Low-Mileage 1955 Chevrolet 3100 Panel Delivery Truck

PLYMOUTH, CT –  It’s a low-mileage truck that has provided out of the ordinary service for much of its 70 years on the road. For the past 15 years, the glistening black 1955 Chevrolet 3100 panel delivery model has been a rolling billboard and transport for The Bristol Auto Club Ltd., which is celebrating a milestone this year.

“We purchased it from a guy who was selling it at the Southbury Training School’s big fall meet,” recalled club member Rick Theriault of Plymouth back in late October. “It’s big enough where we can put our sound system and whatever we need to bring to a show.”

—

The showpiece Chevy is routinely on display at the club’s twice monthly Saturday night cruise nights in downtown Bristol during the warm months. It’s also appears at area car shows and is used for display and promotional purposes elsewhere.

“When we got it, it was in relatively good shape but, believe it or not, we had to go through the transmission. The transmission was rebuilt and all the seals in the engine were leaking, so we’ve pretty much re-gasketed the entire engine; detailed it the best we could; and had our logo painted on the side,” Theriault said.  

—

The truck’s earlier life explains why it has so few miles on the odometer. “Its previous life, it was actually an ambulance at a large factory in California. When we got it, it had approximately 29,000 miles on it. We’re currently up to a little over 32,000 now,” he said.

That it has been used an average of 457 miles a year is both astounding and understandable. “Barely used. We only used for short distances during the summer months and prior to that, obviously, it lived a very comfortable life as an ambulance,” Theriault said.

—

See the 1955 Chevrolet 3100 panel delivery truck in action in this YouTube video…

—

The truck may get a bit more use in 2025 as The Bristol Auto Club is marking its 50th anniversary. Unlike with so many organizations, whether involving cars or something else, the 40-member club has an involved roster. Tasks don’t default to a few dedicated souls. Everyone pitches in.

“Right now we have a super group of people,” said club president Reggie L’Heureux of Bristol, who noted the group has thrived over the decades by “showing ourselves off and helping people.” They also helped themselves when the truck was acquired.

Said Theriault, “Every Friday night for the first year of ownership, we would tackle a project as a club. It truly is a club truck. The club actually worked on it. We maintain it. And we use it for our own events.”

—

The truck has one element that exposes its state of origin. It’s a silver canister in the engine compartment. “It you notice under the hood, it looks a little funny. We were told that’s an early California emissions air cleaner,” he said. “It is different from any other Chevy that you’ll see from that era.”   

Another period item is the column shifter for the three-speed manual transmission, which is pared with to a 235-cubic-inch, six-cylinder engine.

“It’s old school. Most of my cars are all automatics. This is different. It’s fun,” said L’Heureux. Added Theriault on the matter of what the truck drives like, “It’s like going back in time to what it would have been like in 1955.”

—

On the rear of the truck is a period Connecticut license plate. “The plate came from one of our members who collects license plates and said this would be a perfect fit for the club truck,” Theriault said.

While the panel truck has only been in use for 15 years, it has contributed to the club’s continued success by its existence and profile.

“People see what we do and they want to join in,” said L’Heureux, pointing specifically to how the cruise nights differ from most car shows. “It’s like a gathering. People know each other. Everybody knows each other and they’re there for a good time. They’re not there to be judged.”

He also included non-members as being vital to the longevity of the club, which draws its membership from Bristol and other nearby towns and cities. They show up for the cruise nights that are held from 3 to 7 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of every month, May through early October. 

“I think it’s the people that follow us. That’s what’s made it last. We’ve got a clientele that show up for us every year. Every Saturday night you see new faces. The word gets out on us,” he said.

(Photos by Bud Wilkinson)

   (A version of this story originally appeared in the “Republican-American” newspaper on Jan. 4, 2025.)