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LOT 262

Selling on Friday

From The Tom Haag Estate Collection

1956 Chevrolet Cameo 3100 Series 1/2-Ton Pickup

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE
  • America’s first pickup with styling for suburbia
  • Beautifully restored and presented
  • V-8 power with standard transmission
  • Rare power steering and power brakes
  • Body-off-the-frame restoration

Register To Bid Auction Info

For 1955, Chevrolet passenger cars were all-new – new styling, new V-8 engines, new comfort and simply put, a lot of wow. It only made sense that owners of Chevrolet cars would look to the bowtie logo for any commercial needs that might arise. Since 1947, Chevrolet had dominated the light-duty truck market with their Advance-Design pickups, but for 1955, that look, even though updated, was beginning to get a bit dated. In the Spring of 1955, Chevy fans got quite a surprise when the new “Task Force” generation line of trucks was released, sharing a passenger-car-derived look that was unlike any other truck ever seen in production. To spotlight these new rigs, a showpiece had to be created. Just as the Corvette would bring in foot traffic at the dealerships, a new, smart, and attractive pickup was needed, thus was born the Cameo. This was America’s first luxury pickup, with attractive comfortable “Nu-Flex” seats, better insulation in the “Flite-Ride” cabin, and coordinating with the sleek new styling up front, and the use of fiberglass side panels for the standard-size pickup bed. These were pricey pickups and for 1956, the second year of Cameo, just 1,452 units were produced. While the trustworthy Chevrolet Six was available as standard equipment for a few dollars more, a small-block V-8 was now available. These trucks were the talk of the town.

This beautiful 1956 Cameo received a complete nut-and-bolt restoration around 2014 and has traveled more than 560 miles since. Purchased by Thomas Haag, it was treated like a princess, always stored in climate-controlled environments, and maintained in ready-to-go condition. Finished in two-tone Cardinal Red and India Ivory on the rear pillars of the cab, this is a stunning truck. Under the hood, which is fitted with the rarely seen chrome-plated hood ornament, the engine bay and clean and well-detailed with the inner panels finished in black with a satin finish, and the V-8 properly detailed and topped off with an original oil bath air-cleaner. Rarely seen on pickups of this era, even the luxurious Cameos, are both power steering and power brakes, something found in only a very small percentage of trucks. One change during the restoration was the installation of a 3.38:1 rear axle to give this truck better roadability over the stock 3.90:1. The refinished steel wheels are fitted with proper hubcaps and bright finished trim rings and ride on a set of American Classic P235/75R15 radial whitewall tires. All chrome trim, plus the front and rear bumpers, has a deep reflective finish and the body panel alignment is better than when it was new. The interior is finished with proper white vinyl bolsters and red star cloth, completed with a padded headliner and properly trimmed door panels. A modern “Retro” AM-FM radio has been installed in the original opening. The restored pickup bed was fitted with new oak planks left in their natural state to show off some of nature’s finest work. A beautiful example that will be fresh to the show circuit, this is the type of truck that will win a few trophies and awards and should be driven and enjoyed.

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