The 210 (aka Two-Ten) was a midrange entry from Chevrolet that was sold between 1953 and 1957. Not exactly a stroke of marketing genius, it took its name by shortening the production series number 2100 by one digit to continue the 1950s trend toward numerical auto names (the same logic would apply to the entry-level 150). This 1955 edition of a 210 2-door sedan is almost survivor-quality as it has been repainted, but the rest of the automobile is largely original. Located in Macomb, Michigan, this Chevy is available here on craigslist where the seller is fielding offers of at least $18,000. Our thanks go to T.J. for another cool Bow-Tie tip!
Chevrolet redesigned its cars for 1955-57 and they would later become known as the “Tri Fives”. Over three years, the better part of five million of the popular cars was built, many with Chevrolet’s first small-block V8 engine (like in the seller’s car). The lineup consisted of the 150, 210, and Bel Air in that order in terms of creature comforts. At 250,000 copies alone in 1955, the 210 2-door sedan was the third best-selling model/body style that year.
We’re told this Chevrolet is a “real barn find” but we don’t see a barn in any of the photos. What we do see is a mostly original car that once had two-tone green paint which has since been turned into a single hue. Rust does not seem to have ever plagued the car, with the sheet metal, floors, and trunk all being solid (but would they pass the magnet test?). The glass in at least two windows will need to be replaced due to cracking. While most of the chrome is good, the rear bumper has a big dent in it.
The seller says the 265 cubic-inch V8 is original and the same may apply to the 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. The car does run and drive and some of the important parts have been redone or replaced, including the cylinder heads, radiator, gas tank, fuel pump, and partial brakes. The tires are older Uniroyal Tiger Paw radials which still have meat on them. The car has traveled at least 50,000 miles, but with a broken odometer that number could be much higher.
This machine should be a great candidate for restoration. The bones are good and nothing important seems to be missing. A few odds and ends are broken, but after 67 years you can’t expect perfection. Would you bring it back to 1955 standards or shoot for some sort of restomod?
An old memory revealed on the last “double nickel”( like me) Chevy posted here, but been a while. When I was a kid in Milwaukee,( mid 60s) cars were naturally the utmost of concern. From the retired guy on the corner with the blue ’58 Bonne. F.I., to Max Gutniks Olds that didn’t fit in the garage, across the alley friends moms ’59 Rambler, V8 ( that kicked azz, btw) and the guy across the street. He was a brother of our next door neighbor, the Loightfeldners, heavy accents from some foreign country, and both were retired. We always knew the guy across the street had a plain green ’55 Chevy 2 door like this. We saw it through his garage window and he never drove it, that we saw anyway.
Years passed and so did he, I happened to be at my parents, mid 80s, when they were cleaning out the house. A rollback had the car, and I finally got to look at it up close. This is no schmit, it was like BRAND NEW! I always wondered who got that car.
This is a super find, the Tri-5s will go down in history, and a plain one like this is a refreshing sight for these old eyes. This was no race car,,,initially, just a good old basic Chevy someone worked 8 years at the punch press to get, with that marvelous new contraption, the V-EIGHT humming away, an automatic, no shifting, AM radio blasting out the hits,,yes sir, my friends, THIS was truly good enough. Eat your hearts out, punks, you may be able to buy the car, but you’ll never relive the fun we had!
“Sock hop, soda shop, basketball and auto shop”,,,.
Back in the ’60s we had an older couple down the street buy a brand new 1968 Fury III with all the options.
Old man died a month later and his wife refused to part with car. The only use it got was when one of us guys would drive her on errands. Last time I saw it, there was less than 4k on the odometer.
A friend is restoring a ’55 210 (his dad bought it new) in this same color. He pointed out to me a neat detail feature on the 210 model with the standard hubcaps (vs. the optional full wheel cover). There is a painted stripe on the body colored rim. It starts and ends at the valve stem. This car still has them. I love those little details. I smiled when I was told this little factiod…
…or factoid. Whatever works.
This needs built 283 or 327 it would be perfect.
I almost choked when I saw this car. I bought the twin to this one when I was about 16. I think I paid $150 for it. I put glass pack mufflers and dual exhausts on it. Three speed with a drag fast floor shift. It went thru many transformations until the motor gave up. Always have missed my ol five five.
Tri-5’s rule! I’ve had my ‘57 BelAir for 46 years and not a day passes without constant pleasure!!
Very nice car, could leave it alone, fix what needs fixing, go to car shows and enjoy driving it as is for now. You can decide in time if you want fully restore the car , but for now your enjoying it. Love the ‘55 since I was a little kid and got the “Badman” model car, always thought that car looked great as a gasser, hot rod or restored . My dream came true, I own a 210 two door ‘55 Navaho tan and white fully restored.
