Marque: Chevrolet - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand

Chevrolet

Chevrolet has been America’s top selling and best known marque within General Motors for generations, and as quintessentially Uncle Sam and Stars and Stripes as it’s possible to get.

Paradoxically, Louis Chevrolet was actually Swiss born at La Chaux de Fonds, Neuchatel on Christmas Day 1878, the son of a watch and clockmaker Josef Chevrolet. The family moved to its native…

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Chevrolet Camaro

PRICE: £7000 - £25,000

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A sporting 2+2 Pony car coupe available in both hardtop and convertible which was Chevy’s response to Ford’s Mustang, which acquitted itself rather well in the era of the muscle-car wars. It was the time when long bonnets, short deck lids and ever increasing power ruled the streets. Camaros featured SS and RS packages which centered around heavy-duty suspension and trim and the Z/28 was the ‘Hot’ model in terms of power, performance and handling. First generation cars were only built for two years, with the second generation launched in 1970. A new body with fastback styling and the convertible discontinued, the Camaro in this form would remain virtually unchanged minor facelifts excepting for the next 12 years. Engine options ranged from a 250ci straight-six through 307ci V8, 350ci V8 to a 396ci V8 rated at 375bhp. The Z/28 remained top of the range through 1977 - 1981 with an even better handling car thanks to beefed up suspension and a 350ci V8 with a whole host of power options ranging from 170bhp – 190bhp and silky smooth gear changes with Turbo Hydramatic transmission.

Chevrolet Bel-Air

PRICE: £15,000 -£50,000

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Introduced in 1950 the Bel-Air reached its zenith with the models produced in 1955, 1956 and 1957 also colloquially referred to as the Tri-Chevs, which nowadays enjoy a cult following and are the most collectable. Two-tone paintwork was very much in vogue during the period and worked particularly well with the ’55 and ’56 models, the former easily identified by its ‘eggcrate’ styled front grille. 1956 cars received a slightly revised frontal aspect and engine options included the 235cistraight-six, 265ci V8 and the 282ci V8, with either three speed manual or fussier two-speed Power glide automatic transmission. Underpinnings comprised of a brand new tubular chassis, upper and lower A-arm front suspension with coils springs and a live axle to the rear with semi elliptic leaf springs. The 1957 Bel-Air sports fi ns ‘n’ chrome styling and many of the accoutrements seen in much larger cars such as the Cadillac. An anodized metal ribbed panel was neatly moulded into the rear quarter panel and the fuel filler cap was hidden away behind the nearside tail fin. The 283ci V8 was also available with fuel injection but at a hefty $500 extra didn’t find many takers!

Chevrolet 3100 Pick-up Truck

PRICE: £30,000+ for a fully restored mint rodded truck - £4500 for a heavily patinated runner requiring work

The pick-up truck has become something of a national institution in the USA, used for every single transportation job imaginable as well as personal transport. The ubiquitous 3100 model became synonymous for rugged reliability and versatility and was introduced in the summer of 1947 and were GM first redesigned post-war vehicles and sold under the ‘Advanced Design’ banner with new cabs, sheet-metal, and wider beds. Early models had the ‘five bar’ horizontal style grille and a split front screen and the model stayed pretty much the same up until 1955 part from minor face lifts that centered around grille style and cab glazing. The trusty 216ci and 235ci straight-six engines from 1947-54 later gave way to V8 power and automatic transmissions of the 1955-57 3100 Step-side, which retained the basic layout but with an all new design.

The most stylish was the Carrier Cameo of 1955 with its smooth sided cargo bed, full width rear window and two-tone upholstery. Suddenly Chevy’s tried and tested work horse met style and luxury the forerunner of today’s personal SUVs. The 3100 is universally accepted whatever the condition from very patinated, Rat-look to rodded!

Chevrolet Impala

PRICE: £7500 - £40,000

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Named after a small African antelope, the Impala was a huge success story and a perennial best seller and one of America’s
favourite cars. Launched in 1958 as Bel-Air sub series available in both hardtop coupe and convertible, the model made a dramatic styling statement in 1959 with its huge rear decklid, wild ‘batwing’ rear fin, ‘cats-eye’ tail lamps, and a truly cavernous 32cu ft boot! Rear end styling was slightly tamer for 1960 with a triple tail lamps arrangement, and a side moulding trim that emulated a jet aircraft complete with contrail. Imagination and styling glitz lived on for a little longer! The base engine was the venerable straight-six with 135bhp, and V8 options included a 283ci V8 and 348ci V8 rated up to 335bhp and fuel injection was also available. Automatic transmission remained the most popular with the Turboglide and Powerglide.

Chevrolet Nova

PRICE: £7500 - £15,000 +

Available initially as the Chevy II, the name was dropped after 1968 in favour of the Nova, this compact model gain something of a reputation within muscle- car circles for those on a relatively low budget. It certainly raised a few eyebrows and ruffled a few feathers in NHRA A/Stock when Bill ‘Grumpy’ Jenkins took on the competition in 1966 with an L79 327ci 350bhp engine from a Corvette stuffed into his Chevy II Nova! In the late 1960s the Nova packed a most credible punch with V8s rated at 325/350/375bhp. This made the car a tad nose heavy and it was only possible to shoehorn in the larger engines due to the 1968 Nova being redesigned and given a wider engine bay. The Nova featured unitary construction with coils springs at the front and leaf to the rear. Early cars were attractive with boxey styling that gave way to that of fastback from 1968, but lost its way somewhat in the good looks department from the mid 1970s onwards.

Chevrolet Corvette

PRICE: £7500-£40,000

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From humble beginnings in 1953 and only 4640 cars sold in the first three years which very nearly killed the model off, the Corvette went on to become America’s favorite sports car. Originally built with a separate chassis and a GRP body, a tradition that continued up until the advent of carbon fibre and composites the Corvette was initially powered by the trusty 235ci Stove-bolt six engine, until 1955 when it received a V8 engine that it so richly deserved. The Sting Ray model of 1963 brought forth a completely redesigned body and for one year only Bill Mitchell’s controversial split rear screen. Engine power had increased significantly with 327ci V8, 396 V8 and the huge 427ci big block rated up to a massive 435bhp and tree pulling torque. Third generation cars were built from 1968 - 1982 with the body mostly unchanged other than several facelifts. Fourth generation cars in 1984 incorporated a major redesign in chassis and body. Still in production and with every generation of Corvette delivering improvements in handling, power and comfort from its predecessor, there’s something to appeal to everyone with later models making good neo-classics.

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