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Derelict Dreams: 1952 Chevrolet Deluxe

Perhaps I am biased, but I really like this car. I drove a similar example through high school so this 1952 Chevy Deluxe really caught my eye. The seller dragged this one out of a barn in South Dakota where it was still in the hands of the original owner. They had big plans, but have too many projects already. It is located in Wilmette Illinois and is now listed here on eBay with bidding at $1,225.

The current owner purchased the car in order to build their own interpretation of ICON’s Deluxe Derelict. We actually thought of that car too when we first saw photos of this one and have to agree with their plan. If you have not taken a look at that special car, you really should. ICON may be known for their 4x4s, but they seem to be able to work magic on any old iron.

One of the reasons I loved my own Deluxe was the fact that a previous owner had replaced the anemic 216 inline six with a more powerful V8. This is the route we would take here too, but everything is all there so you may just want to get it running again. There doesn’t appear to be any rot so a full restoration may be justified too.

Some may scoff at the shabby exterior, but we think it just adds character. You are going to have to find some way to preserve that patina though so the surface rust doesn’t turn into cancer. We are just happy to see that this one has been saved and may actually see the road again someday soon. Now where did I put that old map of South Dakota…

Comments

  1. Avatar Johannes Holub

    “preserve that patina…” Gosh, I love that kind of talk.

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  2. Avatar Dolphin Member

    This would be a relatively inexpensive way to get into a 1950s vintage US car. These ‘stovebolt sixes’ were entry-level cars back then, and were about as unexciting as US cars got, other then driving a Rambler, which every teenage buy prayed his parents would NOT buy. Of course, everything changed when the horsepower race started. When Chevy came out with their SB V8 with 265 CI for 1955 these early-’50s sixes really receeded into the background and became cheap used cars.

    If you want to drive a ’50s US car for not much $$$ this is just the ticket. But if you want it to look really good, then it will end up costing you at least what a really nice modern used car will cost, so you makes your choice and you pays your money.

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  3. Avatar Somer

    I had a 216 when I was in the Navy. It reached up 150K. Good old babbit motor.

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  4. Avatar Ricky David

    That is a two-door sedan, not a coupe. The coupes had much smaller back side windows. Those windows slid partially open on some models of Olds-Chev-Pontiacs and did not open at all on other models. In my opinion, the sedans are much less attractive and worth much less than the coupes.

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  5. Avatar David Barber

    This one really makes me miss my old 50 Business Coupe

    Like 0
  6. Avatar paul

    You always see these old cars with none original engines & rusty old buckets, those cars, in my opinion can be restomods, but a car with matching #’s & decent original body/ frames should be preserved as original, this car is too far gone to leave it, so it should be striped & repainted & all chrome redone, interior redone, & mechanicals gone through.

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    • Avatar Horse Radish

      So what stripes did you have in mind ?
      Like, black and white zebra look maybe ?

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      • Avatar paul

        er stripped

        Like 0
    • Avatar paul

      Hay who are you? I am being impersonated here, but I agree with you, just not sure about the zebra stripes.

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      • Avatar paul

        So I’ve been on here awhile so how about you put a capital P.

        Like 0
  7. Avatar jose luis

    hola
    lo tienes aun?
    te lo compro

    Like 0
  8. Avatar YooperMike

    Back in the early 70’s when I was a college student I bought one of these running cars for $25.00. Rusty ass hell and I lived the UP of Michigan. The car always started, winter or summer.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar PatrickM

    Why would you need a map of South Dakota? It’s in Illinois.

    Like 0

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