i took these photos on july 17, 2012 but never got around to posting them because, i think, i didn't like the crooked profile shot. there was a car in the way, and my lens wasn't wide enough at the time, and i always intended to get back and re-document it.
funny, 'cause it's in a neighborhood i pass through frequently, but it's a neighborhood i only pass through when i'm very very short on time, and it's about five or 10 blocks out of my way--just off the beaten path enough that i'm pretty sure i've never made it all the way back to find out if it's even still there.
but if i do ever get the chance, i really want to get a nice, square profile shot. 'cause i like this car.
i kind of want a ponton or fintail, but this would probably be a much less expensively serviced car.
OMG!!! I'm home at last! My Uncle Claude owned a '52 model very close to this one. I cut my mechanic's teeth on that car by helping him service it! Used to stand on a milk crate so that I could reach the plugs. After he cleaned and reset them, I'd put them back into the proper cylinder, finger tighten 'em, then my uncle would torque 'em down! Quite an accomplishment for a small boy of six. This 'un gets my vote for Best Of OPC! Don, I hope you see this! Simplicity at it's finest.
Beautiful! To me, these are so much more iconic/representative of the 50's than the ubiquitous 57 Belairs and such. This car embodies the decade of the 50's! WoW!
No problem Don. But I stand corrected. My Uncle's car was a '51, and not a '52. I got to lookin' at this car, and I realized that it was indeed a '51. His had the De Luxe trim but no fender skirts. Makes me wonder if this one wasn't either an army staff car or some other federal fleet car sometime in it's very long life. Thanks Tony for this great find! It really made my day!
Having grown up in the '50's and '60's, I used to see these cars on the streets of my hometown in various states of repair. You and Don said a mouthful when you mentioned the fact that these cars symbolized that wonderful period in our history where anything was still possible. I can still recall stories of lucky young car buyers picking up pristine examples of '49-'54 Chevrolets as late as 1980 and beyond. I myself picked up a '52 Chevy for just $10.00! The car was an honest-to-god barn find with a mere 50K miles showing. It needed a master cylinder and the former owner didn't want to mess with it. We simply changed the points, rotor, condensor, and plugs, aired up the tires, added gas, and then proceeded to drive the car home--much to the dismay of my mother. Dad and I got an earful from her when we pulled into the driveway while she was having a garage sale! Seeing this car reminds me of that hot summer day in 1971. I kept the car a few years before trading it to a friend. I saw it in '86 before my wife and I moved to Florida. Man do I miss those days!
These old wonderful Chevs were overbuilt and very good quality cars.I had a nice and mostly original Styeline Deluxe sedan, 50,000 plus miles and left the factory finished in Mayland Black.....had to sell it a few years back. I'm determined to find another one day soon.....maybe this time one finished in Fathom Green. Ha Ha Ha!!
Best of OPC. 
11 comments:
Looks like a rabbit about to hop.
picture #3 could be in period
Wow. Once so common that they scarcely were worthy of a second look. Now rare enough that it just looks kind of odd.
i took these photos on july 17, 2012 but never got around to posting them because, i think, i didn't like the crooked profile shot. there was a car in the way, and my lens wasn't wide enough at the time, and i always intended to get back and re-document it.
funny, 'cause it's in a neighborhood i pass through frequently, but it's a neighborhood i only pass through when i'm very very short on time, and it's about five or 10 blocks out of my way--just off the beaten path enough that i'm pretty sure i've never made it all the way back to find out if it's even still there.
but if i do ever get the chance, i really want to get a nice, square profile shot. 'cause i like this car.
i kind of want a ponton or fintail, but this would probably be a much less expensively serviced car.
OMG!!! I'm home at last! My Uncle Claude owned a '52 model very close to this one.
I cut my mechanic's teeth on that car by helping him service it! Used to stand on a
milk crate so that I could reach the plugs. After he cleaned and reset them, I'd put
them back into the proper cylinder, finger tighten 'em, then my uncle would torque 'em
down! Quite an accomplishment for a small boy of six. This 'un gets my vote for Best
Of OPC! Don, I hope you see this! Simplicity at it's finest.
Beautiful! To me, these are so much more iconic/representative of the 50's than the ubiquitous 57 Belairs and such. This car embodies the decade of the 50's! WoW!
Thanks, Cap'n, for alerting me to this one!
No problem Don. But I stand corrected. My Uncle's car was a '51, and not a '52. I
got to lookin' at this car, and I realized that it was indeed a '51. His had the De Luxe
trim but no fender skirts. Makes me wonder if this one wasn't either an army staff
car or some other federal fleet car sometime in it's very long life. Thanks Tony for
this great find! It really made my day!
The 3rd pic really does look like a period shot. Also, this definitely represents the 50's more than an over-restored '57 Bel Air.
Having grown up in the '50's and '60's, I used to see these cars on the streets of my
hometown in various states of repair. You and Don said a mouthful when you mentioned the fact that these cars symbolized that wonderful period in our history
where anything was still possible. I can still recall stories of lucky young car buyers
picking up pristine examples of '49-'54 Chevrolets as late as 1980 and beyond. I myself
picked up a '52 Chevy for just $10.00! The car was an honest-to-god barn find with
a mere 50K miles showing. It needed a master cylinder and the former owner didn't
want to mess with it. We simply changed the points, rotor, condensor, and plugs,
aired up the tires, added gas, and then proceeded to drive the car home--much to
the dismay of my mother. Dad and I got an earful from her when we pulled into the
driveway while she was having a garage sale! Seeing this car reminds me of that
hot summer day in 1971. I kept the car a few years before trading it to a friend.
I saw it in '86 before my wife and I moved to Florida. Man do I miss those days!
i like it.
These old wonderful Chevs were overbuilt and very good quality cars.I had a nice and mostly original Styeline Deluxe sedan, 50,000 plus miles and left the factory finished in Mayland Black.....had to sell it a few years back. I'm determined to find another one day soon.....maybe this time one finished in Fathom Green. Ha Ha Ha!!
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