Recently there’s been some talk in our comments section about the overdone vintage rides that seem to be the norm in car shows nowadays. I’m here to tell you I’m with you. I do prefer my old rides in stock condition. And I’m not entirely sure if we’re less in numbers or just have less cash to outbid those who enjoy tweaking old iron.
In any case, one way to get around that is to view images from back in the day. And in the case of the Tri-Five Chevys, that may be more necessary than usual. After all, talk about a model glitzied up since the day it came out. But there was a reason for it, the appeal of the ’55 Chevy was a mighty one from day one. And the model has certainly earned a legendary status, even here at CC.
So here are a number of images with the fabled Tri-Fives, looking as they did back then. Either surrounded by drivers and admirers or just looking fine on their own.
More Vintage Photo Galleries Here
It’s so weird now to see so many sheet metal changes every year, but if you’re selling 1.8 million a year (corresponds to almost 4 million in our current population), it’s a good idea not to be too common.
When you are selling that many it doesn’t really cost much to make those annual sheet metal (and other changes). The tooling wears out so rather than replace it with the same might as well make some changes.
It was all the easy stuff: fenders, hoods and exterior door skins. The expensive parts (cowl, inner structure, inner doors, roof, etc.) were all the same. Chevy got a fantastic return on its tooling investment on these. They may have been outsold slightly by Ford in ’57, but I bet their profit margins were vastly higher, given Ford’s two different wheelbase version of their new ’57.
Actually, Little was changed between 55 and 56 on major body stampings. 57 was new front and rear fenders. Door inners and outers remained the same all 3 model years. Deck lids as well. Ford and Plymouth were totally new in 57. As loved as the 57 is today, sales weren’t that vigorous in 57 and Ford outsold Chevy.
The hood and front fenders near the hood are also different on the ’55. The “power bulge” is more distinct and old-fashioned.
It was so simple back then. Except for the very specialized and limited production Corvette, there was one Chevrolet on one wheelbase in three trim levels. You did have two and four door sedans, wagons and hardtops plus a convertible. A decade later you had Corvair, Chevy II, Chevelle and Chevrolet.
Try AACA for car restored to orginal dealer conditions.
Yep, thank God some old standards are still around. Of course, I made my first AACA show in at least twenty five years last year and was horrified to find street rod/custom classes. I always thought we told the owners to “take their crap down the street to the other show” when they’d drive by?
Thank you. It’s so hard to see a Tri-Five Chevy that doesn’t look like it’s a fugitive from “American Graffiti” anymore.
These pictures bring back memories of dad’s dealership days, and thoughts of what his company cars were those years: ’55 Bel Air two-door hardtop in white/red (I think, memory is a bit fuzzy on this one), ’56 Bel Air four-door hardtop in white/red (I remember this one too well, as my first ride in it was being rushed to the hospital with what turned out to be a case of Lobar Pneumonia and a 104 temperature), and the ’57 was another Bel Air two-door hardtop in white/black.
Of course, all were base V-8’s with two barrel and Powerglide. Dad always ordered his cars configured so they wouldn’t last more than a week on the used lot when next year’s model arrived.
It’s so hard to see a Tri-Five Chevy that doesn’t look like it’s a fugitive from “American Graffiti” anymore.
It would be nice if all used car buyers and restorers would just pee on a tire like a cat instead of junking up the actual vehicle with add-ons and mods to make it theirs.
With the common engine/transmission/suspension/brakes/Etc. upgrades all tri 5s seem to have these days, I have to conclude that what everyone really wants is a 71 Malibu that looks like a 50s Chevy. 🙂
I think I can see a story in the gal on the hood of the ’57 convertible.
It is probably 6 years old, her first car, and the seller spiced it up with 1957 Plymouth wheel covers!
I was wondering what wheel covers they were!
Before I was born my parents had a beautiful black ’57 Chevy (that my dad’s company shipped to Hawaii for him). For some reason, everyone thought the Chev was a taxi, and people would start to get into the backseat before my parents could set them straight! This would have been in the early ’60s.
Seeing tho$e ’56 Chevys really hurts; still miss that old lump! Twenty years of driving her……….$IGH. 🙁
Mine was originally that darker green metallic with a “stovebolt” 6, like the last ’56 pic shows. Of course, the 6 self destructed after 2 weeks so I installed a used ’66 327/275 hp small block. DFO
Funny, just as I started looking at this article the opening lyrics of the classic 1974 song ‘Beach Baby’ by British pop group ‘The First Class’ started playing on my Sirius XM lineup. Seemed appropriate:
Do you remember back in old L.A. (Oh-oh-oh)
When everybody drove a Chevrolet? (Oh-oh-oh)
Whatever happened to the boy next door?
The sun-tanned, crew-cut, all-American male..
