At $33,400, Is This 2006 Chevy SSR A Ridiculous Deal?

While its lines are retro, there’s nothing old-fashioned about the drivetrain or fancy folding top on today’s Nice Price or No Dice SSR. Let’s decide if this audacious albeit oddball truck has an equally crazy price.

The Lincoln Blackwood Predicted Luxury Pickup Trucks Too Soon

If you’re anything like me, then your vision of yesterday’s 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II revolved around fixing its flaws and then seeking out other owners of the luxury marque in it to inquire of them whether or not they have any fancy mustard to spare. A $9,500 price tag meant buyers of our Silver Shadow shouldn’t have to go begging for Grey Poupon and also resulted in a solid 70 percent Nice Price win.

In contrast to yesterday’s Rolls which is righteously old-school cool, the design of today’s 2006 Chevy SSR only takes its inspiration from the past. In its case, that’s from General Motors’ Advanced Design truck line of the 1950s. And, as a not-quite blast from the past added bonus, the light-duty pickup includes an origami-like folding hardtop roof.

Chevy offered the SSR during the retro craze of the late ’90s and early aughts. Along with cars like the Plymouth Prowler and Ford GT, the SSR showed an American auto industry that was willing to take chances and flex its fun muscle every now and then. The economic downturn that followed killed off most of these fun-for-the-sake-of-it vehicles, leaving the used car market dotted with such oddball icons.

The SSR was based on the ladder-frame GMT360 platform, which also underpins the likes of the Chevy Trailblazer SUV and its half-siblings, the Isuzu Ascender and Saab 9-7X. Depending on your opinion on the SSR’s styling, the total lack of apparent relation with any of those models is either a blessing or totally irrelevant.

This one is properly kitted with a 390 horsepower LS2 V8 and a Tremec T-56 six-speed stick. That combo feeds a limited-slip differential and eventually a pair of appreciably fat back tires. The engine sits well back of the retro grille and under a dull plastic cover. That hides all of its muscularity and is only enlivened by a bit of body color bling above the intake.

According to the ad, this SSR has lived its entire life in California and hence has no rust on either frame or body. And, while it could be considered to have been modded at the factory, the seller notes no after-market shenanigans or accidents.

The body is painted in what’s officially called Redline Red, but that comes across as more obviously “Arrest Me Red” and abets the body’s unique design to get the truck noticed. It’s claimed to be all-original and looks to be in great shape for being nearly two decades of age and having done 65,000 miles. Factory alloys and some subtle brushed metal trim complement the red nicely.

Overall, the truck’s styling may be purely subjective in its appeal, but it undeniably stands out and is a far cry from the folded-in-anger styling of today’s Chevy pickups. The rounded, flare-fender design is complemented by running boards and a full hard tonneau above the carpeted and wood-slatted bed.

The trick feature, of course, is the folding hard roof. That seems to be functioning as it should as the ad shows us pictures of it in both raised and lowered positions as well as in transition.

Below that roof is a two-seat cabin fitted with leather upholstery and silver accent trim along with the exterior color bleeding down onto the console. It’s all very clean, right down to the embroidered mats, showing no signs of wear or tear.

The title is also clean and the seller describes the truck in traditional Bill & Ted fashion, as “excellent.” For that excellence, the seller is asking $33,400.

Now, prices on SSRs have slumped a bit over the past year or so. For those in the know, that may make this a good time to pick one up, especially when it’s the best of the bunch LS2/stick edition.

The question that you’ll need to answer is whether it’s time to pay $33,400 for this one. Or if, despite potential collectability, this SSR is just too goofy a truck to command so much.

You decide!

San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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