Beschrijving
To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Open Roads, August event, 28 July - 4 August 2021. Estimate:$75, 000 - $90, 000 USD Well-preserved resto-mod with classic look and feel of the original, upgraded and modernized for improved performance, handling, comfort, and reliabilityDriven sparingly since frame-off refurbishment in 2008 Ruby Red over tan calfskin leatherPowered by 454 cubic-inch Corvette V-8 engine driving the rear wheels through a TH400 three-speed automatic transmissionUpgraded to independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steeringFully customized interior with aftermarket air-conditioning and wiring harness systemCustom body-colored wheels with chrome covers The GMC Blue Chip Series range of trucks introduced for the 1955 model year was an upmarket alternative to the more workaday Chevrolet Task Force, also introduced that year. Offered in a variety of light- and heavy-duty models, including commercial variants, they featured an all-new appearance and more than 500 improvements over their predecessors, with larger cabs that provided better comfort, convenience, and visibility. A wrap-around, one-piece windshield and A-pillars that slanted back toward the bottom lent a modern look. While in-line six-cylinder engines remained standard, 1956 became the first year that GMC would offer a V-8 engine in its trucks. Many models also came standard with Hydra-Matic transmissions. In 1957, GMC offered its first, factory-built, four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. That year, light- and medium-duty conventional models also gained revised front-end treatments with grilles that sloped back at the bottom and featured horizontal bars. This GMC 100 is a well-executed resto-mod with workmanship that shows great care in preserving the classic look and feel of the original, while upgrading virtually every major component to improve performance, handling, comfort, and reliability. It is finished in Ruby Red over tan calfskin leather and is said to have been in Arizona prior to being relocated to Colorado, where it would undergo a frame-off refurbishment in 2008. It changed hands again in 2013 and was moved to Michigan, where the new owner, like the previous, is said to have driven it sparingly. The frame was modified to incorporate a Mustang II front end with independent suspension, sway bar, and rack-and-pinion steering. The rear suspension was also modified with great effort spent on creating optimal geometry for all suspension and steering components. The engine was replaced with a 454 cubic-inch V-8 engine from an early-1970s Chevrolet Corvette, upgraded with an Edelbrock Thunder AVS carburetor and custom exhaust with heat-resistant ceramic coating. The engine is mated to a rebuilt TH400 three-speed automatic transmission and a 10-bolt Chevrolet rear end. The power steering pump is said to have been re-valved to properly interface with the Ford rack-and-pinion steering. The brakes have been upgraded to Classic Performance Products hardware and feature an eight-inch, dual-chamber power booster, and a Corvette master cylinder and valving. Custom, body-colored wheels made by Wheelsmith in Corona, California, feature chromed covers. The interior features an upgraded air-conditioning system that exemplifies the extreme attention to detail that went into every modification of this remarkable GMC 100. With a cut-off switch located under the dash, below the period-correct radio, the air-conditioning fully integrates with the factory slide controls and fan switches. An Ididit steering column with tilt function, horn and turn signal, Kwik Wire harness system, reproduction gauges, and a Glowshift 16 Pulse Speedometer sensor adapter provide the best of new-world functionality with old-world styling and charm. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys. com/ en/ auctions/ 0721.
