’51 Chevy 3100 Pickup Storm Survivor Gets It’s Due from Eddie’s Rod & Custom
Paul and Patti Nemeth’s ’51 Chevy 3100 pickup began life as a field truck. That’s no surprise; most pickups of that era were used and abused as work trucks. Paul bought this one from Colorado and began its rebirth at his home in Iowa in 2019. The journey from project truck to finished showpiece, however, involved a few twists and turns, including one from Mother Nature.
Paul had always planned to do much of the mechanical and electrical work himself. After having some initial metal work was done at Lakeside Rods & Rides, the truck went back to Paul so he could tackle his tasks. Shortly after, a severe storm called a derecho hit Paul and Patti’s property. “The truck was fine,” Paul says, “but our property and house sustained damage, and the truck had to wait.”
Paul and Patti ultimately decided to move to Florida, which is when Paul called on Eddie Pettus at Eddie’s Rod & Custom in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to take on and complete the project. The shop had previously worked on Paul’s ’69 GTO, and he was more than happy with the result. With artwork from Tavis Highlander guiding the design, Eddie and his crew dove in.
The Chevy 3100 is based on a Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs chassis that’s fitted with Ridetech suspension components, Wilwood disc brakes, and 20-inch Billet Specialties wheels with Pilot tires. The chassis is modified to fit a modern 376c.i. GM LT engine that produces 535 horsepower and is supported by a US Radiator, Holley accessory drive system, and a custom exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. It’s connected to an 8L90E eight-speed transmission controlled by a Camaro SS shifter.
The Chevy body maintains its original character but incorporates subtle modifications like shaved drip rails, a filled cowl vent, bed rails and vertical supports blended into the bed, custom taillights, a smoothed firewall, and custom bumpers. The team at Eddie’s Rod & Custom applied the PPG paint – a custom-mix color dubbed Patti Green, which is augmented with chrome from Advanced Plating. And the custom wood in the bed? It’s made from the cherry trees downed in that derecho storm.
The interior of the ol’ Chevy 3100 was created by Schober’s Custom Hot Rod Interiors, with help from Eddie’s team designing the center console that was 3D printed by Cloudcraft. The dash is from a ’56 Chevy car and is filled with Dakota Digital gauges. Glide seats are covered in Napoli Biscotti leather. Other interior touches include a digital rearview mirror, inductive phone charger, and Restomod air conditioning.
With the start-and-stop journey complete, how does Paul feel about Chevy 3100? “It is a piece of art to Patti and me,” he says.
Photos: Damon Lee