Beautiful as is. Repainted yes but still a survivor in my book. I’d get it road worry and drive it just as it is.
This would be an awesome daily driver. Which is exactly what it was built for.
Before the ‘55’s were released, the local dealer had several under wraps in his big backyard. We climbed over the fence, lifted a tarp, and we’re stunned by that egg-crate shaped grill!
Build a nostalgia drag car from the late 60’s early 70’s. Source a 283 pg saving original combo. No cutting up of anything, modern front discs, inside the rear fender slicks, headers and 4:11 posi.vinyl graphics lettering the car. This would be my idea of a good time, instead of sitting at a car show in a chair with a crying doll leaning against the fender.
I payed $295.00 for one in the late 60’s nice project for someone
Do what is necessary to make the 55’ road-worthy & drive it! A complete restoration would cost more than what the car is worth, being it is not a top of the line 2 door Bel Air hardtop.
Nice 55.
Change the wheels to slotted as cast wheels give it a little suspension adjustment ( lower ) and drive it !!!.
Back in the ’60s we had an older couple down the street buy a brand new 1968 Fury III with all the options.
Old man died a month later and his wife refused to part with car. The only use it got was when one of us guys would drive her on errands. Last time I saw it, there was less than 4k on the odometer.
These 55s (especially East coast and Midwest cars) were notorious for the front fenders rusting out above the headlamps… the body color “patina” looks suspiciously like there may be filler in that area. I’ve seen some great and plenty of not so great repairs in those area. Bring a magnet with you.
Not only rust around headlights, but also the “magic circles” in the rear fenders surrounding the wheel wells. For sure, give it the magnet test. Every Michigan 55-56 Chevy had them.
Considering that we’re talking about an example of the most populous car in the 1955 world, and coincidentally the car with the lowest safety rating in that year (yes, safety ratings did happen to exist in 1955), I personally don’t get a whole lot of excitement over Chevys. On the other hand, it is nice to see an example of this kind of car that has not (yet, anyway) been made to look like a wannabe-rat-rod fugitive from a “Grease” revue.
Tony, agree…. Leave the 55’ like it is, repair/replace what is necessary & don’t stuff a monster 454 engine in the engine bay or start cutting away with a torch! Get the car running, give some TLC & enjoy!
Nice!
This is a Michigan 55 Chev. Watch for “Magic Circle” rust surrounding the rear fender wells. I saw one in Flint in the early 60’s where the whole circle rusted through, the sheet metal fell off, and the entire rear wheel was exposed.
Maybe put another coat of clear on it. Update the brakes, brake lines a few new necessary mechanical things. Drive it and let her be in the original glory. You will have more people interested in it, than a 100k restomod. Those cars are plentiful at car shows. Nice set of rally rims and new tires. Good to go. Enjoy it.
Yeah, man. The whole freakin restomod thing has gotten old already, enough is enough.
Put a macco halfway decent original colored paint job on it fix the rear bumper and the broken glass, drive that mofo
Big thumbs up to Howard A,totally agree. Had many 55’s,never paid big dollars,just enjoyed working on them, then driving.
We had a 1957 210, light green with black and white cloth/vinyl interior. It had 0 options on it. June, 1962 daddy traded our 1951 Mercury 2 door for it, at the Mercury dealer, in Fort Pierce, FL. At a gas station in town, the attendant asked daddy if he liked the car. Daddy said yes. The odometer read about 33,000 or so miles. The attendant told daddy the car had more than 33 k on it when he turned it in. It was still a decent car, that was turned in in 1964 to the Chevrolet dealer, for a rock bottom 4 cylinder Chevy II 2 door, with neat whitewalls. No options again.
This survivor ’55 should remain as is, with just necessary tasks and part replacements as needed. There were two ’55 Chevy 210 2 doors at a small once a month show at Knights of Columbus here, one was a tidy rodded up one, the other was a black, no frills original.
Finally, there is a mint, metallic turquoise ’67 Camaro with matching vinyl top and interior, locally. It has a 6 cyl in it, owner has no intention of upgrading it.
I believe the ‘55 shown is a model 150 not a 210.
So many people out there who don’t care about history and have no problem destroying it by making it their car. I don’t care about chevys, never have almost 60 decades of car ownership but I would take this one. Maybe the only thing I do after making road worthy is put my 478 Hemi in it.
6 decades..oops
This fit in my compact 1945 attached garage, but a ’72 tempest would not.