1952 Chevrolet Thriftmaster Pick Up Custom - Hemmings Preview
The Thriftmaster Pick Up Trucks of the early 1950’ were part of GM’s ‘Advance Design’ family of light and medium duty Trucks, Panel Vans, Suburbans and utility vehicles produced from 1947 to 1954. The Thriftmaster referred to the 1/2 ton variants, and the Loadmaster the 3/4 and 1 Ton. In 1955 the ‘Taskforce’ models replaced the Advance Design across GMs truck line up.
Under the direction of Harley Earl, GM’s chief stylist, the Advance Design family of trucks featured a cabin that was wider and more spacious than previous models, with sleeker, more rounded body contours. The Thriftmaster used Chevrolet’s ‘Stovebolt’ 216ci straight 6-cylinder engine (90hp) and a ‘three on the tree’ gearbox.
In response to a market survey, the Advance Design trucks aimed to give owners a larger, more comfortable cabin with easier ingress/egress, better visibility and more comfortable seats. A fresh air cabin ventilation system was new, as were larger doors and more glass area. A bench seat offered places for 3 passengers. An Automatic transmission was optional from 1954.
These trucks fed the strong demand for post war vehicles and led the US in sales in every year that they were produced. They have become iconic designs and are highly sought after by collectors in both stock form, and custom builds.
Customizing these trucks has become very popular with firms like ‘ICON’, producing a small series of Thriftmasters with a stock appearance, but with modern mechanicals and comfort convenience amenities.
This Thriftmaster was a father/son project of Greg and Brandon Wiedeman of Yorkville Indiana that was constructed over 15 years starting in the late 1990’s. When completed it was sold to Al Ritter of Maryland, and an article was written about it in Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/features/al-ritters-wicked-cool-1952-chevy-3100
It was subsequently purchased by its current owner in 2020, and imported into Canada. It shows 7,000 Miles on the New Vintage Gauges.
The build features the following:
Chassis
Frame: Stock Chevrolet with reinforced boxed sections, narrowed rear rails and custom driveshaft loop
Rear End: Ford 9 inch with 3.23:1 final drive
Rear Suspension: Parallel 4 bar with RideTech air bags and Panhard bar
Rear Brakes: Ford drum
Front Suspension: Mustang II with 2” spindles and RideTech airbags
Brakes: 11 inch GM vented disks with 4 piston callipers, rear Ford drum, Corvette dual mater cylinder
Wheels: Wheel Vintiques Smoothie 17”, Toyo Proxies (f) 225-55-17 (r) 275/55-17
Steering Box: Cadillac Rack & Pinion
Fuel Tank: JAZ foam fuel cell
Drivetrain
Engine: Chevrolet ZZ4 350ci V8 Crate engine with GM Performance aluminium heads and valve covers, Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and 650cfm carburetor, MSD ignition, S&S headers, custom Summit Racing 2.5” exhaust
Transmission: GM 700-R4 4-Speed Auto, Lokar shift kit
Body
Custom rear roll pan, shaved doors with electro-mechanical opening, one-piece welded bonnet, smoothed tailgate, rear bed tubbed, ‘Bitchin’ Products’ firewall, Axalta Woodland Green paint with hand painted pin striping.
Interior
Vintage Air climate control, New Vintage gauges, Billet Specialties steering wheel with Ididit tilt column. Custom interior by Cutter’s Custom Stitching of Dillsboro IN with supple grey leather, grey ’square weave’ carpet, modified Mazda RX7 sport seats, Pioneer stereo.
LAWRENCE ROMANOSKY
Phone: 403-607-8625
Email: Lromanosky@me.com
LAWRENCE ROMANOSKY
Phone: 403-607-8625
Email: Lromanosky@me.com
Comments ()