Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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A Great Tri5 Chat Board

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Dallas Classic Chevy 2016 Annual Meeting

2016-11-20T14:12:00.004-06:00

Dallas Classic Chevy

2016 Annual Meeting

-Alan Arnell

Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club members attended the club's monthly gathering for a dinner banquet and a short annual Meeting and elections at El Fenix Mexican Restaurant in Grapevine, Texas, Saturday,Nov 19, members drove their Tri-Fives not wanting to miss a great meal and door prizes with their club mates.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

(Link to my other blog “The Classic Guitar Experience”)

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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Taking Care of the Chrome On A Tri-Five Classic Chevy

2016-11-20T13:28:00.001-06:00

Taking Care of the Chrome

On A Tri-Five Classic Chevy

-Alan Arnell

Comparing a 1957 Chevrolet’s to a 2016 late model car, one would immediately notice a very glaring difference. The classic Chevy has a ton of chrome! That lovely chrome has been replaced by plastic, paint and rubber. To some folks, no big deal, but to us Tri-Five Vintage Chevy cars no chrome means no fun. But, like all things of the joy and ownership of a Classic Chevy comes responsibility. I for one take on the care of my 1957 Chevy 2-door, Model 150 sedan’s chrome as a “labor of love!”

With the oil embargo in the 1970’s and other factors the US government passed legislation pertaining to emissions and mileage standards. That was the beginning death nail for chrome bumpers. New aerodynamics, styling designs and impact-resistance standards were needed to meet the new rules. Styles also changes and the way older cars with steel bumpers that were chrome plated extended out from the body which interfered with aerodynamics and better fuel economy. The public’s tastes went to cars that look sleek and modern, so designers use plastic fascias over steel impact bars and foam absorbers to give a smoother look which also helps aerodynamics.

New rules mandate that all cars must survive an impact of 5 mph or slightly higher with minimal body damage. To engineer the new requirements for bumpers auto designers had to design and use steel reinforcing bars. Now .bumpers are attached to the frame or unibody structure which are covered by energy absorbing foam pads which are then covered by plastic body-colored fascias. A chrome steel bumper would bend or show an obvious dent. The newer designs might weigh a little more than just using a chrome bumper but the better aerodynamics offsets any mileage losses from added weight, so they say, and cost for repairs are less if small accidents are considered.

Today’s bumpers are no doubt more practical, but they lack the dash and style of the 1950’s chrome bumpers and bullets, in this man’s point of view anyway.

Having chrome on you car is one thing: taking care of it is another. A big part of having a classic car is chrome maintenance. Unless you de-chrome bumpers and paint them, keeping chrome clean and in good condition has to be a continual task. Some say that is another reason why our later model cars do not have much chrome.

Before, we start we need to understand the difference between chrome and stainless steel that was used extensively on the beloved Tri-Fives. Because of defense needs for the US in the 1940’s and early 1950’s chromium and copper, which is used in the chroming process, were both in short supply. Therefore, using stainless steel was the logical alternative. The side and window moldings on a classic Chevy are made from stainless. With that known, you must also know that there are a different set of care tips to apply to those stainless auto parts. My dad used to say, “It’s too bad that all the trim was not made from stainless. If it were many more bumpers, tail lights bezels, etc., would have survived the ravages of time.

Take a good look at the chrome parts of your car. They may:

Be in great shape and only in need of cleaning or polishing; or
Have on minor surfaces corrosion and pitting and are potentially presentable; or and rust and in need of restoration rechroming; or
Badly deteriorated and beyond hope of restoration.

If you are lucky enough to have chrome in the first condition described above, or even in the second condition - all you will need to do is polish it. If there is surface corrosion, use a metal or chrome polish containing a fine abrasive. How do you know if the polish has abrasive in it? Rub it between your fingers. You should be able to feel the abrasive if there is some. Such polish should remove the light corrosion. There will hopefully, be enough good chrome underneath to shine up nicely. Finish with a good quality wax as described below. Using an abrasive should not be done every time you polish your chrome as abrasive also removes chrome as well. Sometimes a using a grade 000 extra fine or may be a grade 00 fine steel wool, with some soapy water, will remove pits of rust in chrome.

