When Trad Ronfeldt took on an ambitious plan to rebuild a classic 1951 Chevrolet 3100 from the ground up, he did so with a vision of creating something that looked like it just rolled off the production line. He accomplished this and more in a now road-ready vehicle that maintains its classic look with a custom-built dually rear end, backed by added horsepower and superior performance.
The Chevy truck is the result of a partnership between Ronfeldt, crew chief to seven-time Pro-4 off-road racing champion Kyle LeDuc, and WD-40 Brand, which is debuting the custom fabrication at the 2021 SEMA Show (West Hall #50109).
To transform this classic vehicle to a modern-day machine, Ronfeldt and WD-40 Brand set out to build a truck that maintained an authentic time-capsule aesthetic with increased performance. To accomplish that goal, Ronfeldt relied on his 23 years of experience to fabricate the truck bed from new materials designed to match the truck’s year and model. Ronfeldt stamped, bent and cut the bed, imitating the truck’s body lines to make it look like a Chevrolet production piece straight off the 1951 assembly line.
In addition, the WD-40 Brand/SEMA Cares Custom 1951 Chevrolet 3100 has:
- A V-8 fuel injected 383 Stoker producing 500+ horsepower;
- Custom dually rear with widened Currie Axle;
- New suspension design;
- A restored cab interior with new upholstery and distressed leather seats;
- A custom patina paint job; and
- Completely new drivetrain and transmission.
“The 1951 Chevrolet 3100 is an American classic, and we’ve transformed it, using WD-40 Brand products and a whole lot of passion and grit, into a modern, one-of-a-kind vehicle,” said Ronfeldt. “WD-40 Brand is an industry icon, with a long history of helping pros get their jobs done right and this project is no exception. It’s an honor to work with such an iconic brand on a project that I know will make a difference.”
The custom vehicle will be sold at auction on bringatrailer.com in early 2022 to benefit SEMA Cares charities, including Childhelp, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse. To date, WD-40 Brand has built and auctioned more than 10 vehicles and raised more than $1 million for charity.
“WD-40 Brand has been helping automotive pros get the job done right for more than 68 years,” said Erin Bala, senior brand experience, engagement and innovation director at WD-40 Company. “The WD-40 Brand/SEMA Cares Custom 1951 Chevrolet 3100 is a continuation of that tradition and is sure to inspire automotive pros and enthusiasts alike. The project also continues our long history of giving back and making things better than they are today.”
Ronfeldt used a variety of WD-40 Brand products throughout the rebuild, including WD-40 EZ-REACH to ream and drill holes in the utility bed that have galled threads from corrosion and adhesion, and WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube to lubricate the shift linkage. This spray gel lubricant goes on thick and stays where you spray, making it ideal for use on vertical surfaces.
SEMA attendees can see the build and learn how WD-40 Brand products were used in transformation of the American classic. In addition, visitors can meet Ronfeldt and influencer partners Humble Mechanic, BleepinJeep and Busted Knuckle in the booth between 10 a.m. – noon on Nov. 3-4. While there, brand fans can enter for a chance to win a Best Made front-loading toolbox filled with WD-40 Specialist products and tools from Snap-On, Wera and other brands.
Read more about the rules for entry at https://files.wd40.com/sweepstakes/sema-sweepstakes-rules/.
For more information, images of the 1951 Chevrolet 3100 and to learn how WD-40 Brand products were used in the build, visit wd40.com/custombuild.
