Showing of classic ‘50s Chevys will celebrate the ‘poor man’s Cadillac’
People driving past Martin Chevrolet in Torrance on Sunday afternoon might think the dealership only sells spiffy old cars.
The showroom will be full of beautifully restored 1950s Chevrolets with their characteristic hood ornaments, heavy grillwork, chrome styling accents and jutting tail fins.
But there will be no sales tags. Rather, it will be a feast for the eyes for people who fancy old cars, particularly Chevrolets from the golden years of 1955 through 1957.
“Chevy people consider these the best Chevrolets ever built and that’s why they’re called classics,” said Jerry Mull, president of the L.A. Classic Chevy Club, which is sponsoring the free show from noon to 5 p.m. at Martin, 23505 S. Hawthorne Blvd.
He and other club enthusiasts say that in 1955, the V8 engine came on the scene, transforming the Chevy from a reliable but unexciting “old man’s car” into a vehicle long on performance and short on price. The cars originally sold in the $2,000 to $3,000 range.
“It was the poor man’s Cadillac,” says Sharon Nixon, who has spent two years restoring her surf-green and white ’57 four-door sedan, which she calls Gumby ’57.
Said Mull: “The cars were very comfortable to ride in. You sat up nice and high, had good visibility and a lot of trunk space. They were very easy to work on mechanically and had good brakes and styling.”
There were touches of Cadillac styling and a Ferrari-like grill. And then there were those fins, the feature that attracted Nixon to the cars. “That’s why I wanted a ’57. I love the back end, the profile,” she said.
More than three decades after they came off the assembly line, the cars attract thousands of collectors, with an international network of Chevy clubs boasting 31,000 members who tinker with the cars as a hobby.
The Sunday show will feature 65 pampered Chevys, ranging from models that are driven to work every day to expensive Bel Air show cars that are transported by truck, rarely driven and can command prices as high as $125,000.
Aside from members of the sponsoring L.A. club, people from clubs as far away as Hesperia, Temecula and Riverside will drive their cars to the show, which is expected to draw more than 2,500 people.
A special attraction will be a black 1957 Bel Air owned by Jim Perkins, the general manager of the Chevrolet Motor Division in Detroit, who is having the car delivered for the show.
“The cars aren’t roped off, so everyone can get a close-up look,” Mull said.
Adding to the period atmosphere will be continuous 1950s music. There will also be free hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks.
“The show is about getting people together to have fun with the cars and trying to get the cars out of the garage so the public can see them,” said Mull, adding that nostalgia for the ‘50s draws many to the show.
Hourly drawings will be held, giving people chances to win automotive parts, including custom wheels and a rebuilt engine.
Everyone will be able to vote for their favorite cars for the day’s prizes, which include a best of show award and individual prizes for cars in each of the three model years.
One of the attractions of classic Chevys is that “everyone seems to have had one or driven in one” at one time, Mull said. He was first bitten by the Chevy bug when he paid $220 for a 1955 Delrey to commute to and from college in 1968.
“My wife and I dated in it, so I won’t ever part with it,” he said.
For collector Bruce Leeds, his 1957 red and white Bel Air was an inexpensive alternative to the Corvette, a 1950s car he wanted but couldn’t afford.
Unlike some collectors who never turn a key in their valuable cars, Leeds can’t imagine missing the thrill of driving his Chevy. “When you drive on a freeway, everyone gives you the thumbs-up sign and their heads turn,” he said.
According to Mull, the show always prompts some visitors to become collectors. “People are able to ask questions and we give them hints about where they can go to buy a car,” he said.
Often new collectors are people who remember Chevys from their past. Said Mull: “They’re in their 40s now and they have the money to do this. Their kids are raised and now it’s time for them to get into the hobby.”
What: Classic Chevy Car Show
When: Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Martin Chevrolet, 23505 S. Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance
Admission: Free
Information: 335-2567