Polish is not something you want to use each time you clean, shine or buff you chrome parts. That is because, each time you use it the abrasive removes the chrome. Once you have polished your chrome to the point you like, from then on use a good wax for moisture prevention and only clean with soap and water followed by Windex and a good buffing by hand with a microfiber cloth sold at auto parts stores, Walmart, Target,etc., then wax and buff.

Chrome that is badly corroded or pitted may be a candidate for rechroming. A good chrome shop can remove some of the corrosion and pitting as a part of the plating process. How to find a good shop? I believe the best way is word of mouth. Belonging to a local Classic Chevy club, like my club the Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, is invaluable to meeting like minded Tri-Five Classic Car nuts like yourself and a great source for a recommendation foundation.

There are limits to what a chrome shop can do to a bad bumper. A good shop can remove some of the corrosion and pitting as part of the plating process. Still, there are limits to what they can do. Serious corrosion and pitting may mean that a piece cannot be saved. You may want to consult the chrome shop about the decision to re-plate or not to re-plate. A reputable shop should be honest with that assessment. Get price bids as knowledge to also seek alternative ways to have shining chrome on your vintage car.

Really bad chrome items will have to be replaced. Finding a good chrome part at a salvage yard, as my father did to replace the families rusted through 1957 Chevy four-door hardtop taillight assembly in 1965, does not happen any more due to the advance age of the Tri-Five. Your choices are to replace with a new part from either Restoration World; they carry Golden Star bumpers, Mutton Hollow or Danchuk. Another choice would as recommended by (cruzn57) at http://www.trifive.com, “...rechrome the auto part. And, seek out a GOOD chrome shop.as there are many poor chrome shops, repops are ok, but OEM is better…”

OEM (pronounced as separate letters) is short for original equipment manufacturer.

OEMs are manufacturers who re-sell another company's

product under their own name and branding.

Would it be cheaper to have a bumper re chromed or buy repop new? Is there much of a market out there to where I could sell my current ones to help offset costs? Well, it would be cheaper to buy a bumper from a vendor. However, the fit of the re-pop part is always a concern as GM back in the day had loose standards for assembly parts at different parts of the country. Also, if you want a daily driver chrome job re-pop is the best. Yet, if you want tripple chrome and a 1000 point car a chrome shop is the way to go.

Repop is short for reproduction parts. About 85%

of the parts out there are (repop) reproduction parts.

They are new parts made by several different

companies (many in China) which are of different qualities.

On the other hand NOS parts are New Old Stock parts

are parts that have been made long ago by the manufacturer

That were never used. They are also called

New Obsolete Stock and New Original Stock.

For selling your own parts, I can not give much encouragement on recouping funds or even finding someone to buy the part. With so many venders selling new parts for Tri-Fives the used parts are a hard sale. In years past, Classic Chevy magazines and even club newsletters ran a large section of used part ads. Those ads are now gone.

I must say parts such as a Taillight Assembly for the most part can not be rechromed. They were made of pot metal that simply fell apart and usually can not be fixed.

Pot metal—also known as monkey metal, white metal, or die-cast zinc—is a colloquial term that refers to alloys of low-melting point metals that manufacturers use to make fast, inexpensive castings. The term "pot metal" came about due to the practice at automobile factories in the early 20th century of gathering up non-ferrous metal scraps from the manufacturing processes and melting them in one pot to form into cast products. A small amount of iron usually made it into the castings, but too much iron raised the melting point, so it was minimized.

There is no metallurgical standard for pot metal. Common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminium, iron, and toxic cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Because of its low melting temperature, it requires no sophisticated foundry equipment or specialized molds. Manufacturers sometimes use it to experiment with molds and ideas (e.g., prototypes) before casting final products in a higher quality alloy. Items created from pot metal include toys, furniture fittings, tool parts, electronics components, and automotive parts.

Depending on the exact metals "thrown into the pot," pot metal can become unstable over time, as it has a tendency to bend, distort, crack, shatter, and pit with age. The low boiling point of zinc and fast cooling of newly cast parts often trap air bubbles within the cast part, weakening it. Many components common in pot metal are susceptible to corrosion from airborne acids and other contaminants, and internal corrosion of the metal often causes decorative plating to flake off.[citation needed] Pot metal is not easily glued, soldered, or welded.

At one time, pot metal referred specifically to a copper alloy that was primarily alloyed with lead. Mixtures of 67% copper with 29% lead and 4% antimony and another one of 80% copper with 20% lead were common formulations.

