Old-School Style, Modern Muscle: A Diesel-Swapped Chevy 3100

John Mata Jr. . October 25, 2024 . Chevrolet

Save ArticleLogin to save it

A Diesel-Swapped Chevy 3100 Built for the Weekly Grind

In a world full of modern vehicles that can be outfitted with some of the most useless features, there’s so much more to appreciate about the simplicity of the cars and trucks of the past. Sure, a butt warming seat can be a nice amenity, but unless you live in an arctic region, it’s simply unnecessary. Social media integration, voice recognition, complete auto-pilot mode?! All these add-ons lead to a more distracted driving experience but obviously have a place on consumers’ list of things they want in a new car. Luckily, there is still a segment of automotive purists who choose to do without such nonsense when selecting a daily driver. These are the individuals who value the process of building a personal connection with their machine—true enthusiasts through and through.

Learning Experience

We recently caught up with Anthony Carcelli from Las Vegas and his killer 1957 Chevy 3100 pickup. While this truck was quite an extensive project that spanned the better part of two years, patience and education were placed at the forefront of the build.

When asked what fueled the creative process, Anthony simply answered, “I just wanted a daily driver with character.”

We can dig that. He chose to skip the weird modern conveniences of a new truck, and instead gravitated towards a crazy diesel engine swap and adjustable air-ride suspension. Now that’s a righteous trade off.

Aside from the desire to drive a unique truck around every day, Anthony viewed the project as a great excuse to learn a few things along the way.

“I learned how to weld, start- and finish- metalwork, fabricate, paint, upholster—but most importantly how to problem-solve better,” he says.

To get the additional help he’d need along the way, Anthony built the truck at Dmax Swap in Jupiter, Florida—a bit of a trip from his home in Sin City, but well worth the extra effort.

Goin’ Low

While at the Dmax Swap compound, Anthony was able to first work on his truck’s suspension overhaul. Since he had his heart set on driving his 3100 as low as possible, and having it sit even lower when parked, a full air-ride setup was in the cards. To help make that happen, Anthony and the Dmax crew boxed in the frame and then installed Porterbuilt Gen 7 Dropmember kits and plumbed up Air Lift air bags for the front and Ridetech Shockwave ‘bags for the rear. An Accuair ENDO-VT air management system along dual Viair compressors allow for fast and easy control of the ride and park heights. The ’57 lays frame on command and looks damn good rolling on Detroit Steel D-Town 20s that have been wrapped in Diamond Back G2 whitewall tires.

Swap ‘n Roll

With the first phase of a major system overhaul now complete, Anthony and his pals at Dmax Swap moved onto something they are well-versed in—a Duramax diesel swap. A 2006 6.6L unit was secured and from there the right combination of custom mounts, a transmission crossmember and a one-off core support were assembled. The guys then had to closely examine the engine bay and cab to ensure proper fitment. Hutch’s Welding provided an exhaust system built exclusively from Ticon Industries titanium materials, which allowed for a tailored fit within the bay, as well as through the frame.

Next, the ordeal of figuring out the intercooler situation popped up, but once the Dmax crew realized the factory intercooler would interfere with tuning, a water-to-air cooler unit was decided on and placed underneath the truck. Backing the freshly positioned Duramax power plant is an Allison transmission of the same vintage that has been outfitted with a full TCM tune and a TransGo shift kit. Of course, some alterations were required to make the trans swap happen as well, but this is the work Dmax Swap has fine-tuned over the years.

Extended Education

With the ’57 now moving under its own power, Anthony began working on his truck’s cosmetic appeal starting with the necessary exterior bodywork. The roof was also chopped 2 inches, the door lines have been altered to better flow with the Chevy’s natural curvature, and the rear bumper was mounted upside down to create a trick center exhaust exit. Other than these custom twists, the truck’s outer façade was left well enough alone. To capitalize on the streamlined restyling, Anthony then took the opportunity to try his hand at painting the truck a single stage flat black color, which came out great. Being a graphic design artist by trade, Anthony then cooked up the graphics located on the doors, which have been color matched to the Detroit Steel wheels.

Anthony had proven to himself that he was able to successfully learn and execute new skills with enough research and attention to detail, so he then expanded his horizon inside the cab. He modified the factory bench seat and recovered it in black vinyl and fabric upholstery. From there, he installed a fresh set of Dakota Digital VHX gauges, a GM 18-inch steering wheel, and custom control panel and other components that have been concealed behind an additional factory glove box door. Things have been kept clean within the cab, which suits the overall aesthetic of the ’57 just fine.

The Daily Grind

Once the dust settled, Anthony was left with the exact vehicle he would be content to cruise around in every day of the week—even though there are a few bugs still left to work out.

“It still is a work in progress, but yes it does get driven Sunday-Sunday,” he admits. “I am still working on improving little things like sealing the cab and making the doors shut nicely. It is custom after all.”

Aside from gaining an expanded skill set, Anthony also learned to avoid shortcuts at all costs—and speaking of costs, he quickly came to the realization that nothing worthwhile comes cheap. Since its completion, Anthony has driven the truck from coast to coast for shows and events in between without fail. While this 66-year-old truck doesn’t feature the typical high-tech amenities you’d expect to find from a dealership, a lot of workmanship has been invested into it to leave Anthony with his ideal daily driving creation.