Chucksee Velazco’s Idea of the Perfect 1955 3100
Beautiful patina is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask Chuck Velazco. As a resident of Miami, Florida, his periphery is comprised of lush tropical beaches, architectural marvels, and opulent supercars on every corner. To stand out in a Miami crowd is no easy task.
No stranger to crafting cool mechanical works of art, Chuck had been honing his skills creating and styling killer motorcycles. When he decided to turn his attention to building trucks, all bets were off. He has a penchant for ‘55-59 trucks and his vision was set on building his idea of the perfect cruiser.
A few trucks came through the doors of Chucksee garage before he came across this one. “This 1955 original paint, big window, patina truck came out of North Dakota and was being used on the railroad until the day I bought it. It was originally a stepside but I added the ‘59 fleet side bed. That ended up becoming the reason I came up with the name for the truck – GMO (genetically modified organism ) – because it was Genetically Modified.
The truck took me about 11 months to build in preparation for SEMA 2019. Weeks and weeks of detailed, labor-intensive, OCD work in my personal studio where I build my trucks led to trailering the truck all the way to Las Vegas from Miami for its debut and unveiling at the SEMA Show.”
The truck was a hit and began popping up on social media feeds everywhere. But make no mistake. Chuck didn’t build a show pony. This truck was built for driving and he is no stranger to the highways and byways of this
great country of ours. “In less than a year, I have racked up over 10,000 miles on it. And if you ask me the MPG, I’ll say 100 smiles per gallon! Remember a custom truck is exactly what the name implies. It’s custom, and the final result should satisfy you. Ultimately it’s not how it looks to others, but how it makes you feel when you get in it. As my friend Arnie G says… Drive it before the next guy does. He speaks the truth, you know.”
When you talk about modern reliability, the tried-and-true GM LS3 is the choice of so many builders for many reasons. Out of the crate, it has plenty of power, provides a great platform for power-enhancing modifications, is reasonably priced, and best of all – practically foolproof. Chuck’s 6.2L thumper is backed with a solid 4L65E transmission that provides effortless cruising yet has plenty of sack to handle the power. He chose to keep the exhaust system understated and went with a pair of Walker Quiet-Flow SS mufflers for a muscular sound that doesn’t turn his neighbors into haters.
Vintage Air provides climate control to keep this Florida man cool on the hottest days while the fully insulated and sound-deadened cab blocks out the noises of the urban jungle surrounding him. Jorge’s Upholstery in Miami takes credit for the cool stitching and interior refurb treatment. A JL Audio Bluetooth system keeps the audio install on the downlow while Dakota Digital RTX gauges let Chuck keep an eye on vitals. Eagle eyes will notice the cleverly created Chucksee overdrive shift indicator attached to the OG steering column and wheel. A CPP rack and pinion setup is attached to the other end of the column and provides for ultra-modern steering response.
Chuck’s choice in chassis runs deep. The GSI Machine and Fabrication setup underneath GMO is a work of art. Wimbledon White powdercoating accented by black components is a sight to behold and is merely the tip of the iceberg. With suspension components from Accuair Viair Ridetech this setup can perform with the best, drive cross country, and still lay the rockers on the ground. And the ride height is the perfect complement to the stunning 22” wheels designed by Chuck and machined by Greening Auto Company. You’ll never find another set on another truck and that’s just how he likes it.
In the spirit of keeping this truck’s handsome good looks, the original Sea Mist Green and India Ivory paint on the cab was preserved as much as possible. The transplanted ‘59 Fleetside bed was convincingly and lovingly painted to capture the essence of the truck and does so with authority. A bed wood kit from Mar-K sets the inner bed apart from the crowd and bed shocks from Tricky Air allow access to the under-bed area via the articulating bed floor for cleaning and maintenance.
At the end of the day, driving around Miami in a truck like this never fails to capture the stares from the eyes of those accustomed to seeing the likes of Bentleys, Mclarens, and Buggatis on the regular. People simply can’t resist the GMO and neither can we.