The primary component of pot metal is zinc, but often the caster adds other metals to the mix to strengthen the cast part, improve flow of the molten metal, or to reduce cost. With a low melting point of 419 °C (786 °F), zinc is often alloyed with other metals including lead, tin, aluminium, and copper.

If you do have good chrome on the car, or had it re-chromed, you will want to protect the surface. Like other types of metal, the enemy of chrome is moisture in many places, you will not experience salt on the roads, snow sleet, and heavy rain like you do with your daily driver, but there may be acid rain and fog, air pollution and salt air. Any combination of these can do a job on chrome plated surfaces. Protect the chrome like you should paint with a good wax that will repel moisture. That will be far more effective than ordinary metal or chrome polish.

".....CHROME: Exterior chrome plated parts are very easy to maintain. For normal cleaning, use glass cleaner. Spray into a towel and wipe to remove grime. Follow with a clean towel and burnish to a streak free gloss. To remove soiling build-up or water spots, clean surface with a chrome or metal polish or a glass polish that is friendly to chrome. (http://www.meguiarsonline.com)

Another (visible) bumper bolts on a classic Chevys were steel with stainless steel caps. The steel fall prey to moisture like other parts and can stain the chrome or cause the nuts to rust in place. New available bolts and mounting hardware are available and can really help the overall appearance of bumpers on you Chevy.

Now you if did not before, will have show quality chrome. Keep that labor of love going.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

(Link to my other blog “The Classic Guitar Experience”)

