1952 Chevrolet 3100 | Headley Down and Headley, Hampshire

The Chevrolet 3100 is the half-ton pickup from Chevrolet's post-war Advance-Design range, liked for its rounded cab, broad wings and honest work-truck proportions. A 1952 truck belongs to the years before the 1954 update that brought a curved one-piece windscreen. This one is finished in brown with a brown interior, a warm single-colour scheme that suits the period shape. The cab has a bench seat for three. Its automatic gearbox departs from the three-speed column-shift manual a 1952 truck normally had, which keeps low-speed manoeuvres simple on location. It is left-hand drive: the driver sits on the kerb side and the passenger steps out on the road side, which gives it a distinctly American look. In front of a camera, the rounded body and open bed give photography, advertising and fashion shoots a period pickup with space for props. The same shape suits 1950s-set film and TV, music videos and event displays. It also makes a characterful arrival for a wedding or personal hire. The truck is based in Headley Down and Headley, Hampshire.