By the mid fifties it was common for business coupes to have back seats even though the back glass did not roll down. Unless your vin indicates that the car came with a V-8 it was probably originally a 6 cylinder car, I say probably because you can't rule out a dealer optioned V-8, although that would not really make it a V-8 car in the strictest sense. A tri five business coupe could be had with a V-8 from the factory but it would have been a really basic V-8, they also had the option of glide or 3 speed. If you have 5 lug hubs that have been re-drilled to 5 on 5.75 it may have had BOP hubs at one time or another although it is not likely that it came that way. If you really want to know about it and think that it has the original seats pull the seats and look for a build sheet. I am not aware that GM used them that far back but you just never know. Are you planning on a resto on this old chebby?
I found a computer printed build sheet in a 66 chevy truck years ago....and I also found a hand written list of option codes on a piece of paper where the build sheet would be, in a 65 buick. I haven't heard of any in 50s cars, though. The body tag (on the cowl) lists most of the stuff they installed, but factory options weren't very complicated or well documented back then.
Jim The '65 C-10 I got from Rockey years ago had a build sheet in the seat back. I cant say that it was computer generated but it was typed like from an ancient printer. I found what appeared to be a build/order sheet in an old corvette seat, it would have been a '58 o 9. It was hand written on a form of sorts, it looked like the carbon copy. The reason I know the seat would have been a '58 o 9 is that I got the seats from an old guy that kept '58/9 Corvettes and parts. I never quizzed him about it as I was young and dumb and full of well you know. it was pretty fragile even by the '70s when I got the seats and I just thought it was a cool thing.
Love those Fentons! You could get any engine chevy offered in the 150 all the way up to the fuelie. With a Posi nonetheless! A 3 speed with overdrive got you the 4.11's. Would love to see some more pics!
I'm planning on keeping it looking the same as it does now paint and body wise. I'm gonna do a little work on the interior tho. I got a set of slotted mags for it that I think will look pretty good on it. And I'm definitely keeping the factory motor mounts. I've never seen manifolds like those!
Never seen those Fentons either, but like I was saying you can do the same thing by splitting the Hedman headers for the 4 pipes
Always loved the 150, utility sedan, even better, high winding small block four speed. Music to my ears Keep us updated on cowl tag and build. What's the reason to keep front and belhousing mounts other then for looks? I remember breaking a few rotors and distribtor cap from motor bumping the firewall. Ron
Those "headers" were becoming uncommon even by the late '60s. I had a set of Fentons on a Y block that I raced when I was a kid, some old guys cast offs. Like DND said you could split a set of headmans or you could just build a set of Tri-Ys and not ad the third Y.
Just so you know, the paint scheme on your car is 1956 style. The '57 150 would have body color on the roof and just the trunk and upper rear fenders would be white. I like how yours is though, I painted mine the same way.
1211 is the 2dr Sedan. 1211B is the Utility sedan. 715 is not listed in my book...hmm.... 799 is Tropical Turquiose, not sure about the A.
Show us some pictures of the inside window opening. The 1211B has a different metal below the 1/4 glass. The rubber seal is used instead of a Bailey like the front
This is the best one I have right now. I'll be back to the shop Friday and can take some more pictures
If you're going to use the stock '57 mount with a hot?? small block, I'd put a chain or cable on the engine to keep the distributer from hitting the firewall. Broke a bunch of rotors in my '55 in the '60's that way. Norm
the "A" in the paint code is the color of the dash, i think. a being black, b being the body color, c being the "other" body color. Think that's how it went.
If you use good quality front and rear motor mounts there shouldn't be a problem with breaking dist. caps. Polyurethane front motor mount biscuits are available from Energy Suspension. I used these with stock US Made rear motor mounts in my 55. It has a 283 bored to 301, 11:1 compression, 2.02 heads, etc. Basically built to Chevy 302 specs, with an Edelbrock Tarantula and 780 Holley, 4 speed, and 4:56 gears. I've never broken a dist cap, rotor, or anything similar since building it in 1977.
Those Fentons were used in the '57 Blackwidow cars which were all black & white 150 sedans. I have a set of the repos made by Patrick's. --louis
Like said above the quarter window opening has different sheet metal around lower inside. Notice the large holes that's all solid on the roll up windows style. Ron
I pulled the glass out of a 56 utility the other day. It had only one clip at the top holding the glass in place. Most time there are three. This car had original glass and no other holes for clips.