Vehicle Description
These cars were a common sight on the roads after the war. People
were getting back to visiting relatives, running errands and taking
the family to the beach or mountains on vacation. The Deluxe was a
good looking, roomy car with plenty of space for luggage, and it
still is. Riding around in this car feels like riding around in
1951.
This car has been nicely restored in its original color of Thistle
Gray. It's a soft color that makes you feel a bit better just by
looking at it. It has a nice shine to it and the light reflects off
the gentle curves of the hood and fenders as it rolls down the
street. The front of the car leads with a substantial amount of
chrome with a rocket on top of the hood and a bowtie badge on the
front of it. Wide chrome running from side to side surrounds the
grill of fine horizontal lines in the center. Marker lights are
mounted to the sides and a wraparound bumper underlines it all. An
adjustable body colored sunshade protects the driver from glare and
there is a streak of chrome running down the side of the car. Wheel
spats dress out the rear fender wells and a ridge of chrome runs
along the top of the fenders.
Open the door and you will find an interior that invites you in to
go for a ride. It has also been restored to factory original
colors. Gray paint tops the door panel with light gray broadcloth
and darker gray vinyl trimming out the middle and bottom. A thistle
gray two spoke steering wheel has a full circular horn ring with a
Chevy bowtie over a coat of arms in the center and the shifter for
the manual transmission is mounted on the column just behind it.
The dash is gray on top with thistle in the center where the gauges
are set. The gauge bezels are wonderfully original with the patina
of age on them and the center of the dash is chrome. The seats have
been freshly reupholstered in gray broadcloth and the headliner as
well as the carpets have also been replaced. It is a roomy,
comfortable place to travel in and there is plenty of room in the
trunk so don't worry about having to pack efficiently.
Under the hood you will find a tried and true 216 cubic inch
in-line 6-cylinder engine. It is sitting down in a neat and clean
engine bay that is nicely detailed out. The casting numbers on the
engine indicate it is the proper one for the car, so it could be
the original engine, but it is impossible to determine that for
certain. There is a black oil bath air cleaner feeding a 2-barrel
Rochester carburetor which flows into stock intake and exhaust
manifolds. There are newer belts and hoses and a new battery is
charged by a new generator. An aluminum radiator keeps things
running cool. Power flows back through a 3-speed manual
transmission to the rear wheels set on leaf springs. The front is a
coil spring setup and drum brakes all around handle the stopping
duties. The car sits on body color steel wheels with Chevy bowtie
center caps and 205/75R15 white wall tires.
Good looking, comfortable, roomy and stylish. Take a ride back to
1951 and see how it feels. If it feels good, take it home with you
so you can go back there anytime you wish.