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The 50 Millionth GM

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by The Jalopy Journal, Jan 19, 2012.

  1. The Jalopy Journal
    Joined: Mar 20, 2007
    Posts: 14

    The Jalopy Journal
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  2. Cool post!

    I think it's really cool that the 50 Millionth Car was the '55 Chevy, which in my opinion, was the car that propelled Chevrolet to a position of dominance for decades afterward. That car may be the most significant car (besides the Corvette) that GM ever built.
     
  3. pwschuh
    Joined: Oct 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,827

    pwschuh
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    And where is it now???
     
  4. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
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    It is in North Carolina, I was standing right beside it 20 years ago or more. The guy was restoring it, already had replated some of the gold stuff. It had a special ID tag on the firewall. I'll have to ask my dad who the guy was, as I can't remember. But, it was definitely the car.The guy that had it had a bunch of Nomads too, always bought NOS parts from my dad. I have no pics, sorry. Oh yea we had about 50 of those coins , but sold them in Carlisle many years ago.
     
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  5. Jack Luther
    Joined: Oct 24, 2005
    Posts: 531

    Jack Luther
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    November 23, 1954 was a Tuesday. I was born on the 25th, which was Thanksgiving Day that year. I agreed that it would be interesting to know where the gold 55 Chevy is now. I assume in a GM museum somewhere?
     
  6. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
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    Just talked to my dad, the guy that owns it is Bill Edney, of Columbus, N.C. Somebody on here might know him. He always had a good Nomad collection. I know it blowed my mind when we saw it. There were some gold 4 door Bel-Airs too.:D
     
  7. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
    Member

    Just found out Bill died Nov.5 2011.Founding member of the Carolina Nomad Club. I guess the car may be up for grabs now. I googled his name. Heres the story according to my dads. Bill saw the car going to the scrapyard . The previous owner was going to make a race car out of , but never did , so off to the scrapyard. This was before they were worth the money they are now. What caught Bill's eye was the gold side trim still on it. The rest of the trim parts were inside the trunk. The gold hoodbird was still on it and all the inside trim was gold anodized or plated. The car was Black & white then. He called my dad and offered it to him for 400 dollars. I think thats when we looked at it. It had factory A/C and power everything.My dad agreed to buy it and we left. About a couple of weeks later Bill calls my dad and say I hope you don't get mad, but i think I will keep this car. That was fine to us since we didn't need any more projects anyway. It was later that we learned that there was only one sport coupe done and its the one in the parade and in the promo movies. We are still kicking our asses. But Bill started getting the chrome redone gold, buying nice NOS to do it with. This was before reproduction. I'm sure the car will be up for sale now, we haven't heard anything. It might show up on e-bay now, as I think the family isn't going to anything with it, but I may be wrong. I don't know how it got to N.C.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2012
  8. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
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  9. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
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    customcory
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  10. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
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    bttt I wonder if somebody on here knows Bill?
     
  11. redlinetoys
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,302

    redlinetoys
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    from Midwest

    Interesting about the owner. Sorry to hear he has passed. It was mentioned on another thread that Chevrolet offered to restore the car for him back in 2002 if they could use it for the 50th anniversary celebration of the 55 Chevy in 2005. Supposedly the owner turned it down as he was afraid he would somehow lose the car.
     

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  12. redlinetoys
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,302

    redlinetoys
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    from Midwest

    Handouts during GM facility open houses on the commemorative day...
     

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  13. Graham M
    Joined: Apr 17, 2011
    Posts: 405

    Graham M
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    from Calgary AB

    Please dont think Im trying to be an ass to say this, but its "blew". ;)


    Anyway, very cool thread! I'd love to see that car. Kind of odd their 50 millionth car just so happens to be such an iconic one as well.
     
  14. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
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    Well, if you live down south its BLOWED.
     
  15. davidbistolas
    Joined: May 21, 2010
    Posts: 960

    davidbistolas
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    I need to see this dictionary of southern english...

    I think it's "outstanding" that, in 1954, out of all the GM lines and brands, the 50,000,000th car built was a brand new design just about to hit the showroom floor. The Marketing Gods smiled upon General Motors that day.
     
