Customs The Tri-5 Dork

[OL 55]

Originally Posted by Jay71

Tri-fives definately get a bad rap I think. I dig em, and you can go alot of different ways with them. I like em mild. My 55.

Neat wagon, but we need a bigger picture so I went into your profile and stole one!!

[theHIGHLANDER]

SamIam, how dare you add so much "logic" to this post?

I must agree with most of what you said there. The end story tells a lot if one's listening. As for the picture, like 99% of the folks reading this post Make mine the one on the left please.

[40fordtudor]

Originally Posted by Eddiesixem

i think this is the same car at a later date. now choped and side pipes, differences here and there. the evolution of a kustom.

Love the vette grille----

[40fordtudor]

Originally Posted by phatgoose

It wouldn't have mattered what make, model, or year ....somebody totally fucked that car up and put a lot of effort into it!!! wtf!!!

appears to be very good metalwork, tho---design is whacked-out. i kinda like the rear wheel wells.

[40fordtudor]

Originally Posted by SamIyam

Ask anyone who wants to follow the latest treds, albeit the 2nd variation of it, and they want their '55's jacked up with a straight axle under them.

Kustom guys want 'em Kustomized.

Traditionalists want them restored to their 60's drag racing heyday...

Street rodders want a Danchuk Catalog to explode over the top of theirs with all the PS, PDB, AC, Torque Thrusts II's, original colors... and stuff.

Ask trend setters what they want and they'll want theirs to pull full a "g" on the skid pad, run a 9 second quarter mile with the AC on and drive from here to NY and get 20mpg doing it!



Guys who remember October 28th, 1954 and know who Ed Cole is... probably like them stock or mildly modified.



I don't see a problem with any of these variations... but my tastes have changed over the years.

In the 80's I did my frist one modified but with stock body... you know, wheels and tires, warmed over 327 then a 383, custom interior in the same pattern as the stock interior.

When done right... this is a "safe" way to build a tri-five, even today.

I've gotten TIRED of the safe way... mainly because sooooooo many people have done them this way for sooooooooo many years.

Even in the 60's... guys would swap a 327 in, get the T&R upholstery done, lower them and put nice wheels and tires on 'em.

It was the "safe" thing to do then and is the SAFE thing to do now.

Why were they so popular in the 60's?

They were plentiful and CHEAP.

And... easy to work on, and modify.

Truly, Ed Cole's hot one got even hotter.

While the early v8 Fords truly did create the automotive aftermarket... the '55 Chevy was one of the first cars that any guy could just go out and buy, add some hop up items and blow the doors off of the "full race" v8 Fords that dominated the hot rod scene for so long.

From a manufacturing standpoint... the 1955 Chevrolet was a success beyond everyone's wildest dreams... even Ed Cole's.

The clean slate concept for the 1955 Chevrolet really took off in 1952 when Ed Cole increased his engineering staff from 850 people to 3000.

He hired the youngest and brightest he could find... and borrowed guys from other GM makes such as Pontiac and Cadillac.

For instance, the stamped steel ball and socket rocker arm was being developed by a Pontiac engineer in his own basement.

When Pontiac wouldn't pay him to work on this idea on Pontiac's dime... Ed Cole put him to work encorporating that part into the new Chevrolet.

To further tout the engineering and design genius that was coming out of Chevrolet in the early 50's... ALL THREE front end and rear end treatments were designed at the same time!

Many of you know the piss yellow '55 I own now left an impression on me at a very young age... 1984 I was 14 years old when I first saw it.

As luck would have it... I ended up owning that car.

A real 60's "gasser"... that survided the test of time.

I don't know that it survived because the guy who raced it from 1962 until the early 70's had any foresight.

I think he just got tired of it, and tired of racing... and just put it away.

He still has another car he's had even longer than the '55... his high school car... yet to hit the road again.

So, maybe he's a procrastinator too.

Anyway... I bought the car about 5 years ago... and was on the uphill swing of the gasser craze.

Gassers are still big, and people are still doing it... with no end in sight.

But many people on the cutting edge of cool realize a gasser '55 is the new flat black.

A fad.

Oh sure... done right... they're totally bad ass.

