Icon is perhaps best known for its meticulous Toyota Land Cruiser restomods, but the Los Angeles-based company works with plenty of other vehicles. Its latest build is a 1950 Chevrolet Thriftmaster pickup truck that, in typical Icon fashion, retains its classic style but gets modern upgrades as well.
Christened an “Old School Edition,” the truck has a General Motors-sourced LS3 6.2-liter V-8 in place of its original inline-6. The small-block V-8 produces 430 horsepower while meeting current California emissions standards. It’s coupled to a 4L85-E automatic transmission, with gear changes done through the original column shifter.
Icon also gave the truck independent front and rear suspension, improving handling while preserving some load-hauling capability, according to the company. Brembo disc brakes will likely prove more effective than the stock 1950s-era drums.
Thanks to a previous career as a farm truck, the Thriftmaster required significant restoration work. The truck now wears a two-tone paint scheme, with an African teak bed. The interior sports saddle leather upholstery with green suede piping to match the exterior.
Icon 1950 Chevrolet Thriftmaster pickup Truck
The dashboard is stock, but it incorporates a Bluetooth-based audio system, with a digital sound processor controlled through era-appropriate knobs. Icon also added a modern air-conditioning system.
This isn’t Icon’s first pickup build. Earlier this year, the company unveiled a restomodded 1970 Ford F-100 with a modern Coyote 5.0-liter V-8. Other past Icon projects include everything from a 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud to a 1949 Mercury coupe with a Tesla powertrain.
