Our Rare Car Gallery: A Look at the Cameo Pickup
At Customs & Hot Rods of Andice, we like to think of our shop as a living rare car gallery. We have had the privilege to work on many of the most unique vehicles ever produced, and we always have stunning, one-of-a-kind models in our shop.
One of our current favorite projects is a major rebuild of a '58 Cameo Pickup, which you can view here on our online rare car gallery. Kept in outstanding condition by its owner Harold, we are currently providing this model with a new chassis and engine, as well as specialized metal work that will lower its stance.
The '58 Cameo is an incredibly rare model -- only 1,405 were ever produced! The Cameo was a machine before its time, and 1958 was therefore the last year Chevy produced the model. If you find a Cameo for sale at a rare care gallery, we recommend jumping on it, because it's not just a rare model -- it's one of the best all-around pickups Chevy ever built.
A Walk Through the Rare Car Gallery: Chevy Cameo History
After WWII, auto manufacturers responded to a high demand for pickups, but developers at Chevrolet believed that family sedans would prove to be the next big thing. In 1954, renown automotive designer Chuck Jordan presented designs for an all-new luxury pickup truck that combined the utility of a truck with the comfort of a family sedan. A year later, the first Chevy Cameo was revealed to the general public.
In 1955, enthusiastic Americans purchased over 5,000 of these exciting new pickups. The first model featured a 6.5-foot cargo bed -- the same size as many of its heavy-duty competitors in that year -- and a standard 235-cid six cylinder engine or upgraded 265-cid V8. Motor Trend ran a drag test on this upgraded model and recorded that it jumped from zero to 60 miles per hour in 8.6 seconds and ran a quarter-mile in just 17.6 seconds -- unheard of for that era. Every model also featured a two-toned red and white exterior paint job with matching interior upholstery and sleek features like a "Sweep-Sight" wraparound windshield. Inside and out, the Cameo combined comfort, convenience, and capability.
However, those features came with a heftier price tag, and growing competition led Chevy to push the Cameo out of the market in favor of more affordable models. However, the Cameo has been vindicated by history. With its heavy-duty performance and car-like comfort, the Cameo is not just an exciting addition to any rare car gallery -- it's a precursor to just about every full-size pickup on the market today.
See Our Rare Car Gallery In Person
Visit us at CHRA to see the '58 Cameo and other outstanding rare models!