The Chevrolet Tri-Five, which debuted in 1955, was only manufactured for three years. It was an immediate success, selling nearly five million units, and is now considered as a design classic of the 1950s.
The Tri-Five was available from Chevrolet in three trim levels. There were three different models: the base 150 (One-Fifty), the mid-range 210 (Two-Ten), and the top-of-the-line Bel Air. And several body styles were offered for each of these. Chevrolet offered between 17 and 20 Tri-Five vehicles in showrooms, depending on the model year.
At nearly five million examples delivered from 1955 through 1957, the Tri-Five is anything but rare overall. However, specific versions are pretty scarce nowadays. The two-door Bel Air Nomad wagon is arguably the rarest at 22,897 units produced. It’s followed by the 150 Delivery Sedan (28,991 examples) and the 150 Utility Sedan (31,668 units).
Contrary to popular belief, the Bel Air models aren’t all that rare except for the Nomad. The two-door Hardtop Sport Coupe, arguably the most desirable version nowadays, moved nearly a half-million units in three years. This number makes it the second most common Bel Air after the four-door Sedan.
So, other than the Nomad, what is a rare Bel Air? The four-door Townsman wagon, which was known as Beauville in 1955, comes in second with 68,525 units sold, though I wouldn’t call it unusual. The Convertible, which moved 132,229 instances, is the next product. There are a lot of cars there, but the majority won’t be around in 2023. And the ones that did are still decomposing in barns and junkyards.
That’s precisely why I get excited whenever I see a pristine drop-top parading its flawless paint, interior, and engine more than 60 years after it left the factory. Especially if it’s a 1957 version with a range-topping V8, like this light blue example right here.
One of 48,068 convertibles built in 1957, the Tri-Five’s final year on the market, this Bel Air flaunts a perfect Larkspur Blue finish on the outside. Granted, it’s one of those more desirable two-tone cars (this blue was available with India Ivory), but the white top makes up for the lack of a secondary hue.
If you’re a true sucker for two-tone finishes, the interior of this Bel Air is a gorgeous combination of turquoise and ivory. It’s the sort of classic that takes center stage when the roof is off. When the hood is raised, it would behave similarly because everything around the original V8 is immaculate.
Not just any V8 engine, either. The 283 cubic inch (4.7 liter) “Turbo-Fire” engine in this Bel Air has four barrels of carburetors. It was one of the Tri-Five’s most powerful mills in 1957, with a 220 horsepower rating. The top-of-the-line fuel-injected model (the “Fuelie”) had 283 horsepower available.
With only 27 miles on the odo since the restoration, this convertible is arguably the finest 1957 Bel Air I’ve seen in a very long time. It’s a museum-grade classic that will win many awards.