Ryan's post on Duane Steck's Moonglow caused me to ponder about how many 1953 and 1954 Chevrolets seemed to receive 'custom love' over the more 'popular' '55 model. Why is that? Was the first year Tr... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I love clean custom '55's... Especially this one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=10510 Watch the video and scroll to 3:35. That thing rules - mostly because it sits SOOO low.
Interesting treatment of the bumper guards on the front corners. Painting chrome bumpers is traditional? I had a 54 Pontiac grille in my 55 Olds. Looks good in a Chevy, too.
As much hell as everyone gave him for changing it up, I liked the 'after' version of butt reynolds' '56. I also like McPhail's '56. They both need some chrome reverse or Skylark wires, hahahahaa
I couldn't afford the 55 so settled on the 54. I think the custom 55's were far better looking and powerful to the youth of the day especially if you could afford more than a nose and deck job. I turned 16 in 1957 and wanted the cool 270 hp version engine in my 54 so I could keep up with the tri-fives. The 53/54 soon became obsolete to many but were cheap to purchase and easy to modify. I still prefer the 55 for the stylish lines and the SBC but Moonglow is my all time favorite of the breed.
Here in Fairbanks,Alaska(about 1975)there used to be a very similar '55 2 door hardtop.It was painted gold on the bottom as this one,then solid blue on the top.The interior was pretty much the same except this one was red and white.When I saw the black and whit shots,I thought it was the same car. Eventually the straight arrow car was painted a gloss black and received a big block.
Yes-- Imagine if he would have picked up the green color from the scallops and sprayed the entire roof that color, with some nice pearl or flake to make it pop-- That would have been sweet.
I think that there used to be more custom tri-fives then there are now. One thing that we forget is that low and slow is a sort of a modern concept when one looks at the different eras that we emulate. Even into the '60s show customs often ran V 8s and multiple carbs in there chromed and glitzed out engine compartments. By the way you could not have chosen a better car for us to ponder, that car is beautiful.
Nice 55, but do you really have to ask why there was not as many Tri-Five Customs as they were 53-54s? It's so elementary, you don't screw with beauty. In my opinion, it is very difficult to customize a Tri-Five and make it look better than stock and the Honey Bee is one of the very few Tri-Five customs that looked good.
As stated yesterday, I've always liked mid to late '50's Kustoms as exemplified by the Cut-Outs and Renegades. This mild '55 is a knockout.
I love the top, could do without the stripes in the seats though. I know it's a '56 but Jim Johnsons more door hardtop is the cats ass as a mild custom. Again, photo courtesy of James Potter
I always thought any tri-5, especially a 55, was the perfect canvas to exercise restraint. Too much and they become a hideous mess. Paint, stance, mild messing around with the jewelry, done. Takes a good eye to do it right. Just sayin...