lack of rust in any meaningful sense for a vehicle of this age (mostly garaged its entire life in dry eastern Washington), and a family history dating back to Uncle Mel’s purchase in 1958. (You can even see the chalk marks on the engine firewall during manufacturing indicating optional automatic transmission and mirrors.) Today Mel enjoys exploring the orchards and vineyards around the Chelan Valley.
Reflections on the Mountain, people and places of the Pacific Northwest 