1955 Chevy 3100 Pickup Truck - Desert Chevy Trucks

1955 Chevy 3100 Pickup Truck Right Side View

1955 Chevy 3100 Pickup Truck Front Right View

Peter Verboom Jr. has owned the truck you see here for more than 25 years, yet that's less then half the life of this Chevy 3100 pickup that came from the factory back in 1955. We ran into Peter on a recent trip to the Oceano Dunes in California and knew we had to snap some images and bring you the story about this cool rig. That is....once we chased him down while he was roosting sand from all four corners of this fine vintage Chevy.

Peter bought this truck well over two decades ago and after seeing some desert race trucks, he knew he wanted to build one. He liked the uncommon idea of building what you might consider an "antique" truck. His friends thought he was just a little crazy building a '55, but Peter persisted with his plan and it's produced quite a head turner.

1955 Chevy 3100 Pickup Truck Chevy Emblem

The truck has seen a lot of use over the years as it was built to be run in the dirt. Peter originally built the truck in the '80s and the suspension consisted of Auto Fab-designed leaf springs damped with four Rancho shocks at each wheel. The truck saw plenty of trips prerunning races with friends, chasing in races, and just playing in the sand dunes in Glamis. However, the truck required a lot of maintenance to withstand the duty it was seeing.

In 1997, Peter dropped the truck off with Chris Robinson, trophy truck builder and owner of CST Performance Suspension for a total rebuild and upgrade to more easily handle the rigors of off-road use, though it's always been kept street legal as well. Then in 2009, it was again refreshed to the condition you see on these pages, and now it moves faster and flies more than ever!

Walk up to this truck and you quickly realize this is no 30-footer paint job. Once the rear fenders were reworked to make them 5 inches wider and 4.5 inches shorter at Vintage Hotrod, Hector Rimerez from Chico, California, laid on a silky smooth coating of '55 Ocean Green color followed by generous clear coat. Traction has been modernized with the use of 285/70R17 BFG Mud Terrains slipped onto 17x9 Robbie Gordon beadlock wheels.
Walk up to this truck and you quickly realize this is no 30-footer paint job. Once the rea
You won't find open door cores here stuffed with spare bottles of oil and rags. The interior is fully finished, complete with full painted door jambs, black floor carpeting, and cloth door panels. The doors all fit true and close smoothly.
You won't find open door cores here stuffed with spare bottles of oil and rags. The interi
Mastercraft high-back suspension seats replace whatever old bench surely came in this truck. Crow five-point harnesses are fabricated into the interior cage and keep driver and passenger well planted when putting this truck through some good dirt antics. Between the seats sits an Art Carr gate shifter allowing Peter to quickly put the auto tranny right in the gear he wants to stay in the powerband or drop into cruising mode.
Mastercraft high-back suspension seats replace whatever old bench surely came in this truc

The steel dash was stripped down and sprayed with the same factory green color that envelopes the rest of the body. The stock speedometer cluster is still in place and Peter has buried the aged needle past the 100 mph mark on a number of occasions. An Auto Meter Phantom series tach sits above the dash and a modern version Chevy steering wheel sits atop a tilt column taken from a '66 Caprice. A Kenwood race radio helps stay in touch with racers or race team when out prerunning or chasing.
The steel dash was stripped down and sprayed with the same factory green color that envelo
Power from the Mogi-built TH400 auto transmission with 3,000 rpm stall converter is split to the axles using a stout NP205 transfer case. To the left you can see the Saginaw power steering box that is mounted to the driver side frame rail up under the cab. Lee Power Steering built the reverse geared box that is fed by a Howe pump. The steering column shaft is routed to a D&M steering quickener mounted in about the stock location for a steering box. From there, the quickener output goes backward to this steering box. Then, from here the pitman arm moves a relay rod running to the front axle fore and aft.
Power from the Mogi-built TH400 auto transmission with 3,000 rpm stall converter is split
Many times when you look at the roof interior on one of these old trucks you find just bare steel. This truck has a completely upholstered interior and the details show on the interior 'cage and headliner as well.
Many times when you look at the roof interior on one of these old trucks you find just bar

