On a few occasions, I’ve been told, “You clean up pretty good.” This is usually at a wedding, church function, or other social setting involving friends and family. The same can be said about this particular 1951 Chevy based on the below photo of what it looked like after sleeping and gathering lots of dust in a barn for 39 years. This 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe Sport Coupe is currently in Northfield, Minnesota and is for sale here on craigslist for $9,500. Another shout out to super-spotter T.J. for sending this barn find to Barn Finds for us to feature.
I’ve always liked the styling of the 1949-1952 “slab side” Chevrolets (especially the fastback Fleetlines and Bel Air hardtop coupes) with 1951 being my favorite year with its cleaner, simpler grille design. Sparse is the best way to describe the seller’s description and history of this old Chevy. It was in a barn from 1984 to 2023 and based on the photo of a very dusty Chevy in the snow, it makes me both shiver with cold and assume it was found somewhere in Minnesota.
Photos show what appears to be a solid, straight 72-year-old car that cleaned up well with the seller sharing that it has “just a little rust in the inside rockers.” The body isn’t showing any damage and the current dark gray metallic paint doesn’t look too bad, but photos show chips in places and some scratches and other imperfections. The chrome bumpers would need some attention but the trim, badging, glass, and lenses are all there and look pretty good based on the photos.
The Bel Air trim line had fancier and more colorful interiors and the 1951 Chevy sales folder describes their “general” interiors to be two-toned gray throughout. Gray striped broadcloth seat upholstery, light gray fabric door panels, and even a two-toned gray metal dash (with glistening vertical chrome bars making up the middle third of their “New Safety-Site Instrument Panel”). There are only two interior photos supplied and based on them, the instrument panel, dash, steering wheel, headliner, and the curved windshield glass split into two halves looks good. The passenger door panel is missing a big chunk of material and the front seat is covered, so I assume the front and rear seats are toast and need upholstering.
Mechanically, the Chevy had an inline-six engine swap somewhere along the way and the seller states, “Good 235 six has replaced the 216. The 235 is a 1955-58.” It is paired with a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. Nothing is mentioned about when this swap occurred, the mileage on the 235 engine, or how it runs. The sellers supplies a list of what’s been done to get the old Chevy roadworthy: new fuel tank, brakes, brake lines, battery cables, battery, headlights and clutch. It’s registered as a classic car with a clear title in the seller’s name, but after that, no more details and information appear in the ad. I’d like to know the story behind this one, but I’m glad it was rescued and resuscitated back to roadworthiness. Hopefully it’ll go to a good home where it will be driven often and enjoyed.
235 is a much better 6 than the 216. 235 improved the oiling performance significantly. Dad had the 216 in a 48 Chevy 2 door sedan, dropped a valve in January of 1957. We were living in Pennsylvania at the time, I got to hold the flashlight while he worked on it. Never new cold could be that cold, either.
Always wondered. If perf parts for. tri5 chevs would fit on earlier year cars. Such things like brakes. Engine mounts Trans and Trans mount rear axle ?
Not without a torch and a welder.
Never know what works … I found out that a Fiat wheel bearing will get a Ferrari 308 back home … cars, and their parts, and what we can do with them is all part of the fun … just don’t put a SBC in a ’32 Ford Coupe … the fun never gets old …
That second photo reminds me of what my ’52 4-door sedan looked like
when we pulled it out of a barn near
Lexington, Illinois on Easter weekend
in ’71. My aunt told me about it over
dinner at her house the week before.
Paid the guy $10 for it and drove it home after we added fresh plugs,
wires, points, rotor, and condenser and did a quick cleaning job on the
fuel system. The tires were fine after
we aired ’em up and the E brake did
a fairly good job of stopping the car as the master cylinder was shot. We
got it home where my Mom about had a cow when Dad and I pulled up the
driveway while she was having a yard
sale. We pulled it ’round back and I
started cleaning it up to make it look
presentable. Seems like all that barn
barn dust and chicken doo really protected the original finish which
responded quite well after a thorough
wash and wax.job with Simonize(?)
and McGuire’s chrome polish. Wound up keeping the car for awhile as a daily driver for my sister when she got her license. And just like this car,
I swapped in a 235 after Sis spun a
a bearing trying to get the car out of a
snow bank while leaving school with
some of her friends. We even used the car to pull an 18 foot Shasta travel trailer to our favorite campground near Goodfield with no
trouble at all. I wound up selling it to
a fella named Bob Bicknell, who drove
it many more years after I sold it to him. I saw the car again in 1986 while
getting gas at a local filling station.