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

*********************

A Great Tri5 Chat Board

~~~~

The Photo Basics The Hows and Whys of Taking Photographs of Your Tri-Five Classic Chevy

2016-11-19T00:20:00.001-06:00

The Photo Basics The Hows and Whys ofTaking Photographs ofYour Tri-Five Classic Chevy

-Alan Arnell

If you have a Classic Car you taken photos of your pride and joy. Unfortunately, many of us have been disappointed with the results. In this blog the reader will be presented with methods that may help you improve your car photography for your personal amusement and better to be submitted to a magazine or publications. Really, who would not like to have your car on the cover of the a Magazine. Not, all publications have a professional go out to take picture of your car. Many media outlets, take submissions of photos and written articles. I myself have had my car in a magazine. My car was in the September 2007 Chevy Classics magazine.

My '57 Chevy in Chevy Classic Magazine

Photo's by David Graves

There are several things to consider when preparing to photograph you car. Some of these considerations may seem elementary and may not apply to you, but you would be surprised at some to the small things that make a car photo more pleasing to the eye.

Start with ensuring that you car is clean, including tires and wheels. Keep some Armor All on hand to do any last minute cleanup.

Your choice of surroundings of your car may make or break you photo. As an example, if your car is a light color, ensure to place the car with a darker background with no clutter. If the car is dark choose a spot with light areas. Also make sure not to include other cars or distracting objects in the photo.

Planning your location is important. If you can choose where to take the pictures, plan ahead and take your time to get the best place (preferably not your local parking lot) during the most ideal light conditions. It well worth the effort.

On one of the vintage car forums I belong to the winner had a green car under a tree that had shed many of its yellow leaves on the ground below. The color combination won the photo contest.

After finding the perfect location, check out the way the sun is positioned in relationship to where where the car is located. The car should be facing the sun or the sun should be at the back of the photographer’s back.

Shoot from above. Look for a nearby ledge or bridge, or take a step ladder so you can get up above your car. This provides an unusual view and shows off the car's sleek lines, making for a more dynamic photo.

Get low to the ground. This gives your car a powerful look, perfect when photographing muscle cars and trucks.

Shoot front, side and rear views. All three provide a very different view of your car, showing off different features. Also use a combination of views to show more than one side at a time, such as with the ever-popular "three-quarter" view which shows the front and side of the car.

Show all four wheels. When shooting low to the ground and from a three-quarter view, be careful not to cover the far back wheel with the near front one. Doing so can make your car feel unbalanced, like it's missing a leg.

The best would be get the opportunity to shoot during the golden hours, i.e., couple of hours after sunrise and couple of hours before sunset. Available light is almost always better than a built in flash, but if you spend more and learn how to use it, artificial lighting like strobes can do miracles, revealing details and shapes like you've never seen before.

Grass does not retain as much heat, therefore your shots will be clearer if you shoot over foliage instead of black asphalt.

Although any digital camera will suffice, for best results take your DSLR camera. The selection of lens depends on various factors like location, lighting, etc.

Forget your iPhone. Yes, the latest ones are remarkably capable, but they are phones nevertheless. What you want is a camera. A DSLR, or a mirrorless, or a very good compact, something that was designed to do one thing: shoot under the widest possible range of conditions.

5 beginner DSLR cameras that will help you take your photography hobby to the next level:

Canon EOS 1200D ($399) ...

Nikon D3200 ($450) ...

Pentax K-50 ($450) ...

Canon EOS 100D/Canon EOS Rebel SL1. ...

Nikon D3300

Megapixels have become the ultimate measure of a camera. If your cousin has a camera with more megapixels than your year-old camera, clearly he must have the better, higher-quality device. Right? Wrong.

Megapixels vs. pixel size

Like calories, megapixels are a measure of quantity, not quality. You need a certain number of megapixels depending on the way to want to share a photo. But just as the number of calories in a meal doesn't say much about how nutritious it is, the number of pixels in a camera doesn't say much about the quality of the image they can capture.

Quality is a complex issue based upon a camera’s optics, image sensor design, firmware, engineering, and yes, its pixels — but not its megapixel count. At the heart of your camera is the image sensor, which contains the array of pixels. These pixels are like buckets that collect photons (i.e., light).

Learn to use a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop. Digital Photo editing is popular these days for it helps designers and editors in their works. It turns mere pictures into masterpieces. Its versatility made it in demand in the creative world for it is the best photo editing software program that gives you great features for a totally terrific design. Other than that, Adobe Photoshop is user friendly and it provides tools that will aid you in the editing and enhancing of photos. You can also do some lay-outing and designing from a blank document, whatever size you may want.

Use the RAW format when taking photos. JPEG – JPEG files are processed right within the camera. How exactly they are processed varies from model to model. While color temperature and exposure are set based on your camera settings when the image is shot, the camera will also process the image to add blacks, contrast, brightness, noise reduction, sharpening and then render the file to a compressed JPEG. These files are finished and can be viewed and pri.

Use a tripod/monopods. They are super cheap, and they're a must under low light conditions, in case you want to use the self timer, during long shoots or when you want to be as accurate angle-wise as possible.

You must be very careful of what reflects in the car. Have a look around you and look closely at the car and see what reflects on its surface. A car (especially a new shiny one) is like a mirror. Try and have an open space behind you like a field. Try and avoid shooting with buildings or trees behind you. One of the most important things you want to show in your car pictures are the design lines of the car, or as I like to call it, ‘her curves’. Reflections can spoil these curves. Wear black clothing so that your reflection is reduced when you’re photographing the car from close up.

Also be very careful not to have your own reflection in the photo. If you can’t avoid your own reflection it’s best to put the camera on a tripod, set the timer and move out of the shot.

Shooting at eye level is the most obvious way to photograph a car. Although it works fine if you're advertising your car for sale in the local paper, it doesn't produce a particularly engaging photo. Use your imagination and try to find an angle that really shows off your car.

When taking photo’s of your car position yourself at an angle that lets you capture the entire length of the car. Next, shift your position so that the car is facing diagonally and then take a couple of photographs. There are two main angles from which the car can be photographed. First, the classic standing position and, second, from the height of the bonnet, which in most of the situations will be about your waist height. A DSLR camera with tilting LCD will be an advantage.

Feel free to explore other angles like low angle and maybe a higher vantage point, if you get such an opportunity.

While taking longer range photos use the rule of thumb guideline. The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a subject with the guidelines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the top or bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to flow from section to section.

The rule of thirds is a "rule of thumb" or guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images. The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject.

The photograph to the right demonstrates the application of the rule of thirds. The horizon sits at the horizontal line dividing the lower third of the photo from the upper two-thirds. The tree sits at the intersection of two lines, sometimes called a power point or a crash point[citation needed]. Points of interest in the photo do not have to actually touch one of these lines to take advantage of the rule of thirds. For example, the brightest part of the sky near the horizon where the sun recently set does not fall directly on one of the lines, but does fall near the intersection of two of the lines, close enough to take advantage of the rule.

When shooting black interiors it is very easy to overexpose the shots because your camera thinks that you are shooting something that is very dark. Underexpose a bit and you will get great detail and accurate blacks.

Now let’s get out there and make some quality if not quantity photos of you classic car. I am certain that using the above hints you will be very pleased with the results. Good luck and thank you for reading my blog. Please check back for new posts or explore older Texas Classic Chevy blog posts.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

(Link to my other blog “The Classic Guitar Experience”)

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

*********************

A Great Tri5 Chat Board

~~~~

Stock, Modified or Retro-Mod Of The Tri-Five Chevy That is the Question?

