Whats the ride like on a '55-57 chevy?

My 57 rides and drives nice.. As was mentioned, rebuild the suspension and the seat tip is excellent!!
I've driven mustangs and camaros and none come close to a 55-57.
The stock suspension works great when everything's nice and tight.
I did upgrade to front disc's after a couple "stab and pray" brake sessions when i was in my teens. Too much motor and not enough brake, or brains.
An upgrade, in my opinion, that's worth the money. Now it stops great too.

Tony

 

My 55 does just fine even with the 4:11 rear. Now what I'd really like to know is what's it like to ride in ShakeyPuddin'.

 

Listen with the technology thats out there today your options are limitless. You can go from stock with minor upgrades to full out Corvette independent suspension. You can go four link two link, tubular control arms, air bags, coil over shocks they sky or your wallet is the limit. One thing you should know though is that the suspension in a tri-5 Chevy is the basis on most of their wheel rear drive line for decades. I have been driving my self nuts trying to figure out what type of suspension I want to put in my Nomad and I decided on basically a stock set up running the best gas shocks available, sway-bars front and rear and moving the rear springs inward 3" which will allow me to run a 10" wide rear wheel. This will be the best set up for the money I have to spend and give me the best ride and handling.

Start off with a stock suspension and rebuild it, upgrade to urethane bushings, new ball joints and new springs front & rear with good quality shocks. You can always upgrade to the more high tech stuff down the road if your not pleased with the way the car drives and handles. I have differences of opinion with friends when I say there is nothing you can make a car like this handle like a Corvette without costing you an arm & a leg. The money you spend on a high tech suspension set up can be well used in other parts of the car like replacing floor pans etc. which most old Tri-5's need sooner or later.

If you go to just about any cruise night or car show and check out the Tri-5's I'll bet you'll find most of the guys are running the stock suspension with minor upgrades

Good luck with it and welcome to the club

 

right on.

Took my wife on a 1400 mile trip in the 55 a couple weeks ago, through the southwest, she commented on the heat, but nothing else....so I guess the ride is ok!

 

Worth noting that the disks from first generation camaro fit straight onto the stock hubs, cant remember fully but I think that the caliper brackets also bolt up but could not swear to it.

Ditch the original master cylinder and the same camaro master cylinder and booster bolt right up. You just have to redrill the brake pedal to accept the new angle for the brake rod, probably 2 hours work in total and presto changeo modern(ish) brakes.

Now just stuff it full of Big Block and add the 3rd pedal and you are good to go....

P.

 

My 59 Ranchero has everything new or freshly rebiult underneath. On the road she glides like a new one. Now, trying to turn it at a stand still (no PS) is a bitch,,,LOL. It's just the way they were back "in the day".

 

Same thing here but I added a front stabilizer and that helped more. I'd drive my 55 cross country without thinking about it. Very comfortable and easy riding

 

As all have said--they can be made to drive and handle very well. Rebuild, dual power master cyl., discs and a power box if you like---stiffer shocks and drop spindles with radials and sway bar and they are a very sweet driving car. Have a 55 (wife's car that we have had for 35 years) that was our main car for many years and has about 200K on the clock (many rebuilds over the years due to breakage,racing ,etc.) but it drives wonderful--wife drove in Bay Area traffic for 8 years--no problem. It is the one car we will NEVER let go.

 

55-57's handle awesome for 50's cars! I drive my 57 hardtop to work at the strip club (huge pay cut but the benefits are AWESOME.) on curvy ass roads and she handles like a slot car. Even with worn out cracked bushings.

 

They ride about like a new pickup. Stock, they won't handle or stop as well, but there is plenty of upside potential. As long as you don't expect it to perform like a brand new car, you will probably enjoy it and have lots of fun.

 

I've never owned a tri-five, but one other thing to remember on a full frame car that's different than the unibody stuff you had before, after you get done with all the chassis stuff take a hard look at the body mounts and the metal on both sides. I bet the body side in particular will need a little help.

 

55-57 chevys were always the hot ticket because of performance, handeling, and ride, back inthe day. you can replace all parts as orig. or improve w/ after market, but close to orig. is good for me!!!

 

Rebuilding the front and rear suspension on a 56 right now. New rear leafs, front springs, shocks, all bushings, all ball joints, all tie rods rear axle bearings, gaskets, U joints. e brake, U-bolts and some misc parts. All the parts came to about $1,400 from Danchuk and 56chevy. And a lot of hard work, John

 

Rides just like a 67-69 stock suspension Camaro. Add some sway bars/ stiffer springs, disc brake conversion and it gets better.

 

ya beat me to it but I don't think even after the changes that they ride as stiff as the Camaro. At least mine doesn't. One thing you have to remember is that it's still a 54 year old car and unless you put alot of time and money in it you're not gonna get it to handle like a Camaro or Firebird. Mine's great through the gears and going down the road and it has a great ride BUT it still doesn't corner well enough to get stupid with.

 

Mine rides good even after it has been lowered. Those big white walls soak up the bumps.


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