But as time wears on... your "gasser" will need to be more and more correct to be cool.

A correct resotration in order to last the test of time...

Anything less will be passe.

It happened with traditional rods.

Being up on the curve IS what hot rodding is all about. Staying ahead of the game and having something someone else doesn't have... being an individual is what makes this thing something we want to wake up and do.

Don't agree? Find one guy on here that says "I want to build a car EXACTLY like so and so did."

Exactly?

We find inspiration... sure... but we want to one up people, do it a little different, you know.

Personalize it...

And for THAT reason... ideas cycle... what is cool now becomes passe... what was passe then becomes cool now.

People think they are a little more cool if they've ALWAYS liked something.

I call bull shit.


I'm not ashamed to say that my idea of the perfect '55 Chevy is constantly changing... and will continue to change as my brain is saturated with what the current population thinks is cool.



I'd guess ryan's buddy has found the true beauty of the '55 Chevrolet...

The history.

I lean more towards ryan's veiwpoint...

I'll take mine modified.

Because lowering them... "trimming this" and "removing that" DOES draw out the beauty of what the designers had in mind.

I would also have to say that even the original designers didn't like all the gingerbread the Bel Airs came with... making a guy really think:

What IS the perfect '55 Chevy?

Modified or stock?

Or a combo of both?



I'll leave you all with this quote from Duane L. Bohnstedt who was a designer in the Chevrolet studio.

"When it came to accesories, there was a fellow by the name of Bill Beuchler. We called him bubbles. He did all the accesories. We "pure" designers didn't want anything to do with those. He did an aftermarket hood ornament with a plastic bubble over it. That's where he got the name. Bill did all the rocker mouldings, and the continental kits, the bumper ends, those kinds of things that weren't very pure. Most of us didn't want anything to do with them. Bill Beuchler did those."

I seem to hear some anti-traditional thought here---i agree completely. I think this hobby will continue to evolve with different approaches to overall designs, power trains, etc. and i for one welcome that. I'm on my 5th 40 ford--from a flatty coupe to a Stude V8 powered 4-door with a packard tranny that i wish I had never sold. each one has been different---that's kinda why i do them over and over---my avatar is the latest. You have a great outlook.

[LabRat]

This 57 is neato !

[Bigbearchaseme]

I always felt alittle dorky driving my 56, but then again I'm a little dorky anyway.

[oddrodgarage]

A while back I traded for a bone stock 57 chevy 210 2 door...never in a million years did I think I would want or have a tri-five but the trade was definitely way in my favor so I pulled the trigger ...I have been driving this thing almost daily for about 8 months now and it's become one of my favorite cars...can't explain it but every time I walk into the garage it just beckons me to cruise...plus my whole family fits in it comfortably...now I have my sights set on a 55 wagon...guess I am a tri-five guy now...keeping the 57 stock except for some supremes....the wagon I will go with a mild custom

[drjones96]

^You got some pictures?

[Kripfink]

Living in a country with very few customs, the only problem I have with Tri-five stockers if that at American car shows over here they are the 50s equivalent of the 60s Mustangs, and I feel once you've seen a couple you've seen them all in both cases. Still love to see someone over here do one as a decent mild Kustom.Then again,over here,it would probably end up something like the one Mr Haney came up with in post #63
Paul

[olscrounger]

I like the tri five cars pretty much as they came,agree with squirrel's comments,fairly stock body,a little rake and some more suds under the hood. Have owned approx 25 over the past 35 years and currently own two that have been around here for 30 plus years--both are black hardtops (55 and 57 in my album). With that said, I also love the gasser look but have never done one-as with 40 Fords, just can't bring my self to change them too much-but that's just me and at 67 and being set in my ways I guess-

[eddie1]

I too am with Aaron on this one. Or at least if you are going to customize it should be a mild custom. That said I tend to walk by the tri-5's at car shows because I feel like seen one, seen them all. I do the same with Mustangs & most muscle cars these days as well.

[Krash]

As mentioned, this one is badass! So is Moriarty's, Sam's (better with the flames) and the one shown with the magazine roof.

They sure do look good as a gasser. Of the tri-5's, I like the '56 the best. I think its because of the side trim. And I agree, they are kind of the '32 Ford of their time. The American Graffitti scene when Milner races "I ain't nobody dork" is badass!!

