Life in the 1950s was marked with optimism, prosperity, and the pursuit of the American Dream. One of the iconic cars of the era that became common on roadways was the Chevrolet Deluxe. In model year 1950 alone, Chevrolet sold over 1.5 million vehicles. One of those cars has survived the last roughly 75 years and has now surfaced in the collector marketplace:
The Pick of the Day is a 1950 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe two-door coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Salem, Oregon. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Senior owned, real clean, everything works!” the listing says. “Fun to drive.”
The car was resprayed in 2018 in what the seller calls Spectra Master Blue. The resulting appearance is tidy, and one of the unique exterior design elements is a set of Chevrolet Corvette polished aluminum hubcaps wrapped in Coker Classic wide whitewall tires. The brightwork appears well-kept, and a set of dual exhaust outlets at the rear lend a strong sense of presence.
The Chevrolet Deluxe series was marketed from 1941 through 1952. The design remained largely the same until 1949 due to the impact of World War II on domestic vehicle production. The changes made in 1949 were significant, characterized by a new grille, unique parking lights, and reworked body lines. The 1950 Chevrolet models were marketed as the “First, and finest, at lowest cost.” One of the advertisements went on to say, “It brings you the best of everything in beauty, driving and riding ease, performance with economy, comfort and safety – at the lowest prices.” To put that pricing into context, Chevrolet cars that year ranged from about $1,300 to the mid $2,000s.
The seller says that the car’s indicated 12,654 miles are true, although verification of such could prove difficult (especially with a five-digit odometer). Power under the hood comes from a 216.5cid “Thriftmaster” inline-six. When new, the 1950 Chevrolets could be optioned with a new Powerglide automatic transmission, but this car comes with a standard column-shifted three-speed manual. Mechanical work according to the seller included replacement of the fuel tank, sending unit, oil pan gasket, coil springs, shock absorbers, and rear brake cylinders. The radio is inoperative, however.
Are you ready to enjoy the features of higher-priced cars as well as Chevrolet’s promised savings in operation and upkeep? This Deluxe is right up your alley. The asking price is $23,500.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, you can find it in the archives at Pick of the Day.
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