  16. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,945

    the-rodster
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    Didn't I hear, just yesterday, that GM was back on top as the largest automaker?

    Toyota held the crown for a while.

    Rich
     
  17. davidbistolas
    Joined: May 21, 2010
    Posts: 960

    davidbistolas
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    I know- for a while, Toyota just kept accelerating and accelerating...

    (couldn't help it, sorry)
     
  18. realkustom51
    Joined: Nov 14, 2005
    Posts: 664

    realkustom51
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    Hey Cory. I still have a few of those coins that didn't get sold. Do you remember when I found that jar of coins.
    I was a little kid walking around the grounds of the first or second Carlisle event (1974 or 75) when I stumbled on that jar of coins. I know one of the coins made it onto a belt buckle. The ones I have left are looking kinda rough today.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
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    Very cool car.It'll probably end up at the Barrett-Jackson next year.
     
  20. Dzus
    Joined: Apr 3, 2006
    Posts: 321

    Dzus
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    Chevy also made 5000 BelAirs painted a special gold and sent one to each dealer to promote the occasion. My dad bought one of the 'Anniversary 55's' and it was the car I was brought home from the hospital in.

    Not mine, but more info:
    www.classicsurvivor.com
     
  21. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    Very cool story.
    I had a '55 Chev ragtop years ago. Coral and shadow grey.

    I wonder where the rest of the cars (1st Cad 1908 etc) in the movie are?
     
  22. ol55
    Joined: Oct 1, 2008
    Posts: 499

    ol55
    Member
    from Virginia

    Sorry to hear he passed away.

    Cory, please update this thread if you hear any more. I have been interested in that car since I read the book "The Hot One".

    Larry
     
  23. thurman von junkshit esq
    Joined: Apr 5, 2010
    Posts: 49

    thurman von junkshit esq
    Member
    from mi

    This is bittersweet for me. I grew up in Flint, and unfortunately 80% of the buildings in the background are now run down or gone altogether. I lived and grew up there before it (the city) became the continual butt of jokes it's now known as. It's a shame all guilty parties(the corporation, the union, the workers) couldn't come to terms to keep the city the industrial leviathan it once was. This is still a way cool video and historical event(I saw this video at Sloan Museum when I was ten or eleven), and my grand-dad had a picture book of the car being assembled(he worked at Fisher 1, where the car was built). Cool memories. Perhaps they'll have a similar gala in Mexico or China when the zillionth car rolls off the assembly line.
     
  24. thurman von junkshit esq
    Joined: Apr 5, 2010
    Posts: 49

    thurman von junkshit esq
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    from mi

    oh, and I know zillion isn't a real numerical figure....
     
  25. BELAIR1957
    Joined: Oct 14, 2009
    Posts: 61

    BELAIR1957
    Member
    from PA

    I have a postcard with the car on with a february 1955 post mark.

    Does any one know any of the names on the card.

    I picked up at a fleamarket years ago.
     

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  26. realkustom51
    Joined: Nov 14, 2005
    Posts: 664

    realkustom51
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    Damn what a postcard!!! Looks like you could take that card to the paint store and get it matched.
     
  27. El Caballo
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 6,283

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    I really geek out on factory photos and anything Jam Handy. I often wonder if any of the cars shown still exist today, not that anyone could ever confirm something like that, but I like to think about stuff like that. Some of my own cars, I wonder what their past was like and where they are now?

    I was struck by how many people showed up for that parade and what a big deal it was. I guess when GM was the bread and butter of that town it makes sense really, show up and wave the flag if you will.
     
  28. Erwin Waxman

    Born: 1902 Died: 1983
    State of last residence: Kansas
    State issued: Missouri
     
  29. BELAIR1957
    Joined: Oct 14, 2009
    Posts: 61

    BELAIR1957
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    from PA

    Here is a better photo i found on line.
     

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  30. Dzus
    Joined: Apr 3, 2006
    Posts: 321

    Dzus
    Member

    I guess he was into trading Post Cards ('PC's). Detroit, New York City, but does 'ST' mean state?
     

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