It was close to dusk as I ran errands around El Cerrito this past December when I came across a fun sight: a row of utilitarian vehicles by the curbside that clearly belonged to a mostly-Chevrolet household. Indeed, two long running Chevys still apparently provided limited service in this California neighborhood, alongside a larger International pickup. We’ll get to the ’63 C/K truck and the International in due time, but to my eye, the eyegrabber of the group was this 1954 Chevy 150 Handyman wagon in a non-original bright orange hue.
While C/Ks are neat, and old living trucks are just as dandy, this ’54 pretty much follows up on the theme explored in yesterday’s ’61 Galaxie post by Stephen. After all, the ’54 is truly a throwback to a different era; that of the faithful 6-cyl. daily driver that was the norm back in the day. And unlike the hot-rodded or “hot” factory survivors one tends to see nowadays, this old ’54 still seems set up in the unassuming yet smart spirit it embodied from day one. A true Chevy, as understood before the legendary 1955 model arrived with its optional small-block V8.
With so much happening since then, let’s look at what life was like under the Chevy house back in 1954.
What we’re looking at is a 150 Handyman, Chevrolet’s lowest available trim in the then hot and new all-steel wagon segment. Of the entry level 150 Special line, this 6-passenger wagon was the priciest with a base cost of $2,020. Further up in trim options, the 250 DeLuxe and Bel Air lines. Body options included sedans in 2 and 4-doors, and 4-door wagons in 6 and 8 passenger arrangements. Swankiest of the lot? The hardtop Bel Air, which was the smartest looking of the Chevrolets of that year.
Another sign of being a different era, in ’54, all Chevys rode on a 115″ wheelbase, though one could argue that segment proliferation had already started if we include the then sales-resistant Corvette.
And under the hood, Chevrolet’s stove-bolt six was found; the engine associated with the brand since its appearance in 1929. The success of that early iteration led to a re-engineering for 1937, and the ’54 carried the most elaborate version to date, thanks to upgrades dating mostly to ’53. Updates that included aluminum pistons and full-pressure lubrication, along with other tuning improvements.
As such, for ’54 the “Blue-Flame” came in 235.5CID displacement, and tuned to either 115HP in manual units or 125HP in Powerglide equipped vehicles.
Is a surviving 6-cyl. still powering this Handyman? Is this a living example from the era when 6-cyl. Chevrolets ruled the world? I didn’t get to talk to the owner of this one, but honestly, it doesn’t look like it has been souped up in any way. From the looks of it, I believe there’s a 99.95% chance a Blue Flame is still powering this 150.
And yes, the C/K is already photobombing on this shot, but not to worry. We’ll get to it in due time.
Stylewise, the ’54 is a progression of the ’49 models, with the distinctive yearly updates common then. And make no mistake, these Chevys were a rounding success; something a bit hard to tell today, as in hindsight other makers had bolder proposals, and the later ’55-’57 Tri-Fives have placed the ’49-’54 crop on a cultural backburner. Still, in the sales department, these models showed that GM knew how to offer the right amount of newness, sleekness and “wider-longer-lower” looks to please and impress the wider public of the time.
At launch, the ’49 Chevrolets followed on the styling language defined by the ’48 Cadillac. A “trickle-down” Caddy effect that hit buyers just right and was still palpable in the ’54s. That said, GM styling was certainly going through a toothy grille period, which showed up from time to time. The ’54 Chevrolet is not ’50-Buick like in that area, but it’s toothy enough. Little dagmars seem to protrude from the bumper extensions, another GM styling trait of the period.
Elsewhere, the ’54 carried body updates in the front and rear fenders, among other minor touches that had dawned in the ’53 models. Still, proportions and bodies were mainly rooted in the original ’49.
The least updated area were the wagon’s body related panels, which are, admittedly, somewhat curiously bulbous. They were little changed since their appearance in ’49, and basically looked like an iron version of the wood-based models, with which they had shared the showrooms in ’49. The woodies, however, died throughout that year as they found little demand.
In Willys-Overland wagon fashion, the all-steel bowtie haulers wore simulated wood in embossed form. And if you forked out enough cash for the top of the line Bel Air Townsman, those panels could even be had with a painted simulated wood treatment. None of that was to be found on the 150 line though, back then or in today’s find.
The ’49 all-steel Chevy wagon arrived just on the heels of the Plymouth Suburban, and did a good job in gaining on that pioneer’s market. Indeed, by ’54 the bowtie had overtaken perky Plymouth on that segment, and sold about 57K units against the Suburban’s 45K totals. However, and curiously, Ford was the last of the low-priced three to join the segment in ’52, but looks like Dearborn fans really took to the idea. By ’54, the Blue Oval had leap-frogged its competitors despite the late start, with an astounding 140K wagons sold. Most being the 2-door variety.
