When the 1955 Chevrolets were introduced, they came in three models; the Bel Air at the top, followed by the 210, and then the 150, which was the plain car of the bunch. This plain as can be 150 is listed for sale here on eBay, where the buy it now is a steep $8,500. It’s located in Moss Landing, California.
The seller makes it very clear that this is a stripped down model, telling us that it has no heater, radio, lighter or backseat! They also tell us that the windows are “rubber-ed in place.” I’m guessing they are talking about the rear windows? Regardless, the lack of trim also means that any rust can’t hide, and while there is some, it’s not all that bad–which is reflected in the asking price.
This looks like the worst area to me that is shown in any of the pictures. I would imagine this rusted out area may be a difficult repair to get just right. I did find some panels available here that would help, though. A bit spendy, perhaps, but at least you know the job will be done correctly.
Even when examined closely, the body doesn’t look that bad. I wonder what the oxidized blue paint would look like if it were compounded out? Certainly not the way I’d leave it forever, but it might be interesting to drive it that way for a while while you perfected the mechanical components.
There isn’t a lot to see on the inside, but that third pedal means a manual transmission at least (not surprising in this pedestrian specification car). The floor looks pretty solid in this picture but more investigation is recommended. The VIN of A550011717 decodes to a 1955 150 built in Oakland, California, and indicates that it was the 1,717th car built at that plant in 1955.
I wish the seller had seen fit to include pictures under the hood of the V8 they state is in there. If it’s the original one, it would be a 265 cubic inch V8. More than likely without the “power pack,” although after this amount of time who knows? Do you see this as a blank canvas or a car to be refurbished–or something else altogether?
In California, if you wreck big, you can sign up to have your organs donated to someone else. Whenever I see one of these looking rough I see a Gasser being born.
Car has some serious floor rust. Look next to the hacked in floor shifter. That is the wrong seat. I would love to have a 150, they were the coolest. And since they are so rare at car shows you get extra coolness points. I would have a hard time believing this wasn’t a six cylinder from the factory, given the floor shifter I would guess a later v8 was swapped in. That rust would be nearly impossible to fix correctly and looking at door bottoms, it has serious issues lurking inside. Sadly it is a parts mobile
More stories from my youth, sorry. We lived in a pretty typical neighborhood in Milwaukee, and an elderly neighbor across the street, who was retired, had a car like this. This would have been in the early 70’s. We very rarely saw him drive it, although, we would ride our bikes past the garage, and we could see it in there, but the year and model were unknown. When he died, his widow sold the house and when they were moving the stuff out, the Chevy was parked on the street. It was a ’55 2 door, just like this, in perfect shape. The next day, it was gone.
I’ve got 3 words for this car,,,,Two Lane Blacktop.
When I first looked at it, I saw this!
If I remember correctly, cars that came with a V8 had a VIN that started with “V.”
For example, my first 1955 BelAir was VC55T170427–ah, memories!
So this was very likely a 6 cylinder and if it has a V8, it was transplanted later.
You are correct sir… I had a 1955 210 Delray Club Coupe and the VIN began with a VB…. This is most definitely a 235 blue flame 150….
Have to agree with Howard on this one. For anyone who has lived in a closet for the last 45 years here is why.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1955-CHEVROLET-CUSTOM–TWO-LANE-BLACKTOP-179962
Does anybody know what ever happened to “The Judge” from this movie? Does it still exist?
What seems strange is that the original owner deleted every accessory that could be deleted but got the V8. I’m sure that back in ’55, the radio, heater and lighter combined were a lot cheaper than the V8 option.
This car is what was called a utility sedan, nothing was deleted. Just nothing was standard equipment. Heater, radio, lighter, ashtray, passengers sun visor, inside rear view mirror, functional rear windows, rear seat, vent windows, back up lights, front turn signal lights ( at the beginning of the production run), as well as V-8, pwr steer, brakes, etc. were all options.
It kinda looks like a” Field”car that I saw in a movie once.
This was a 6 cyl. car from the factory.
Even up until the 80’s, radios have been a fairly expensive factory option.
No rear seat = business coupe, even rarer yet
blank canvas for anyone to make it stock or their dream street machine
Chevy engineers were forward thinking. They included, at no additional cost, a method of compensating for the inevitable loss of engine power over time by designing the car so that the sheet metal would get lighter and lighter by oxidizing as the car aged. This car has already lightened a lot of the sheet metal .
Stripper. Period. 750.00.
Yes, I’m also thinking business man’s coupe, no back seat, and back windows were inoperable, fixed in place. VIN says it’s a 6cyl 150, a V would be in front of the A if original V8, as well as V chrome under the tail lights, so it probably had a V8 dropped in. The front seat looks original to me, but what do I know about 55 Chevies. It looks like it had a lighter, just missing.
For $8500, it can stay in the barn!
Is it just me, or in the picture of the passenger side of the car, the highway in the background looks like Paradise Road?