The 50 Millionth GM

[The Jalopy Journal]

After my something-millionth Ford post, I started to wonder how General Motors was progressing in their million car milestones, and it turns out they celebrated a really big one on November 23, 1954:...

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[Flat-N-Low]

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.

[pwschuh]

And where is it now???

[customcory]

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.

[Jack Luther]

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?

[customcory]

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.

[customcory]

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.

[customcory]

bttt

[customcory]

Here is Bills funeral notice. We wondered why he hadn't been around.http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=80044818

[customcory]

bttt I wonder if somebody on here knows Bill?

[redlinetoys]

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.

[redlinetoys]

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

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by customcory

J I know it blowed my mind when we saw it. There were some gold 4 door Bel-Airs too.

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.

[customcory]

Well, if you live down south its BLOWED.

[davidbistolas]

Originally Posted by customcory

Well, if you live down south its BLOWED.

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.

[the-rodster]

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

Toyota held the crown for a while.

Rich

[davidbistolas]

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

(couldn't help it, sorry)

[realkustom51]

Originally Posted by customcory

Oh yea we had about 50 of those coins , but sold them in Carlisle many years ago.

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.

[flamingokid]

Very cool car.It'll probably end up at the Barrett-Jackson next year.

[Dzus]

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