2016-11-17T13:21:00.000-06:00

Stock, Modified or Retro-Mod

The Tri-Five Chevy

That is the Question?

-Alan Arnell

I have loved the Tri-Five Chevy since they were just cars and not classics. [Check out my Classic Car Bio (HERE)] When I started messing with cars at 16 years of age, around 1972, my friends and I didn't modify our cars, as much as, we just souped or customized the car to make it faster and unique. Back then air shocks, Mag wheels and fat tires were about average for modifying a teenager’s car.

The late 60’s models we could afford, still had the same basic parts of a 1955, ‘56 or ‘57 Classic Chevys A ‘69 Chevelle, like I played with, had not really changed all that much from the 1955 model.

Driving has changed a great deal since 1955 and for that matter the mid 1970’s. We drive our car today much faster and in more traffic-urban settings for the most part. Cars have come a long way in development and engineering the last 60 years. The old saying, “They don’t make them like they used to” is so true! Today’s cars are much more reliable, faster, ride and handle better, and stop better than even 30 years prior. For proof, just watch a video of Jay Leno where he races his souped up Shelby Cobra against a little old lady in a Tesla (LINK). Jay got whooped!

I had played with Chevelles from 1973 until 1985. In 1985, I fulfilled the need for my second passion and bought a 1978 Corvette Pace Car. So, I can’t speak for Tri-Fives during the mid to late 1980’s, but us Corvette guys were stock only. I did not dare change one thing on my Vette during the 5 years I drove it as my daily driver and 100K+ miles as modifying would decrease the value of the resale of the vehicle.

Years later in the 90's, I remember classic car guys, without knowing it, put themselves in either keeping their car completely stock, modify it a little or going all the way out by completely changing a car to a totally new drive train, brakes, steering, etc. Not quite retro-mod but getting closer.

At the dawn of the 21st Century from my experience, I would say modernizing, the Tri-Five to where only the body was stock as the new up and coming trend. Since then, I believe most Tri-Fives were going modified, because of the age of the Tri-Five Chevy. Up until the last 20 years an enthusiastic could find a local salvage yard to buy stock parts for repair and replacement. That source has dried up for the most part, yet there was still plenty of private persons and retail outlets that sold “old new stock” that made keeping your car stock still a viable option. However, the retail outlets of the last 15 years or so began making new parts for the Tri-Five Chevy making it easier to place a mod on your car. Sometimes the new and better parts could not be identified from an old stock part.

For example: The brakes of a 1955 Chevy were a marked improvement over the 1921 Chevy, However, after driving a modern car in 70 mile and hour stop and go traffic, then switching to a that same 1955 Chevy, most drivers have the feeling, “ I am going to kill myself with the 50’s technology stopping gear!” [Read about Power Booster Front Disc Conversion Tri-Five Late Model Part 1 at (LINK)]

My grandfather never worried about the stopping power of his old 51 Chevy. He only drove it from the farm in Missouri to town and rarely exceeded 50 miles an hour, even on the major highway Route 63. He didn’t even have a side-view mirror on his car. Can today’s urban dweller even imagine not having two side view mirrors and not checking the blind spot when changing lanes? Let me put it this way, I have a disk brake conversion kit for my 1957 Chevy that I plan to install, for safety sake as much as anything else and I have 2 side mirrors.

I am wondering what will be the 21st Century's commanding philosophy for restoring a Tri-Five? From my experience in recent years, I would say modernizing the Tri-Five to where only the body was stock as the new trend. However, when I checked http://www.trifive.com/ on average there is generally 115 viewers on the stock page and only 75 on the modified page.

So I ask on line,"... in your opinion what is the current or next trend, Stock, Modified or Retro-mod?" My questioned was posed in what may be arguably the best source for Tri-Five info in a chat room format, http://www.trifive.com/.

I was directed from by thread post to a poll conducted by (‘56 Sedan Delivery). The results of the poll at the time of this writing was that 54 (17.36%) surveyed members chose the stock style and 257 (82.64%) chose modified.

