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Transition To The Late 50s Chevrolet (The Quick Gear Changes)

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Part 3 of 3

Finally, I found the time to work on this blog and finish up this 3 part story of the late 50s Chevrolets I started a while ago. It is a story that I remember and one of the key events in General Motors sales successes of that period. Right in the middle of this period, Chrysler skipped a model year in 1957, bribing the 1958 models to market a year earlier than planned. This is chronacheled on the site in a blog post from a few years ago.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS POST

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I think the 1959 was the epitome of the “Rocket Ship Styling” craze that was visible in all of General Motors cars during the second half of that decade. This is also only the second year that Chevy offered its high end Impala model that it carried for many years.
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What a car! Those were the days.

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One quote about the size of the 1959 cars caught my eye.

Auto tester Tom McCahill, of Mechanix Illustrated, declared that a Chevy’s decklid had “enough room to land a Piper Cub.” Chevrolet eschewed the triple-taillight rear style this year with a very large, single controversial “teardrop” taillight at each side.

So, that’s it. From 1955 until 1959 the Chevrolet evolved quickly. Take your pick for favorites. Me, I like the ’59 Impala.

Click here for more information on the Chevy Impala.

So, that’s it. From 1955 until 1959 the Chevrolet evolved quickly. Take your pick for favorites. Me, I like the ’59 Impala.

Transition To The Late 50s Chevrolet (The Quick Gear Changes)

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Part 2 of 3

Then came the now classic 1957 model year. The 57 definitely tweaked the 56. As was the trend, it put in more classic fins and changed the front grille. Subtle changes, but the result was and is one of the most recognizable Chevys. It is a real automotive icon.

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Even the models, like the pictured 4 door sedan, looked quite sporty for the day.

But then came another change in the 1958 model year. Two things changed:

1. The body style completely changed. To me, it looked like it went backwards from a styling perspective.
2. Chevrolet introduced a new model name, The Chevy Impala, a name that is still in use today.

This is 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air I photographed at a San Francisco strip mall.

Here is a link to a Wikipedia page that shows a 1958 Chevy Impala and describes the subtle differences between the Bel Air and The Impalla..

Transition To The Late 50s Chevrolet (The Quick Gear Changes)

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Part 1 of 3

I wonder what it was like fifty years ago. I mean being a teenage boy during the great years following WWII. Oh, wait a minute, I do remember and it was great. It seems my best friend (Richard Haber) and I lived on our bikes. We lived in Jersey City, New Jersey and would ride our bikes everywhere. Each September we would ride about two miles to the Chevrolet dealer in town and sneak a look at the new models a week or so before the formal release date. I literally remember looking at the printing embossed in the taillight lens to verify the model year of the car, 1956, it read.

Now, of course, I have a different perspective about the battles between the car companies. Car companies then really meant the American car companies, G.M., Ford, Chrysler and the others like Nash, Studebaker & Willies. I have written a few posts about Chrysler’s moves during the second half of 1950s. Chrysler skipped an entire year and brought out the 1958 cars in 1957 just to get an edge. The funny thing that I do not remember is what G.M. was doing with the Chevrolet line during the same time frame. G.M. was also moving quickly. In fact, G.M. had three significantly different designs in 1957, 1958 and 1959.

Let’s start when the fun begins, the 1955 Chevy Bel Air. This was a real breakaway design in more than one way. First, the body style and dimensions were much changed compared with the 1954. Secondly, the V8 engine also introduced in the 1955 model added numerous options to the Chevy line. Also, Air Conditioning was added as an option.

Click Here To See The 1955 Brochure

The 1956 model just built on the 1955 models, but somehow they look much bigger. The two cars (1955,1956) had the same exact wheelbase but the 1956 model was about two inches longer. The ’55 front grill was also replaced with a full width grill and the back end started the move towards the “fins craze”.

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The next part of this post will explore the 1957 and 1958 models. Things change a lot and very, very quickly too.

1972 Vega Station Wagon (Kammback)

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 Notice the front bumpers are cut on both sides of the grill,
I've seen this in several other pictures on the Web.

There is a lot to tell about the 1972 Vega, some of which involves me and an ex-girlfriend in Washington D.C. in 1972. Well, the girlfriend part is rather boring but Bonnie, was the proud owner of a very simple Vega in 1972, while we were dating. Her car had a simple 2 speed transmission and was very, very slow. Apparently, the Vegas were not all like hers, thank goodness.

The Vega was a unique vehicle. It was a part of a Corporate G.M. project that started in 1969 to help fight off the VW, Toyoto and Datsun lead in the sub-compact car category. According to Wikipedia, a dedicated team was established under one manager to design and bring the car to market in 24 mouths. The team succeeded but the car had mixed reviews. The car won Car Of The Year from major magazines and also made other magazine’s worst cars of all time list.

The cars basic style came from the Fiat 124 sports coupe, the car I was driving in 1972. Also, the aluminum block engine was originally tested in a Fiat sedan. Thanks go out to the Italian’s.

