The phrase “tri-five” refers to the cars built by Chevrolet between 1955-1957. They were well-made, handsome, and in some cases quite powerful – making them some of the most loved vehicles to have ever come out of America. They were common sights at dinners and drive-in theaters, so millions of people have memories littered with images of these cars. So, it should come as no surprise that they are highly desirable and valuable today. Today we are going to present three potential tri-five projects and ask you which one you would go for. They are all located in Charlotte, North Carolina and they all need a lot of work. We will start in numerical order with the ’55 Bel Air convertible which can be found here on craigslist for $20k. Thanks goes to Mark H. for the tip!
Next, we have something a little more affordable. It’s not a drop top and is missing its engine and transmission, but this 1956 Chevy is listed here on craigslist for only $3,500! The seller doesn’t provide many photos or many details in description, so it’s hard to tell if this is a good buy or not. The base engine in the 150 was an inline-six, so obviously everyone is on the hunt for the more powerful V8 equipped cars. I suppose you could put whatever you want in this one though…
Finally, we have this iconic ’57 Bel Air convertible. It’s fitted with a V8 and a 3-speed on the floor! I have a feeling that this one will be everyone’s favorite, but the $24,500 asking price listed here on craigslist might deter a few people. After a complete restoration though it could be quite a looker and would probably be worth more than you spent. So, which of these tri-fives would you choose and why?
The 56 for me, reasonably priced and with no motor or trans I could put what I want in it, my dad had one of the 6 cylinder models and I always loved that car. Not a drop top fan, had 2 a 64 Tempest and a 68 Camaro RS/SS and both were noisy as heck and leaked around windows, also I like my privacy at home and in my cars.
I can hear a big block in that 56 and the body just as it is right now.
The 56 convertible is actually reasonably priced. We recently sold one that wasn’t much nicer than this one and it went for well over $30,000
The 57 convertible looks like a lost cause, but it is worth so much money, it’s worth restoring at any cost. Will there be anything left under all that bondo? This calls for a rotisserie restoration, but you’d have a six figure car. Even Haggerty’s vehicle condition 4 figure is over $50.000.
The 56 is not a convertible.
If your a tri-five Chevy fan purchasing what’s left not restored like these 2 ragtops is going to cost mucho denario and one would likely be ahead of the game purchasing one already done if your intention is bringing one back all the way.
Where is this car located. It looks like the one I had in high school
You would be upside down with the 55 & 57 might have a chance with the 56.