Member comments to my question was:

All the tri-fives I've owned have been "modified" in one way or another! Way back,we wanted bigger tires,floor shift, more power ,better exhaust, etc. Pure-stock is a rare thing nowadays! Everyone wants theirs to be special and different. Reto-mod? Who doesn't like to drive down the interstate next to a new car knowing you can keep up because you have the same modern drivetrain? Mike (100%Chevy)

IMO the trend is going to modified and the new term is Rerto-mod. Most of the comforts of a new car but with the original looking body. It also seems money is going to the retro-mod's over the stock cars, except in a few instances. (Zbad55)

Alan, I don't subscribe to any basic philosophy except to build it to satisfy what I want in my ride. At the moment, my suspension is stock with the exception of sway bars and polygraph bushings. The engine is an early 90's 350 with factory TBI injection. I like mine dependable to drive and that was my goal. Terry(Chevyman57)...Agree 100%. This is about fun. It is not about pleasing what other people like to see or maxing out the market value sometime down the road but is about maximizing the enjoyment that one gets from the total experience. (Roger1)

Retro-Mod I think is the latest craze. I love it. My 57 is stock apart from being lowered. Retro modding it could be on the cards soon. (Machev)

Modified works for me, as long as it’s not a survivor (there only this way once). (Carl 56)

Even my very first 57 Bel Air 2 dr hardtop was slightly modified with a 3-speed Hurst, dual point distributor, paint, etc. Then I restored 6 more and modified all of them. About two years ago, I bought a stock 57 Bel Air. It's just too common! Now I'm restoring a modified 57 GMC truck! It looks like a Chevy and I drive it everyday that's nice. The fun is back again!!! (rmalott). Similar experience to what I had. Before my Bel Air, I restored a numbers matching 1969 Corvette convertible. I kept it 100% stock. It was a pretty fun restoration but the fun kind of stopped when I finished it. I had all kinds of plans to drive the car but quickly realized that was not going to be that fun after all. I ended up selling it only because I wasn't giving it the attention it deserved. (Roger1)

Well, I looks like the pure-stock guy is going the way of the American Buffalo not the Dodo Bird. Still, I have to say, I still see Buffalo, but in a fenced in field. Dodo Birds, not so much. There will always be stock Tri-Five guys. Like my friend Marvin who bought a 1957 Chevy and took off the modern master cylinder to put on a stock model, because he wanted to. You can't argue with that logic and you don’t see that done much anymore. And of course, there will be museums and concourse cars that will be kept stock.

The mod guys will always be around, I feel, for years to come. I, for example, have made/kept my car a modified [See a blog about my car, “Candy the Dandy 57 Chevy” (HERE)]. I chose to just to modify my car, because I wanted a period correct car. I wanted a ‘57 like I would have made in 1975. I have had the car now for 16 years. She is getting ready to take a new step in her life and it looks like retro-mod or close to it will be the next wave of my installed improvements. Why? I live in a large metropolitan area. Having a car that looks like a 1957 but drives like a 2016 model with better than 14 mpg would sure be nice.

For the next 20 years retro-mod looks to be the new thing. However, what is great about the classic car hobby is that you are free to do with your car as you wish! But what is modifying or retro- modding?

Retro-Mod vs Restore

What is the difference between retro mod and restoration? And which is the better option for your automotive? It is true that the two terms often cause confusion, but the explanation is fairly straightforward.

Restoration essentially refers to taking a great classic car and bringing it back to life with all (or most) of the original factory parts. The process involves repair of the visible parts (e.g., body trim, interior, etc.), as well as the parts not easily seen (e.g., electrical, suspension, brakes, etc.). The result is a beautifully preserved automobile in factory-new condition with authentic parts – just like it came off the showroom floor decades ago.

