This 1952 Chevy Thriftmaster 3100 restomod might just fool you
Los-Angeles based vintage car restorer Icon 4x4 has unveiled what is possibly the most desirable Chevy truck restomod we've seen in a while. Folks, you're looking at a 1952 Chevy Thriftmaster 3100 belonging to Icon 4x4 founder Jonathan Ward, the company's first creation showcasing its New School build series, essentially vintage-bodied trucks with modern features and updated amenities. In other words, it's a genuine restomod, not to mention hand-bitingly glorious with its period-correct detailing.
The "Thriftmaster" name refers to the lineup of Chevrolet Advanced Design pickup trucks released from 1947 to 1955. It may sound like a lower trim level of Chevy's A-series trucks, but Thriftmaster's are working-class trucks with under a ton of payload (while the Loadmaster is a heavy-duty version of the Thriftmaster).
As expected, the New School series has plenty of modern components (via Top Gear). For instance, Art Morrison Chassis created a fully independent front suspension that replaced the old Chevy's solid front axle. In addition, it has a Dana 60 nodular rear differential in the independent rear suspension. Coilover dampers and Brembo brakes are standard on all fours, while the truck gets a set of 18-inch forged artillery-style wheels.
Meanwhile, there's a Chevy Performance 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine under the hood pumping out 440 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The naturally-aspirated V8 connects to a floor-mounted six-speed manual gearbox replacing the old three-speed Saginaw column shifter. This Chevy truck has power-operated rack-and-pinion steering to deliver steady handling on the racetrack.
That's right. This old-school Chevy truck can hack it on a track with its new-school attributes, but it's too pretty for ham-fisted driving. The meticulous construction includes a unique bed floor with eight burn-finish walnut planks. The charred finish is courtesy of a traditional Japanese process called Shou Sugi Ban. The wood planks are charred, cooled, cleaned, and oiled to create a fireproof material without chemicals. Nice, right?
The best part of this Chevy truck restomod is inside the cabin. It has power locks, power windows, ambient lighting, a leather steering wheel, and an original dashboard fitted with a Pioneer 8600NEX infotainment system hiding behind a one-piece dash panel. It also has a rear backup camera, a modern climate control system, and a subwoofer under the rear seats. In addition, the three-passenger bench seat is wrapped in premium micro sanded leather by Moore and Giles.
The good news is this 1954 Chevy Thriftmaster restomod is not merely a one-off creation, although you need a hefty bank account to commission your very own New School series vintage truck. According to Icon 4x4, production models have base prices at $180,000 to $320,000.