As said earlier, no 2-doors were available in Chevy’s wagon repertoire of that year. Not even in the 150 line. About which, not too noticeable in this shot, but the black rubber trim on the front edge of the rear fender is the 150’s clearest telling sign.
Old time Chevrolet fans are a devoted lot, so I feel pretty safe in assuming the ’63 C/K truck in front belonged to the same owner. Dusk light made for proper shooting a difficult task, but on the other hand, that sun flare does give this image a very California vibe.
Rusty and worn, but still going, and with the windows open. I would think this is the “daily driver”, while the 150 is perhaps moved around enough to keep it alive. Or so is my theory.
A rough-looking “daily driver”, admittedly. But we’ve all seen worse, right?
Last car in the utilitarian row, a ’49-’52 medium duty L-Series International truck. And this one is getting some service (Neat horn on that roof!). No need for fancy-pants vehicles in this curbside.
Back to our main subject. As many have said, and a recent post by Aaron told, the Chevrolets of the 1950s sold on their sensible quantities; under the logic of the era, of course. Relatively decent performance, general dependability, good resale value and fashion-conscious enough styling.
Yes, Chevrolets were the best selling cars in the world in the early 1950s. By ’54 however, that formula was fading; for one, the body style was getting quite old and then, the market was crying out for more exciting qualities and higher performance. Signs that, if ignored, could have spelled trouble in the dynamic US car market of the 1950s. But as we know, Chevrolet had the right answers to deal with those matters for ’55.
So by ’55 the Chevrolet legacy would split with the arrival of the small-block and the legendary ’55-’57 generation. As such, the ’54s closed an era; a momentous change, the end of a time when 6-cyl. powered Chevrolets ruled the world all on their own. And every once in a while, a fairly original survivor appears, to remind us that there was such a time.
Related CC reading:
1949 Chevrolet Fleetline And Styleline – Seize The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet – Aaron Severson
1950 Chevrolet Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe Bel Air – The Belle Of Bel Air – Aaron Severson
Curbside Classic: 1954 Chevrolet 210 – See The USA In Your Chevrolet – Laurence Jones
Curbside Classic: 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air – A Message From 1953, Part 1 – Jon Stephenson
Curbside Classic: 1954 Chevrolet 210 De Luxe – Purple, The Color Of Royalty – Joseph Dennis
Curbside Classic: 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Special Two Door Sedan – Your Choice Of Fastback Or Notchback– Paul Niedermeyer
“So by ’55 the Chevrolet legacy would split with the arrival of the small-block and the legendary ’55-’57 generation. As such, the ’54s closed an era; a momentous change, the end of a time when 6-cyl. powered Chevrolets ruled the world all on their own. And every once in a while, a fairly original survivor appears, to remind us that there was such a world.”
Australia have to wait a little bit longer for the V8 Chevrolet although the Aussie Chevrolet got the ’55 design Down Under, it was still only powered by the 6-cyl Blue Flame engine. https://oldcarbrochures.org/Australia/Chevrolet/Cars/1955-Chevrolet-Brochure/slides/1955_Chevrolet_Aus-06-07.html The V8 would only arrive for the 1960 model year in Australia.
Indeed. And likewise the 3 speed manual rather then the Hydramatic. But remember the Chevrolet was a very low-volume big car here; most people were buying the compact-sized Holden (nearly 50% of the market!), which became the standard Aussie car. We didn’t have the horsepower race you did in the US, and Ford only had the Y-block for the Customline, so GMH probably saw no need to offer more power.
Remarkably well-maintained workhorses. Iconic design on all three. Their well-beaten looks, and high functionality, greatly increasing their appeal. These are genuine classics. Thanks!
This is actually not an uncommon sight around Los Angeles .
I found the ’53 & ’54 Chevies dumpy looking for many decades .
I’m also loving the Corn Binder, we had one like this on te farm but in ‘bobtail’ guise .
-Nate
I guess we’re lucky then they didn’t kept the 1953-54 front end for the 1955 models as shown in some earlier designs and clay models.
Wow, I agree! When I read the MAC piece, I thought it looked too much like the 54 Ford offerings. I love the small details on the 54 Chevy, especially the jet intakes on the headlight bezels.
I have a soft spot for these big old Chevy wagons with their raised roofs and lots of room. That raised roof was necessary as the third seat was forward facing and sat on top of the rear cargo floor, unlike more modern versions.
