These shots of a ’65 Biscayne posted at the Cohort by robadr are the perfect follow-up to a post on a ’59 bat-wing Biscayne we had before at CC. In both cases, Chevy (and all of GM) were debuting bold and dramatic new styling. In 1959, it was all about fins, wings, jet intakes and exhausts, and other such frippery. After a relatively subdued four years (1961-1964), GM was ready to shake up the big car styling status quo again, this time with Coke-bottle curves featuring voluptuous hips and long, swoopy semi-fastback roofs (mostly on the coupes).
And just like in 1959, this all worked best on the high trim models, but came off a bit overwrought on the low trim versions, like this Biscayne. That one single piece of bright trim on its hips was surprisingly controversial, as I know from personal experience, having been at the Chevy dealership in Iowa City on the night they were revealed in the showroom, which was a genuine event. Folks loved the Impala coupe, but groused about the Biscayne.
I more than paid my respects to the ’65 Impala coupe here. Way more, actually. I modestly titled it “The Peak Full-Size American Car Experience”. That piece has become a precursor to my “Who Killed the Big American Car?“. Let’s just say that 1965 was the big car’s last hurrah, even though its market share had been shrinking since 1957.
I’ve written about what a big deal new car reveals at the dealers were back then. I remember that September 1964 evening at the local Chevy-Buick-Cadillac dealer in great detail. Hot chocolate and donuts were served; no wonder I remember it so well! And of course the ’65 Chevy Impala coupe in the showroom was the hot item, more so than the Buicks or Caddilacs. But I also distinctly remember being among some folks just outside the showroom, where there was a Biscayne, and overhearing a dour man grousing about the chrome strip on top of a Biscayne parked there. “Why do they have to accentuate that big hump with that chrome strip?”
Maybe it was done on purpose to get more folks into a slightly more expensive Bel Air, which had a very conservative horizontal strip, which had rather the opposite visual effect, to attenuate the bulging hip.
From the front, they all looked the same. And mighty good, what with that floating delicate bumper, something very new and bold. It rather changed the face of big cars, until the wretched 5 mile battering rams came along.
This Biscayne was bought by a cheapskate, but at least they sprung for a V8 version, with the venerable 195 (gross) hp 283. That’s if the badge is original. By the way, 1965 was only year the 283 numbers graced the top of the croossed flag badge.
What’s not original are the wheels, which appear to be the 15″ ventilated wheels that came with the optional disc brakes that were first available in 1967. They’re very familiar to me, as Baltimore County bought a huge fleet of 1967 Biscaynes for police and other uses, and they all had those wheels and disc brakes. Or maybe they’re reproductions. I don’t blame him for putting them on, as it’s a whole lot easier finding suitable 15″ tires than 14 inchers. And they look good, a lot better than the wretchedly undersized 7.35 x 14″ (comparable to a P185/80R14) that were originally mounted on this car.
I wrote up that issue of undersized tires here, and it was specifically triggered by my memory of how tiny those tires looked that evening in 1964 at the dealer. It left a lasting impression.
That upholstery looks rather original to me. The Mennonite family I used to spend time with every summer bought a demo ’65 Bel Air sedan in 1965, and I spent some time riding in it that last summer I was with them (1965). It had the 230 six and three speed manual, natch, and it was still serving them when I went back to visit them in 1973, although looking a bit worse for wear.
This Biscayne owner also splurged for a Powerglide to back up the V8. he wasn’t such a total cheapskate after all.
For those of you who perpetually grouse about how outlandish modern cars are, rest assured that if you had been there at the dealer on that day in 1964, you might well have though the same about the new ’65 Biscayne.
Note: A rerun of an older post.
I took driver ed in one of these. Six cylinder auto and of course no AC. But back then AC wasn’t a requirement as it is today. Had a friend that tried to out run the cops in a 283 and the cops couldn’t believe my friend would try that. Not sure what they were running at the time.
“A/C” in those days was so often installed at “Sears”.
True.
Not nearly as quiet and efficient as GM’s excellent in dash factory air conditioning…..but cheaper and “Better Than Nothing”.
I took Driver’s Ed in an ’89 Ford Escort with no a/c. Up north it wasn’t a requirement until automakers forced the issue by making it standard on everything.
Wow!! Our first new car since “1951”. The two in between were used. Looks good in blue.
We had that “sahara” (or sienna, maybe) color.
Only option was “powerglide”.
