This '57 150 four-door sedan (56,418 built) sports the predictable six-popper, three-on-the-tree, and, get this, radio delete. Largely unmolested, it'll be a washing machine by the time you read this.This '57 150 four-door sedan (56,418 built) sports the predictable six-popper, three-on-th The Tri-Five Chevy may have moved beyond the reach of low-buck hot-rodders long ago, but we're still amazed when we see any Tri-Five, let alone several, go to the crusher. Here are a few of the many Tri-Fives that were recently crushed unceremoniously when Curboy's Auto Wrecking (in Sturbridge, Massachusetts) closed its doors for the last time after more than 70 years of operation. Groovy FactoidsContrary to popular belief (except for a small number of Corvettes), there were absolutely no four-speed Chevy passenger cars built in 1957.Tri-Five styling intentionally emulated that of top-level Cadillacs and Motorama show cars. The fresh styling revitalized Chevrolet's position as a top offering in the low- and medium-price field.The letter V appears before the rest of the VIN on original V-8-powered Tri-Fives. Sights like this were common at Curboy's. The '57 150 two-door sedan (right) is one of 66,833 built. A no-frills stripper, it's the best stuff for hot-rodding. Note how six-cylinder models position the radiator ahead of the support. The shorter length of the optional 265 and 283 V-8s allowed the radiator to mount behind the support. Though it's not prime Car Crafting material, the '58 Caddy Coupe De Ville (left) is also a sad sight.Sights like this were common at Curboy's. The '57 150 two-door sedan (right) is one of 66, Though it's a four-door, this '55 Bel Air (366,293 built) offers a final glimpse of its classic egg-crate grille before going to the crusher. Sure, these cars are all super crusty, but losing them still sucks. The presence of chrome-molding clips on the front fender mark this as a Bel Air. Cheaper 210 and 150 models were without chrome spears on the front fenders.Though it's a four-door, this '55 Bel Air (366,293 built) offers a final glimpse of its cl Another Bel Air, this is one of the 282,476 four-door sedans built in '56. Its front clip, engine, and frame were scavenged long ago and hopefully helped to get other Tri-Fives back on the road. Also for '56 was the final year of the firewall battery location. In '57, Chevy moved it to the radiator support to make room for a new heater motor and duct arrangement that replaced the cowl air intake used previously.Another Bel Air, this is one of the 282,476 four-door sedans built in '56. Its front clip, By Steve Magnante Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