1972 models were essentially carried over from 1971 with a few refinements and additions. Vibration and noise levels were reduced by a revised exhaust system and better driveline damping and the rear shock absorbers were revised. The Turbo-hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission and a custom cloth interior were new options and a glove box was added.[19]

Apparently, my ex-girlfriend did not buy the 3 speed option.

Original script logo was replaced in 1973

One other interesting note relates to the cars tenancy to rust.

The original design provided for the full inner fender liners from the beginning. But at a cost review meeting the finance department cancelled the liners, as they would have added $1.14 per side, or $2.28 per car to the product cost. One of the program objectives was to produce a 2,000-pound car to sell for $2,000.00, and every penny was watched. Five years later, after GM had spent millions to replace thousands of sets of rusted-out Vega fenders in the field….

Click Here for extensive information from Wikipeadia on the Chevy Vega

1964 Chevrolet Corvair

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OK, I blew this one. I did not get a front shot. I was on an urban hike this May and came around the corner and there it was. The group I was with made a quick left and I stopped to take these shots. As I took these, I noticed a Fiat sedan in incredible shape parked just to the left and I moved on to cover the Fiat. I will post the Fiat soon.

Corvairs have a special place in my heart, especially the convertibles. I once owned one of these as my first car. Although this one seems to be a 1964, I had a 1965 convertible that I purchased used from my cousin. My cousin tried in vain to not sell me the car. He claimed it looks great but it seldom ran three days in a row without a problem. He was right but I loved this car.

The car leaked oil, the front-end had to be replaced and those were just the major issues. The lesser issues I don’t even remember. I sold the car after two years and its fan belt broke the day I sold it. But that’s another story. I’ll add that story when I come across a 1965.

More Information, click here

Wow, 1969 Chevy Chevelle

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I was walking around the Lower Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco and spotted this gem Almost enough to send me back to the 60’s and the Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company which were popular right around the time this car was released. That’s about thirty years ago. This neighborhood has not changed much since then.
Wickipedia had these comments about the car.

The Ford Comeback
The Chevelle was intended to compete with the similarly sized Ford Fairlane, and to return to the Chevrolet lineup a model similar in size and concept to the popular 1955-57 models. Early design photos show what would eventually be the Chevelle wearing Nova nameplates; the name then being used for the top trim level in the smaller Chevy II series. The Chevelle was the basis for the Beaumont, a re-trimmed model sold only in Canada by Pontiac dealers.

More Information, click here

1947 Chevy, Needs A Little Work

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Walking in The Castro District near our home, I spotted this gem. I believe it is a 1947 Chevrolet which was made right after WWII. This car looks to be in pretty good shape and given the age of the picture (November, 2003), it is probably restored or has gone to dust.

I found this bit of information on a website that seems to fit this car’s appearance. So, until corrected, this car will be known as a 1947 Chevrolet Stylemaster. If you know better, please post a comment.

BUSINESS COUPE
5-passenger, 2-Door,
5-window coupe with luggage compartment
in rear deck

More Information, click here

1941 Chevrolet Special DeLux (The Contest Winner)

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Correction, one of my readers notified me that this is a 1941 Chevrolet, not a 1942 as was originally posted. Thanks go out to “Guru” for pointing this out. Here is a link to a similar 1942, Two things caught my eye, the grills on the two cars and the way the front fender is carried through the door on the ’42.

To see a 1942, click here

Thank you Peter, you guessed the “Mystery Car”. This car is beautiful. I wish I knew who the driver was. I’d love to photograph this car at less than 65 MPH.

In 1942 the Chevrolet Master DeLuxe and Special DeLuxe models were almost identical to the 1941 versions. Chevy introduced a new two-door fastback called the Fleetline Aerosedan, their best-seller that year with 61,855 produced. With World War II underway, production numbers of 1942 Chevrolets saw a sharp decline of approximately 75%. On February 1st, the government ceased production of all American cars.

1955 Chevy 210

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While I was in college in Beaumont Texas in 1962-1968, many of my classmates had cars like this one. Some were four doors, some two doors and even one was a convertible. This car was a big hit for General Motors.

When Chevrolet introduced the 1955 Chevy in late 1954 it changed their history. What made the new Chevy so popular, then and now? It’s new 265 cubic inch V-8 was probably the most important feature in the motoring public’s eye. The 1955 Chevrolet also represented a completely new vehicle in styling and engineering. With its new styling and the option of a potent new “Turbo-Fire” V-8 it was the most changed Chevy and the most exciting car to ever wear the bowtie badge since WWII.

More Information, click here

’73 Chevey Malibu

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This is an updated 1973 Chevrolet Malibu muscle car with a 350 cubic inch V8. At least that’s what the emblems say. The rims and tires are certainly not stock, but the rest of the car looks very clean and quite standard.
© Fred Winograd copyright 2009

P.S. These pictures were taken with my brand new Canon S90 pocket camera. Great for taking pictures like these.