Nice, thin-stripe WW’s, appearing to be the right size ….. but I wonder about their source & condition:
New Cokers would run ~$200 ea., for collectors only. Not a likely origin on this basic survivor.
So, a couple of possibilities:
— 2nd hand tires, passed along in the last few yrs, from a well-groomed 60’s or 70’s vehicle….?
— 25-30 yr. old relics or retreads from the waning days of every-day WW’s ….. dry-rotted & ready to pop at any moment….?
— Recent products of an outfit in Cali, that shaves down the sidewalls of BWs, and converts them to white. Economical, but of questionable reliability…. ?
—– Or, Who knows? Maybe its a sleeper with top-condition underpinnings ….. and a matching set of 4 Cokers?
Well based on the fact that they are narrow white walls means it is unlikely they are the 16″ that it originally came with. My bet is that they have been replaced with 15″ and may be wearing 235/75s which can still be found in some of the no name brands. https://www.ebay.com/itm/356533418168?chn=ps&google_free_listing_action=view_item&gQT=1
What a great couple of vintage Chevys. I like the styling of the wagon, utilitarian and simple, if a bit dull. Wagons wouldn’t get a shot of pizzaz until the later ’50’s. I like the orange color and overall condition of this example. I can’t help being a wagon fan, after growing up with them.
Looking at that ad about the engine was interesting. Chevy updated their six to full pressure lubrication in 1953. Comparing this engine to the one in my ’46 Plymouth brings an interesting comparison. The Plymouth engine displaces 217 cubes and produces 95 hp. It had full pressure lubrication and precision insert bearings from the late 1930’s. It also sported alloy pistons, hardened exhaust valve inserts and a standard oil filter. By ’53 the Plymouth was up to 100 hp. and it had a long record of longevity and reliability. I really think that Chrysler corporation considered it to be a “perfected” design, and felt no need to switch to OHV. That wouldn’t be until 1959 for the Slant Six to debut, though the old flathead continued for a few more years in Dodge trucks. What hurt Plymouth in relation to Chevy saleswise, was the lack of an automatic transmission. Dodge came with Fluid Drive at the time and that wasn’t fully automatic like Powerglide. I think the early manual shift Fluid Drive transmission is an interesting device, the fluid coupling eliminates the chance of stalling the engine, but contemporary buyers probably preferred the old fashioned manual transmission or a full automatic.
That old Chevy pick up must grab the eyes of every Chevy fan that drives by! It’s crying out for a hobbyist to buy it and freshen it up a bit. I’d bet that the owner finds lots of notes left under the windshield wiper asking if they would sell it.
Speaking of the Plymouth engine, we could wonder what if Chrysler have switched to OHV more earlier instead of waiting 1960 for the Slant Six and what if Plymouth got a full automatic transmission earlier as well?
I think that the lack of a fully automatic transmission hurt more than the continued use of the flat head design. Powerglide Chevy sixes weren’t known for their speed, but they were easy to drive. Flatheads were starting to be seen as old fashioned, which they were. Combine that with the stodgy styling of the new ’49 models, (gotta have that room for hats!), the cars started to look quite old fashioned, even though they were well engineered. It seems that Plymouth lost a lot of it’s appeal.
We never got these wagons here, and any Chevys of this vintage seem rather uncommon. The high roofline and overall proportions almost make these look trucklike; certainly in comparison with the ’55s. A nice basic workhorse, still in workhorse condition.
They sure rode like trucks!
The Hershey, PA AACA Car Museum will be exhibiting station wagons this summer.
They chose the ’54 Chevy wagon for their poster.
Posted below.
The owner of this orange survivor deserves a free entry pass.
Here’s that poster:
https://www.aacamuseum.org/
What a non-original bright orange hue can do to a Dodge Travco 210 1969 : https://www.facebook.com/share/1NDdbJg5pC/
Interesting that the wagon was 4-door only, but the model 1508 Sedan Delivery was available only as a 2-door. So they could have pretty easily made a 2-door wagon, but I guess they thought it wouldn’t sell.
I guess GM underestimated the 2-door wagon market, that might explain why Chevrolet got a 2-door wagon for the 1955 model year besides the Nomad.
https://oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/Chevrolet/1955-Chevrolet/1955-Chevrolet-Brochure-Blue/slides/1955_Chevrolet_Full_Line_b-08-09.html
I grew up in a ’47 Willys wagon—maroon, not green (the only two body colors available). The two-toned painted wood “paneling” contained no faux graining, only a solid biscuit color for the frames and a darker color for the panels.