Regarding the ubiquity of Tri-Fives at car shows, I’ll admit I walk right past all the painted flame/candy apple/big block/fuzzy dice/restomod examples. They do absolutely nothing for me personally. But on the rare occasion I see a true survivor or a workaday straight 6 stripper model, it’ll definitely still catch my attention.
Some nice synchronicity there! I remember that song from American Top 40.
Maybe next you’ll hear “Ol’ 55” by the Eagles (from On the Border).
I always thought that the original version of that song (as performed by the guy who wrote it, Tom Waits) was better.
My Brother in law mustered out of the Navy in 64. He picked me up for the trip from Virginia back to St. Louis, where I had been visiting. I was then 13. We had a ball in his 2 tone Blue 56 BelAir Hardtop. It was a great car. I can still see that dashboard. In excellent shape for a then 8 year old car. He gave it to my sister, and purchased a used 60 Impala hardtop.
Those ’57 Plymouth wheel covers you see on the ’57 Chevy convertible were a very popular modification back in the day.
I like the contrast with the two side by side ’56 Chevies. Back when it was popular to advertise an upgraded engine choice with a little extra flash, the hood tells the story of one being a V8 and the other a 6.
Just to fire back on the originality cork sniffery; if you actually want to, you know, drive the car keeping bias plys, single circuit brakes, an obscure antiquated carburator, points ignition and your 70 year old wheel covers occasionally flying off just like they did in the day gets old. Anyone have a old house? Still make the effort to keep the original appliances cloth wiring and glass fuses? Coal burning furnace? …Anyone? It’s part of the experience!
I do prefer old cars to not be overdone(crazy paint jobs, oversized wheels and lowering), but if its drivable that’s what matters to me, a meticulously restored to some cork sniffer standard to be kept as a museum piece is a waste. Restored isn’t original.
To add to that point, folks started “improving” ’55 Chevys almost right away. Look at any ’55 or ’56 Hot Rod magazine, and it’s already full of ads for modifying them.
Yes, there is that “gap” between original, restored, and drivable, but we won’t “dwell” on it too much. Want to guess what I am doing today? Hopefully I got my “point” across?
I don’t have a problem with points, well I used to not have a problem with them and racked up many miles with points as a daily driver. The problem is that it keeps getting harder for find quality ignition parts for older vehicles.
By the time that girl’s ’57 (with the sharp Plymouth wheel-covers) was photo’d, it was at least 6 yrs. old …… judging by the ’63 Olds 88 wagon on the street.
Looking good for a 6 yr. old from that era.
Good eye! I didn’t spot that.
1963. Story was, dad & his sis co-owned it from new, but both left it with Grandpa when they flew the coop. Grandpa traded it in ’69 with 35,000 miles on the clock, on a Skylark. I bet given the condition it was in after ~14 years, it survives today.
In the very first photo, I like the Chevy Town Sedan photobombing on the left. I think it’s a ’46-’48, not a ’41 or ’42, judging from the placement of trim. The rear view hardly changed over the years that car was sold.
Very nice pics. If I’m right, most or all these Chevies are Bel-Airs, even the lower priced two door sedans. If I remember correctly, the sedan 210 and BelAir sold in about the same numbers. Perhaps there’s a bias in the pic taking owners….
There are so many of these cars, I don’t even associate them with the 1950s – I associate them with the Retro-1950s popularity in the late 1970s and on. Near perfect cars. Not a fan of the ’57 styling – but that is nit-picking. Chevrolet makes very attractive cars and these are superb examples of that style leadership.
A friend restored several tri-fives and had several parts cars out back. With the front fenders, rear quarters and trim removed, all 3 years looked alike.
Just to appease the originality patrol: yes people do restore them to original specs. This one was captured at a US car show here in Austria last year. It had its original 6 cylinder engine but with 3 on the tree + overdrive even usable on modern roads (as long as you remember you have late 50s drum brakes).
They all look pleased with their cars, yet none of them realize what über-classics their cars will become for the next three-quarter decades.
I know the ’57 is iconic, but the ’55/’56 appeal more to me. The ’55 must have been jarring when it hit the market, much like the ’55 Plymouth. Two of the best styled ’50s cars in my opinion….
Having turned 57 on the day this was posted, I approve 🙂
The only thing I will be hardcore about updating is the aforementioned death-can master cylinder. Had a brake line failure in my ’63 Impala 12 years ago after a rear end gear replacement caused a brake hose to get “bumped” and compromised. Free-wheeling across an intersection through cross traffic was a brutal experience. Yes, I had a parking brake in good working order, but a brain too panicked to use it in time.
i just could never warm up to the looks of the ’56. i didn’t like the tail lights, and i thought the front turn signals were oversized and ugly. they didn’t have the understated looks of the ’55 turn signals. just my .02.
