2017 is a special year for those that admire 1955-1957 Chevrolet classic cars. The 1957 models officially turn sixty years old this year. It is quite a milestone in the classic car world and Tri-Five Chevys are being celebrated all over the country.
The Grand National Roadster Show just featured an entire building of Tri-Five Chevys in all their glory. All types and styles were represented. You can take a walk through of the DNRS building and see all the Chevys in this excellent video!
The Detroit Autorama this year also showcased a massive exhibition of Tri-Five Chevys. HotRod.com was there this time to capture an amazing video that you can see on their news blog, in an article they titled “2017 Detroit Autorama and All the Tri Fives Chevy’s There Are”.
The celebration doesn’t stop there… out on the west coast, the Autorama show in Sacramento, CA also had a building dedicated strictly to Tri-Five Chevys. Haven’t seen enough Tri-Five eye candy? Well the same guy that filmed at GNRS, Randy Randleman, was at the Sacramento show too. Enjoy another sweet walk around in his second video.
Here at Wilson Auto Repair we are also celebrating. We are more than familiar with these 50’s Chevy vehicles. One look at photos on the Wilson Auto Facebook page and you will see our long running history with them. We love to restore these classics and jump at the chance to get them in our garage.
The 1955 Chevy Bel Air was an instant success for Chevy. Consumers quickly grabbed up the Base One-Fifty models for around $1,600. During the middle of 1955, Chevy introduced us all to the Chevrolet Nomad. This was the two-door wagon version of the now infamous Bel Air. Only a limited number were ever produced, so they have become quite the collector piece. The 1955 Chevy also debuted the new 265ci, small-block, V8, engine to the world. That same engine would go on to power GM vehicles until 2003.
Chevy continued to put out these magnificent cars through 1957 and there were so many different model versions and styles to choose from. Convertibles, hardtop, wagons, two-door and 4-door versions and of course the elusive 2 door Nomad. Each year was different from the last with Chevy pushing the design envelope. So many 1950’s car models went years without a design change. The constant changes over 3 years from Chevrolet is one of the things that make the Tri-Fives so unique.
1957 was the last year for the trinity and in this final production year, Chevy really pulled out all the stops. These Chevys had huge tailfins, a “twin rocket” hood design, seven different V8 engine options, a tri-color paint scheme available and of course more chrome.
If you own a Tri-Five Chevy, especially a 1957, then this is your year to celebrate six decades of greatness! We hope you can enjoy your ride all summer long. If you need any assistance restoring your Chevy classic or just want to get it running and on the road, we sure hope you give us a call. We would love to be a part of keeping a legend alive!