Not easily visible in this high-fendered body is a 506 Chevy Rat Stroker motor assembled by Pro Machine in Chico, CA. We're not sure on the motor output numbers, but trust us when we say this thing scoots. You can also glimpse the cage bracing for the front coilovers and the reservoir cans mounted on the crossover brace. Engine cooling chores are done using a Rod's aluminum radiator. All the body work on this truck shows great attention to detail, even in little seen areas such as under the hood.
Not easily visible in this high-fendered body is a 506 Chevy Rat Stroker motor assembled b
Peek below the front prerunner bumper and you'll see the built and trussed Dana 60. Dynatrac axle shafts and Dedenbear knuckles beef up the stock assembly. Inside, 4.10 gears spin on a Power-Lok that's been loosened up a bit so the truck turns easier at high speeds.
Peek below the front prerunner bumper and you'll see the built and trussed Dana 60. Dynatr
A lower wishbone link setup positions the front axle and controls its movement with the help of vintage Kuster 3 x 16-inch coilovers. King nitrogen bump cans help slow and cease the final four inches of up-travel and a Speedway sway bar keeps front lean minimized.
A lower wishbone link setup positions the front axle and controls its movement with the he

Specs
Vehicle: '55 Chevy 3100 Pickup Truck
Owner: Peter Verboom Jr.
Chassis: 1955 Chevy frame with full rollcage built on top
Engine: Chevy LS6 Stroked Big-Block (506 c.i.)
Drivetrain: TH400, NP205, Dana 60 front, Corporate 14-Bolt rear, 4.10 gears, lockers
Suspension: Wishbone link front, four-link rear, vintage Kuster Coilovers, King bumps
Steering: Lee reverse gear steering box, D&M quickener, bellcrank on axle
Brakes: Front: GM 1-ton discs, Rear: ORU 14-Bolt disc kit
Tires/Wheels: 285/70R17 BFG Mud Terrains/Robbie Gordon beadlock wheels
Interior: Mastercraft seats, Crow harnesses, custom cage, stock dash, gauges, tach
Other Parts: Bed cage, tire mount, 40-gallon fuel cell
Favorite Off-Road Areas: California, Nevada, and Arizona open deserts - Glamis and Baja

This detail shot shows the steering bell crank assembly mounted on the front axle housing. The relay rod from the rear steering box enters from the rear and the pivoting crank arm pushes and pulls the draglink shown here behind the tie rod connecting the knuckles. This design keeps the steering action constant on the live front axle as it cycles through large suspension movements. The relay rod from the pitman to the bell crank matches the movements of the links in the suspension.
This detail shot shows the steering bell crank assembly mounted on the front axle housing.
The truck retains the original 1955 frame rails from the firewall back. Up front, the frame was cut off and replaced with rectangular tubing to open up more room for the front suspension components. Motor exhaust exits through custom CST 2.25-inch headers that have been Jet Hot coated. Flowmaster mufflers lie downstream under the truck but with a push of a button Peter can dump the fumes through DMH cutouts and save some of the back pressure restriction.
The truck retains the original 1955 frame rails from the firewall back. Up front, the fram
A trussed Corporate 14-Bolt axle is linked up and built to take the abuse of high horsepower and hard landings. Here, a Detroit Locker combined with 4.10 gears puts the power to the ground. The truck uses disc brakes on all corners. The rear was converted using an ORU 14-Bolt disc kit.
A trussed Corporate 14-Bolt axle is linked up and built to take the abuse of high horsepow

Five Baja Designs Sol Tek HID lights sit perched high on the 'cage for night lighting. Another matching pair sits on the front bumper. The rear cage bolts through the cab sheetmetal to tie into the interior cage.
Five Baja Designs Sol Tek HID lights sit perched high on the 'cage for night lighting. Ano
Out back is a pair of 3 x 18-inch Kuster coilovers that fit neatly inside the steel bedsides. A Curt Leduc sway bar helps keep the rear of the truck cornering flat. The 1.75-inch rollcage is neatly integrated into the factory frame and all the structural tube work on the truck has been TIG-welded.
Out back is a pair of 3 x 18-inch Kuster coilovers that fit neatly inside the steel bedsid
A 40-gallon Fuel Safe cell sits under the bed of the Chevy. Up top is a 'cage-mounted spare tire. A large tool box houses an air compressor, nitrogen tank, tool bag, shovel, tow strap, jumper cables, and a cooler. Forward of the spare sits a pair of Fluidine transmission coolers to keep the TH400 temps below fluid scorching conditions. Below them sit a pair of Optima Red Tops.
A 40-gallon Fuel Safe cell sits under the bed of the Chevy. Up top is a 'cage-mounted spar