He really must’ve taken care of the car as it looked brand new inside and
out. Turns out that Bob’s son or grandson was driving it by then and
the driver told me that the car was
handed down to him by his father or
grandfather in ’80 or ’81. Moved to
Florida and lost track of the car. I hope that the Bicknell family still has
it and loves it as much as I did. What
a great car it was.
My Dad used to Simonize a car, so it was some kind of wax/polish. I’ve liked these cars ever since I saw a green barnfind stock appearing one turning 8’s and blowing off newer Demons. I’n fantasy I’d do the same with this one.
Very nice considering the first picture.
Pretty good shape for being in a barn. Very cool old car. Drive it and enjoy
WAY back in he roaring late 60’s I bought one of these , I think it was a 1951 two door business coupe for 50 bucks from a friend. Had a ball taking her down southern california dirt roads mostly sideways, running over some mailboxes and a few outhouses. Rattle canned her baby blue. This old girl ran like a top and I abused the hell out of it not thinking what a car like this would be worth today. Who would of thunk? I sold it to another friend for 50bucks and I heard it didn’t survive trying to better a brick wall. I know, we were bad boys. Still conjures up a chuckle or two when I think about baby blue.
After setting that many years, all of the hoses, fuel lines, brakes, transmission, engine, etc. would have to be evaluated due to rot, drying out of gaskets. Most repair could be done by someone who has worked on cars. Probably would be nice after the problems were attended to, replaced or refurbished.
Please change the above references to note that this is a two-door-sedan, NOT a sport coupe!
Also, the 235 six came out in 1954, not 55. I owned two 54’s and both had the 235 engine. the valve on both engine made a heck of a racket, but ran strong.
My understanding was that you got the 235 with the optional PowerGlide!
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your comment. I know, even though it’s a two-door sedan to us, Chevrolet referred to it as the “Styleline De Luxe Sport Coupe” on page 5 of their 1951 sales brochure. That’s why it has that moniker.
Nice old Chevy/
Four Cragar SS mags all around and some wider tires in the back, and this car is ready. Oh, and a cherry bomb for a new, different muffler.
Always have liked these late 40’s early 50’s Chevies. If this was closer; I’d be checking it out. I don’t think it needs much to be a good driver. Seems like a good price too considering the old car market these days. GLWTS.
This was my Mom’s first car in a green. This looks great and I prefer the 235 which I had in my first car in 1980.(57 Chevy). I wouldn’t mind another 6 in a 55-56 GMC or 57 3100, to play with, as long as it’s a stick.
I remember my Dad’s 1949 3 on the “tree”. It was 1960 we went everywhere with it. Started every time and ran great, until someone hit it while parked in front of the house one night, totaled. My dad was pissed because he paid $75 for it last year!!!!!
I had a 52 Belair in 1970. Motor was gone. Back then the old torque tube drive went bye bye,and a 55 to 5i pumpkin bolted up no problem. Then you cut or ground off the firewall stiffeners to make room for a small block, using the cradle mount to the top of the frame rails. I was half way thru and had a eager buyer. Always wonder what came of it.
After some drunk totaled my ’49 chevy in 1961 I later in about 1962 bought a ’53 Belair Conv. with a blown engine for $35. Towed it home ( ruined two wheels, I didn’t check loose lug nuts) fixed the motor with a ’65 head. Later spun a rod bearing. I found a ’53 panel truck with a 235 and a stick shift, pulled the junk engine and dropped it in. Used two other manifolds and built trip ones just like a Corvette. This thing ran like a scared rabbit, no one could touch me.
235 was 1953 to 1962. I’ve had both years and a few others. In cars and pickups both. Great motors if you add an oil filter
To clear up the 216 vs. 235 question: The 216 used lead babbited connecting rod bearings, which couldn’t tolerate over-revving well at all. They soon began to “knock” due to any sort of misuse, such as driving over 55 mph. The 235 used insert type connecting rod bearings as well as main crankshaft bearings. This was a gigantic improvement, meaning the engines were far more capable of over-revving and pulling heavy loads. The 235 became available in 1954 and incorporated 6 volt ignition system. In 1955, it changed over to 12 volt ignition system. Anyone with a 1953 or older Chev who wanted a simple change would merely swap a 54 model year 235 into the older vehicle, as no other electrical changes to the engine were needed, such as battery, coils, and the entire ignition system basically. I had this exact model of 51 Chev while in high school and made the swap myself. Same color even. Always liked the 235, having had it in several later models, too, including 55, 57, and 60. My 64 Impala had the 230 ci six, which was even smoother and more powerful. Great engines that were under appreciated at the time.
For anyone that might be interested, I see the seller has dropped the asking price to $7,500. I thought it was a good deal before. Wish I had space for it.