It doesn’t matter how you look at it, this 1948 Chevrolet Suburban panel truck just looks like fun. The paint has an old-school flame job, the wheels are plain and the tires are wide whites, and for power it uses a reliable and powerful Chevy small block. It’s the perfect recipe for a hobby vehicle that makes few demands, does everything well, and which will be welcome everywhere it goes. It doesn’t break any new ground, doesn’t showcase the latest hardware, and doesn’t carry a bank-breaking price tag. Instead, it’s the kind of machine that you get in, turn the key, and go hang out with friends at a show. Hit a flea market for those rare parts you need for your next build, because it’ll carry it without complaint. Or just drive it to work for a few days and watch everyone become your best friend. Great vehicles are like that, and this one has a lot to offer.

The panel delivery was a popular working-class machine back in the ‘40s and ‘50s, providing a compact size that worked well in urban environments, and with half-ton pickup underpinnings, it was plenty sturdy for the big jobs. The Advance Design trucks of the immediate post-war period were some of the best-looking machines to come out of GM design studios in years, proving that trucks don’t have to look plain to do their jobs well. Aa a result, they’re popular with customizers and hot-rodders, offering a practical alternative to the usual cars, and with their big engine bays and interiors, all the modern creature comforts fit easily. The hard thing is finding a good one to start with, because as trucks, these were often used up and thrown away—who knew they’d become red-hot collectors’ items in a few decades? So what you have here is a great opportunity to own a cool truck for not a lot of cash and all the heavy lifting is already done. Tweak it or just have fun, this Chevy is ready to go.

The silver paint is a few years old and was done to a good standard—it’s holding up well. The flames were added sometime later, but it all has a unified look and if you really want to take it up a notch, a professional cut and buff would make it really sparkle (there’s a bit of orange peel, which is typical of modern urethane paints). The flames have a traditional look, fading from white hot to yellow to orange to red as they trail along the bodywork, and there’s a matching fade stripe along the beltline to tie it all together. The body is 100% original sheetmetal, no fiberglass parts here, and it hasn’t been drastically modified so it looks instantly familiar. The back doors are still barn-door style so loading is easy , and the few custom touches stay in the background so the whole truck has a cohesive look. The headlights were faired into the fenders, the hood was nosed and shaved, and the bumpers were modified with turn signals up front and brake lights in back, which really cleans things up. There’s also an accessory windshield visor and a pair of dummy spot lights that really nail the 1940s vibe.

It's still a two-seater, just like always, but the tweed-covered buckets in it now are a lot more comfortable than the original vinyl upholstery on a bench. The gray and red combination is timeless enough to look good forever and the workmanship is quite good so it needs nothing to enjoy right away. Custom door panels were created to match the seats and use the original hardware, so it looks right. Full carpets help with noise and heat, making this a comfortable hauler that is remarkably quiet and tight and we like the little skirts around the seat bases that make it look finished. There’s a ’58 Impala wheel on a late-model tilt steering column and the original dash has been covered with Rat Fink style pinstripe work and filled with modern Auto Meter gauges. A Vintage Air A/C system was neatly installed under the dash and it’s quite effective, and there’s a Pioneer AM/FM/cassette stereo in a custom overhead console. The massive cargo bay is fully upholstered, not bare steel, so it doesn’t feel crude and there are thoughtful details like storage compartments in the side panels and a full-sized spare tire with jack assembly.

There’s nothing dramatic under the hood, just a 350 cubic inch GM crate motor, but that means bulletproof reliability and plenty of power on tap for the relatively lightweight Suburban. There’s an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor with an electric choke for easy starting, an aluminum Weiand intake manifold, and a modest cam inside that gives it plenty of power without acting too aggressive (this isn’t a race car, after all). A new serpentine belt drive system for the accessories ensures reliability, and there’s plenty of chrome and polished aluminum to make it look its best. An HEI ignition lights it up reliably and there are factory cast iron exhaust manifolds under those shiny chrome baffles. A giant radiator, a modern master cylinder for the power disc brakes, power steering, and all new wiring also help build confidence when putting this truck on the road. It always starts quickly, idles well, and never gets fussy, which is exactly what you want from a vehicle like this. Better yet, the A/C is cold, the steering is light, and it drives exactly the way it should.

Some of those good road manners come from a custom front clip that appears to be from a late-model F-body, and the independent suspension, upgraded steering, and superior braking all help make this Suburban safe as well as fun to drive. The transmission is a rugged TH350 3-speed automatic and there are highway-friendly 2.73 gears out back, so this truck doesn’t mind hitting the road for the long hauls. The floors are extremely clean, albeit not detailed for show, and a recent dual exhaust sounds mellow without getting too aggressive, again in the interest of being comfortable on long trips. The suspension is lowered just right using springs up front and blocks in back, so there’s a bit of a rake, yet it still rides well—probably better than when it was new! Classic Wheel Vintiques steelies with trim rings and simple hub caps are a traditional look and they’re wrapped in recent 205/75/15 front and 235/75/15 rear wide whitewall radials for an old-school look and modern handling.

This Suburban is cool all out of proportion to its price. It’s capable, comfortable, practical, and it generates a ton of attention everywhere it goes. You couldn’t come close to duplicating this truck for the asking price, and if you want to take it to the next level, there’s plenty of room to do that, too. We like the idea that you can simply get in, turn the key, and go anywhere without a second thought, which really is a luxury in the old car world—not every rod can do it. Add in the unusual body style and high-impact paint job and you have a winner. Call today!