Completely agree on the taillights. The ’55 lights were a timeless design that still look modern and could be used on a car today. The silly “jet flares” on the ’55 looked like a backward step to me.
The ’55-’57 Chevy was popular from Day One. The fact that Chevy kept the small block engine and updated it over the years meant that replacement engines were as close as your wrecking yard. That kept many on the road when they were just used cars. Ford did the same thing earlier with the flat head V8 and later with the Mustang and their small block V8.
They are so ubiquitous now, but that just shows how right the design was.
Love seeing these old pictures of the Tri-Five Chevrolets!
Truly beautiful cars & surroundings!!
Picture #1 here come old flat top .
These are fantastic pictures .
For me the balanced look of the ’55 made it the best looker .
-Nate
Those who bought a Six instead of the great new Chevy V8 really lost out! In Spring of ’56 Dad traded his ’53 Chev for a new white & gray ’56 210 4 dr sedan Stovebolt 6 cyl at Park Circle Chevrolet in Baltimore, It burned oil almost from the get-go. Myself I was fascinated by the gas filler behind the L tail-light and played with it incessantly, being in 1st grade and typically curious about everything. Anyhow he kept that lemon for only 2 years and traded it in on a 1 yr old blue & white ’57 Country Sedan (pic) with the “Thunderbird” 312 V8 . Thereafter he always mentioned that it had “the Thunderbird engine” (sorta but not really), and those Y blocks weren’t nearly the equal of a SBC, but at least he had a V8!
In fact, I’d love having a brand new 71 Malibú 4 sope hardtop with a 350, or even a 307, THM, PS, PB with discs, AC and some other interior comfort ítem. Wheels can be steelies with dog dishes. I like the Tri-fiives, but the Malibú was alive, well and a comfort symbol in my schooldays
Chevrolet’s are usually not my first choice as I prefer the underdogs. In the tri-five time period I would rather have a Ford or Plymouth than a Chevy. But there is no question they are fine automobiles and since I have owned many and like all cars I would never turn one away just because of the name.
#1 America’s favorite classic car, a white over red V8 powered ’57 Bel Air Sport Coupe. To this man it was a nice late model car. On the left a ’47 or ’48 Chevrolet Stylemaster Town Sedan, on the street is a ’46-’48 Plymouth repainted in resale red, in the driveway a ’58 Ford Fairlane Club Victoria, and on the very right edge looks like a ’50-’52 Nash Rambler wagon.
#2 Dueling ’56 Two-Ten 2 door sedans. The one on the left is a six cylinder, while the one on the right is a V8 with an accessory spotlight/mirror combo. Both of them are wearing California plates.
#3 A guy out for a cruise in a sharp looking ’55 Bel Air convertible with possibly a ’55 Texas plate. Perhaps a ’51 or ’52 Buick in front of it.
#4 A conservative couple posing with a new looking V8 powered ’56 Bel Air 4 door sedan. In the background left side is blocked by the fence and above the couple is a ’55 Two-Ten 4 door sedan.
#5 Putting the shine to a six cylinder ’56 4 door sedan. I can’t tell what trim level from this angle.
#6 A relatively warm winter day with a clean looking ’57 Bel Air convertible with a V8 and the previously mentioned ’57 Plymouth wheel covers. On the street this side is a ’63 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Fiesta wagon with a ’63 Rambler following. On the far side is a ’50 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe 4 door sedan with a ’60 Impala Sport Sedan in the driveway.
#7 A roadside stop in a ’57 Bel Air 2 door sedan.
#8 A clean V8 powered first year ’56 Bel Air Sport Sedan with a bumper overrider and a ’57 Illinois plate.
#9 A happy looking couple with a ’55 Bel Air Sport Coupe with accessory fender guards and spotlight/mirror combo.
#10 Perhaps a father and son posing with a newish V8 powered ’57 Bel Air convertible with bumper guards and an Iowa plate.
#11 A lady leaning on a newish looking V8 powered ’57 Bel Air 4 door sedan with a California plate. It has a red inside mirror which must signify something. I will take a guess and say it is a rent car. Across the street on the right is a ’50 Chrysler Windsor, further down to the left a tan ’57 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Sedan, and on the left edge a yellow ’55 Dodge. It looks very much like a California location.
Thanks for the photos.
Love the photo bomb of my favorite Olds in the last pick!
My first car was 56 Chevy business coupe.(1968). My dad had a 56 Nomad in 1962.
It was yellow and green. Bought from Cashman Cadillac in Las Vegas for $1000.00
In 1964 , dad traded it on a new Plymouth wagon. I cried and begged for dad to keep the car for me, but the deal was done. He said they gave him $1000. on trade so he felt that was a great deal. IMHO, the greatest designed cars were the Tri-Fives.
56 Nomad
56 Nomad 1962 Las vegas