[Krash]

Kind of like this......with a little "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MG's in the background. Oh yeah...

[SLAMIT]

THis is a cool thread and some excellent examples of what "to do" and what "Not to do" to a tri 5 chevy.

Sams is great and one of the few that I like in two tone. but I really liked it before the red and white.

[BenD]

Originally Posted by Anderson

*ahem* except McPhails'. McPhail's '56 is the best I've ever seen.

I was just about to mention Dennis's car. I'm a '56 guy over the rest.

[dana barlow]

My Dad got a brand new 55 Nomad,redish/oj and cream,was the coolist looking wag i had even seen and still feel that way to day,yet v8 leaked oil and smoked some from day one,for a v8 it was weak,my grandpop new 55 ford would blow it away. The first year of sbc v8 was a dog,but loved the bodys

[1Evil55]

Tri5's are like belly buttons, 32's are like belly buttons, yadayadayada. Different strokes for different folks. Although not too HAMB friendly, here is my 55HT the day I bought it. Not much changed. Waiting for winter...

ETA: Yes those are dice on the mirror, Oh the horror!

[theHIGHLANDER]

I don't know why but this thread tugs at my imagination a bit more than most. Here's a few build ideas I may never get to so feel free to go for it.

For a 57, I think the racer look is it. I see the same stance and attitude as "Project X" as seen in "Hollywood Knights". Just the cheapo side trim, high winding SBC like a 331 and a 4spd. Early old style f'glass racing seats, no back seat. No front bumper. Steel wheels with perhaps whitewall slicks and some nice skinny Cragers or similar up front, maybe skinny steels with or without whitewalls. Black with no more that 2 coats of blue pearl, or HOK "Cortez Blue" KBC would do nicely. On the back, one of those international red circle signs with a pair of fuzzy dice behind the red center slash. Since race cars have names, "No Dice" would be perfect.

For a 56, 2 tone frosty green pearl similar to the shades on the Hirohata Merc. Kustom tube grille, can't decide on what wheelcovers but something fitting to the vibe. White rolls and pleats and a kustom built wrap-around interior, more than just T-bird seats, the pleats continuing as inner 1/4 panels so it appears 1 piece in the back. Some smooth panels employed in the actual seating area to bring the front seats to the party. pearl white instrument panel and maybe work in a Cadillac dash panel and sterring column. Naturally it would be nice and low, emblems shaved, no dorr handles, etc.

For a 55, I see it being all about the paint. The latest TRJ has a story about the Nomad from the west coast with the stunning rootbeer and gold flame finish. No matter if it was paneled, flamed, scalloped, kandy, pearl or even a mix, the lines and details on a 55 rule. I like losing the decklid lic plate idea so that's in. Bucket seat interior that emulates the early 60s performance cars, maybe a pretty hot motor but not a deal breaker. Shave all the emblems except the shield on the hood. No gold "V" emblems, maybe a 61 348/409 emblem and a motor to go with it? Chrome reverse OEM style wheels and pinner whites, not too low, maybe a conservative rake.

See what I mean? Stock? Uhh...no. Funny thing is, doing anything but stock is probably a bit less than a true restoration would cost, no rules.

[LUX BLUE]

Originally Posted by SamIyam

Ask anyone who wants to follow the latest treds, albeit the 2nd variation of it, and they want their '55's jacked up with a straight axle under them.

Kustom guys want 'em Kustomized.

Traditionalists want them restored to their 60's drag racing heyday...

Street rodders want a Danchuk Catalog to explode over the top of theirs with all the PS, PDB, AC, Torque Thrusts II's, original colors... and stuff.

Ask trend setters what they want and they'll want theirs to pull full a "g" on the skid pad, run a 9 second quarter mile with the AC on and drive from here to NY and get 20mpg doing it!



Guys who remember October 28th, 1954 and know who Ed Cole is... probably like them stock or mildly modified.



I don't see a problem with any of these variations... but my tastes have changed over the years.

In the 80's I did my frist one modified but with stock body... you know, wheels and tires, warmed over 327 then a 383, custom interior in the same pattern as the stock interior.

