Dear Tom and Ray:

I am the owner of a 1955 Chevy pick up truck model number 3100 with the original six cylinder engine. What does the number 3100 mean? Frank

Ray: Good question, Frank. Nowadays, pick up truck numbers can reflect any number of things. For instance, the Chevy CK-1500 has a 1500 pound payload (that's the total amount of cargo, including passengers, that the truck can carry). Similarly, the Ford name "F-250" indicates a maximum payload of 2,500 pounds.

Tom: Or, the number can reflect the engine size. The Mazda B2300 has a 2.3 liter engine. The B3000 has a 3.0 liter engine.

Ray: Or It can simply be a model number and have no significance whatsoever, like the Toyota T-100...

Tom: ....and the 1955 Chevy 3100.

Changing your oil is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your car, but how often should you change it? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It! To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1995 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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