The other day I spoke to this very interesting guy who was filling me in on his fishing exploits off the coast of northeast Florida. While he was showing me pictures, via his iPhone, of some of his more impressive quarry, I noted what appeared to be an image of a 1950 Chevy coupe. He told me it was one of those cars that he had bought, hot-rodded, and then sold – much to his current dismay. I remarked that I thought early fifties Chevies just didn’t cut it in the collector’s world compared to the venerable tri-fives and he agreed. He thought this was advantageous though, due to the more reasonable pricing, as he wanted to acquire another from the same era. With that subject in mind, I thought it appropriate to review this 1953 Chevrolet Two-Ten, four-door sedan. Mexico, New York is where this out-of-favor bowtie rests its weary-looking bones and it’s available, here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,500. Thanks are due Bruce M. for this tip!
Chevrolet offered three trim levels in ’52, the One-Fifty basement dweller, the Two-Ten everybody’s car, and the BelAir occupying the top slot. As for the Two-Ten, body styles included a two-door hardtop, sedan, and convertible, while four-door variants came in sedan and station wagon body styles. I’m not sure what the “Two-Ten” designation really means (or the “One-Fifty” for that matter) but Chevrolet sold a boatload of them in ’53. Over 332K Two-Ten, four-door sedans found new owners in ’53!
The seller tells us that this Chevy is pretty solid though a few of the images provided (the trunk maybe?) are not discernable. The body looks OK, absent the obvious surface rust. There could be some rust-through affecting the passenger side rocker panel but it’s hard to say emphatically – and looks to be minor. The exterior shows as being complete in terms of badging and trim though the chrome-plated bits are tired. Note the roof, it looks like it has been shot with a thick, flat black glop resembling a sprayed-on vinyl top.
In these pre-V8 days, Chevy made out well with its tried and true 235 CI, in-line, six-cylinder powerplant – this example generating 108 gross HP channeled via a three-speed manual transmission. The engine shows surprisingly well but the listing doesn’t mention whether it has undergone a redo or a rattle can improvement project. The seller claims it “runs and drives great” and he also notes conversion to a twelve-volt electrical system.
The interior is an interesting study as the seats appear to be wearing either seat covers or have experienced a loose-fit re-upholstering. Beyond that, the remainder of the environment shows as original with the dash having been painted like the roof. The floors, based on what can be seen, look OK.
OK, so there are two or three issues here. Firstly it’s a four-door, secondly, it’s harboring a six-banger, and three – the rusty patina look. What’s the draw here? Well, age, of course – this Chevy is 72 years young and for those who want to save them all, that’s a point to consider. Beyond that? Search me fish, what’s your thought?
Located where?? Ahem…..America, New York….
Indicative of a wide gulf-between supply and demand!
Sarcasm on my part, of course.
This is the definition of a fun car. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m right there with you. Run it as is, keep up with the maintenance and have fun. Awfully sad to see it sold as it was only a couple hours from me. I was ready to hook up the trailer and go get it.
Sold for $5k! Someone’s gonna have fun!
There ya go, drive it and have fun!
Interesting but this car is painted in almost the exact colors of my Pop’s old 1954 Chrysler Windsor. It’s also interesting that the Chrysler’s taillights were the same exact design, the only difference being that the top and bottoms were red and the center was the backup light. Chrysler was still using their flathead Spitfire 6. I’m not sure when the 6 became OHV for them. I don’t think it was in 55 because I’m pretty sure my aunt and uncle’s 55 Plymouth Savoy was a flathead 6. I’m sure some Mopar-head on this board knows. Someone always does :-)
My Grandfather’s ’54 New Yorker Deluxe was also this same color.
My ‘53 BelAir convertible sounded like a French horn with those “cherry/bomb twin glasspacks!
Eric, Chrysler’s first over head valve 6 was the slant 6, introduced I believe in either ’59 or ’60.
Pops bought a brand new Chevy 150 2 door post in black late ’52 early ’53. I was born a few months later & he bought the homestead 6 months after that.
After I was born in July Moms & her cousin (my godmother) took me & the car on a road trip to Denver, CO. from NJ.
I was probably around 5 or 6 when he got rid of it. Why, I don’t know. I remember it sitting down by the barns for quite awhile before it disappeared. I just remember a succession of used cars until 1963 when they bought their second new car a 1964 Ford Fairlane.
My was father’s first car was a new 1953 Chevy sedan, yellow/cream with green roof, stick shift. Probably had the Blue Flame engine. This was in Chicago. He said he bought the car from a fleet of Chevys that were supposed to be sold to a taxi company. I think he told me he paid over $2,000 for it, tax and license included. He might have said it cost $2,400, the same price that I paid in 1970 for my first car, a 1971 Pinto. If he paid that much back then, he really overpaid. He was 27 then and I was 5. I remember the car well. He traded it in for a 1956 Pontiac in 1955 or 1956.
Not to be picky, but how would he have traded it in for a ’56 in ’55? Just wondering.
New models came out in September or October. So if a new car was bought anytime from then until Dec. 31 of that year, it was next year’s model. I think Japanese cars that come to America do not do that early date thing.
I am aware of the timing of the arrival dates of new cars now, but I didn’t know that it was that way in the 50s. Learned something new.
Found this online to support my memory:
In the United States, new car models typically start arriving at dealerships in the fall or around October 1st14. However, the exact timing can vary, and new car deals may be announced at different times of the month.
Further online proof of when new cars are for sale:
The 2025 new cars will be available for sale at dealerships in the fall of 2024. The first batches of 2025 cars usually start arriving at dealerships in the summer of 2024.
My grandfather had one of these–cream over brown, 3-on-the-tree, a 150. Dead simple, but it did great service right up to Grandpa’s death. Never a problem. In other words, the perfect vehicle for a guy who probably put more miles on his tractor than on his car (Grandma never did learn to drive). I have fond memories of that very workaday, never-gonna-be-a-collectable car.
I wonder how it looks underneath.