When done right... this is a "safe" way to build a tri-five, even today.

I've gotten TIRED of the safe way... mainly because sooooooo many people have done them this way for sooooooooo many years.

Even in the 60's... guys would swap a 327 in, get the T&R upholstery done, lower them and put nice wheels and tires on 'em.

It was the "safe" thing to do then and is the SAFE thing to do now.

Why were they so popular in the 60's?

They were plentiful and CHEAP.

And... easy to work on, and modify.

Truly, Ed Cole's hot one got even hotter.

While the early v8 Fords truly did create the automotive aftermarket... the '55 Chevy was one of the first cars that any guy could just go out and buy, add some hop up items and blow the doors off of the "full race" v8 Fords that dominated the hot rod scene for so long.

From a manufacturing standpoint... the 1955 Chevrolet was a success beyond everyone's wildest dreams... even Ed Cole's.

The clean slate concept for the 1955 Chevrolet really took off in 1952 when Ed Cole increased his engineering staff from 850 people to 3000.

He hired the youngest and brightest he could find... and borrowed guys from other GM makes such as Pontiac and Cadillac.

For instance, the stamped steel ball and socket rocker arm was being developed by a Pontiac engineer in his own basement.

When Pontiac wouldn't pay him to work on this idea on Pontiac's dime... Ed Cole put him to work encorporating that part into the new Chevrolet.

To further tout the engineering and design genius that was coming out of Chevrolet in the early 50's... ALL THREE front end and rear end treatments were designed at the same time!

Many of you know the piss yellow '55 I own now left an impression on me at a very young age... 1984 I was 14 years old when I first saw it.

As luck would have it... I ended up owning that car.

A real 60's "gasser"... that survided the test of time.

I don't know that it survived because the guy who raced it from 1962 until the early 70's had any foresight.

I think he just got tired of it, and tired of racing... and just put it away.

He still has another car he's had even longer than the '55... his high school car... yet to hit the road again.

So, maybe he's a procrastinator too.

Anyway... I bought the car about 5 years ago... and was on the uphill swing of the gasser craze.

Gassers are still big, and people are still doing it... with no end in sight.

But many people on the cutting edge of cool realize a gasser '55 is the new flat black.

A fad.

Oh sure... done right... they're totally bad ass.

But as time wears on... your "gasser" will need to be more and more correct to be cool.

A correct resotration in order to last the test of time...

Anything less will be passe.

It happened with traditional rods.

Being up on the curve IS what hot rodding is all about. Staying ahead of the game and having something someone else doesn't have... being an individual is what makes this thing something we want to wake up and do.

Don't agree? Find one guy on here that says "I want to build a car EXACTLY like so and so did."

Exactly?

We find inspiration... sure... but we want to one up people, do it a little different, you know.

Personalize it...

And for THAT reason... ideas cycle... what is cool now becomes passe... what was passe then becomes cool now.

People think they are a little more cool if they've ALWAYS liked something.

I call bull shit.


I'm not ashamed to say that my idea of the perfect '55 Chevy is constantly changing... and will continue to change as my brain is saturated with what the current population thinks is cool.



I'd guess ryan's buddy has found the true beauty of the '55 Chevrolet...

The history.

I lean more towards ryan's veiwpoint...

I'll take mine modified.

Because lowering them... "trimming this" and "removing that" DOES draw out the beauty of what the designers had in mind.

I would also have to say that even the original designers didn't like all the gingerbread the Bel Airs came with... making a guy really think:

What IS the perfect '55 Chevy?

Modified or stock?

Or a combo of both?



I'll leave you all with this quote from Duane L. Bohnstedt who was a designer in the Chevrolet studio.

"When it came to accesories, there was a fellow by the name of Bill Beuchler. We called him bubbles. He did all the accesories. We "pure" designers didn't want anything to do with those. He did an aftermarket hood ornament with a plastic bubble over it. That's where he got the name. Bill did all the rocker mouldings, and the continental kits, the bumper ends, those kinds of things that weren't very pure. Most of us didn't want anything to do with them. Bill Beuchler did those."

wasn't it you that had the picture of a 56 doing a wheelstand...on the street in front of your house?