Same thing come “68”. (Ivory color for that one)
Make mine a Biscayne 6-passenger wagon with the 250hp 327 and a 4-speed. I think the trim strip on the “hip” is less offensive on the wagon.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1965_Chevrolet_Biscayne_%2828087185460%29.jpg
The ’66 Biscayne 2 door sedan with the 427 was very competitive in a certain NHRA ‘stock’ drag racing class. A number were built, and a few still exist. Even in Biscayne trim (or lack thereof), the ’65-’66 full size Chevy is a pleasant looking car.
They made a few ’65 Biscaynes with the hi-po 396 and 4 speed, saw an original one in a magazine years ago.
When the ’65 Chevy came out, I predicted that it would be just as, if not more so, popular than the tri-Five. Probably a good thing I didn’t go into selling stocks. But I did and still do like the Impala and Bel Air. And like everyone else, wonder what in the world possessed Chevy styling to put that chrome strip there instead of on the side.
As I read your piece my thought was how to respond. Then in your final sentence you nailed it. “…if you had been there…” Always best to view the past through the eyes of the past. This Chevy speaks to me.
In 1965 you could get a Biscayne with a 409 and a 4 speed if you. Knew how to talk to your dealer
A pretty can when new as well as now .
-Nate
By 1967, when my mom bought her new Bel Air 2-door sedan (with the full-length chrome strip as on the ’65), the Biscayne was completely unadorned on its sides:
Economics 101. The cheapest model in your lineup should be void of the features of your more expensive models. This is what makes them cheap. Making special trim pieces for such cheap models is eroding your profit potential. Dumb idea.
In the just barely middle class suburban housing tract area that I spent my childhood in; a Biscayne or Bel-Air model Chevy was more prevalent than an Impala or Caprice model.
My high school best friend had a family hand-me-down 2 door sedan1965 Bel Air as his first car. Refrigerator white with ice blue interior, 283 V8 engine, PG, factory A/C (much more popular in Hot and Humid New Orleans in this time period that other parts of the USA), manual steering & manual brakes.
He added a tiny chrome plated air cleaner that made the car sound MUCH faster (to him and I, anyway) than the car actually was.
He took great delight in seeing how hard he had to “stomp the skinny pedal” to make the Powerglide do the great leap downshift from high to low when merging on Interstate 10.
It always had at least one tail light that was not working. If we opened the trunk lid and wiggled the bulb housing it would come back on….for a while.
The c-c-cold factory air conditioning never failed to make sunglasses mist over when leaving the car.
It was a tough old bird. It took all the abuse a teenager could inflict on it and never faltered or broke down. I can admire this car much more today than I did in the early 1970’s.
When I was in high school in the mid 70’s, the 2 doors of the species became the recipients of a great many engine transplants. Most of these motors came out of wrecking yards and weren’t perfect by any means. Rear ends were taken from the station wagons of the breed. Cheap thrills!
My first company car, an absolute cheepo,…..poverty caps…a cheezy interior and, worst of all, no power steering. I owned a ’65 GTO convertible at the time (and still do!), so I never used it for personal driving.
There was a certain Chevy dealer in Brooklyn, NY that only kept the higher grade Chevies in his showroom. The lower grade Biscaynes, Novas,Corvairs, and Malibus were always kept outside on the lot. Now and then, a nicely equipped Belair sedan or wagon would be on the sales floor, but they were practically Impalas in everything but name.The dealer is long gone, but the last thing I remember about the dealership building is that it became a piano showroom.
These Chevies were great cars, I had a friend that got to drive the family impala with a 300 horse 327, it was quite quick back in 1966, plus just stone reliable and well made. Chevey sold over 1 million of these in 1965!
My recently retired working class grandpa bought a new 1965 Biscayne (3-speed six). Teenaged me was not impressed at all. I much preferred the 1955 Chevy (also 3-speed six) that it replaced. Still do.
As a kid, i think I rode in more ’65 Chevy’s than any other year/model. Two neighbors on our block had them. Two of our closest family friends had wagons. Two other families who sometimes gave us rides to school had a sedan and a hardtop. I could probably draw that familiar dashboard from memory-with the big pods at both sides of the instrument cluster! I love the Evening Orchid color. But I never warmed up to the taillights being up on the trunk lid…just seemed awkward, and sure enough, in ’66 they were off the trunk and where they belonged! Thanks for the memories!
Easy to see how Chevy sold a million of the 1965 full sizes more than the Ford F Series or CRV/RAV combined now in US
My dad bought a 64 Biscayne wagon new. 2550 dollars. Six cyl, power glide, power steering, am radio no push buttons, heater. A real stripped down model. My brother thrashed the hell out of that thing it was tough as hell.
Speaking of 1965 Biscaynes, the notorious Carlo Gambino used to be chauffeured around in the back of one just like this one. He wanted to be low profile, but had a unique personalized license plate…can’t remember it now.