Retro-mod (restoration + modern parts/technology) draws from all the amazing advancements in automobile technology over the past 40+ years to enhance the performance, comfort and safety of the classic car. A retro-mod car has the timeless appearance of the original, but the outdated guts of the car have been replaced with the more modern, high-performance parts of today. You achieve the same great look, but your vintage car will be revved up with all the latest bells and whistles to create a much better ride for the owner. Learn why we prefer retro-modding over auto restoration: SPEED Philosophy

Here are a few examples of the difference between restorations and retromods:

	Retro Mod	Restoration
Relative cost to build	$60-90K	$60-100K
Resale value	High	Only high if it’s an extremely rare car
Budget Distribution	Safety and performance	Intricate details, original parts

Value appears to be the main argument over which option is better than the other. The fully restored classic is most often going to be worth more financially. But you also will spend significantly more time and money finding all the necessary, yet virtually extinct, parts to get the car back to its original form. The retro mod car might not be quite as valuable, but will have a much better, smoother performance, brought about by the latest technologies. With the same beautiful outward appearance as the original or fully restored model, the retro mod will also give you a more comfortable, enjoyable driving experience.

Both options are appealing for different reasons, so the decision between the two primarily rests on two critical factors: budget for the project and the desired outcome or purpose for the car. Should you have an unlimited budget and the yearning for a fully restored, collectible show car, then restoration might be the way to go. If you want a restored vintage car, but with all the power and modern conveniences of current models, then the retro-mod would be the better choice.

Whichever option you choose, the project promises to be an exciting and personally rewarding experience for you, as the car owner. (http://retromodstore.com)

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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1955 Chevy Spotters Guide Photos

2016-11-14T15:19:00.000-06:00

1955 Chevy Spotters Guide Photos

The 1955 Chevrolet (sometimes referred to as '55 Chevy) is an automobile that was made by Chevrolet in 1955. It is considered a huge turning point for the manufacturer and a major success. It was available in three models: the 150, 210, and Bel Air.

The '55 Chevy was the first successful Chevrolet with an optional V8 engine. Chevrolet had produced an earlier car with a V8 in 1918 (Chevrolet Series D), which used a 36-horsepower and 288-cubic-inch V8, but it remained in production for only a year.[5] In 1955, Chevrolet decided to fit its new car with an overhead valve V8 engine design, which was similar to the 1949 Oldsmobile "Rocket 88" V8 engine. The new 265-cubic-inch overhead valve V8 was designed to be smaller, lighter, and more powerful than previous V8s in the auto industry.

The new "small block" in the '55 Chevy had its problems, however. It had no oil filter, and the factory could only add one externally—owners had to opt for an external oil filter. Those who did not order the engine with the "oil filter option" had dirty oil in a short amount of time. This was corrected for the next year. The new small block V8 had an easy maintenance, and it had a built-in ability to be upgraded. The small block Chevy V8 became so popular that Chevrolet still sells it today. Although there have been various changes made to the motor to modernize it, the basic design of the original 265 remains.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

(Link to my other blog “The Classic Guitar Experience”)

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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The 25th Annual Winter Eckler's Classic Chevy National Convention

2016-11-08T21:19:00.000-06:00

The 25th Annual Winter Classic Chevy National Convention

http://www.classicchevy.com/showregistration/index/viewshow/id/47/

The 24th Annual Winter Classic Chevy National Convention will be next year at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando at a new convention space/banquet facility that is absolutely beautiful, the show will be March 2nd to the 3rd, 2017, Open to all 1949-54 Chevys, 1955-57 Chevys, 1958-72 Late Great Chevys, 1967-2017 Camaros & Firebirds and 1953-82 Corvettes, at 10,000 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819, Hosted by Classic Camaro of Central Florida, register online now through Feb 24, 2017.

Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa

Hotel with special rates for this show: 10,000 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819 Studio - $79 2-bedroom $139* 3-bedroom $209* 4-bedroom $239* *limited number of these units available Reservations 877-502-7058 Mention code 34-989. Cut-off date for rates February 15, 2017

Schedule of Events Schedule unavailable at this time.
Fees Registration fee by Feb 03 2017: $55.00 Register after above date: $60.00

3 Ways to Register

Speed up the registration, tech check and classification process. Get more information here

Valve Cover Races Ready, Set, Go . . . We’ve added Valve Cover Racing to our venue! Dust off your old valve cover, add some wheels (roller skate or in-line skate) add some paint or your own personal flair and let’s race! CCCF Valve Cover Racing Rules

Judging 101

By Joe Whitaker The Classic Chevy 1000 Point Judging system, developed in the late 1970's, has evolved into an internationally recognized method of properly judging 1949-54 Chevys, 1955-72 Chevys and Trucks and 1967-2014 Camaros and Firebirds.. Originally introduced to judge 1955-57 Chevys at early club events, the system has grown to include all 1949-72 passenger cars (including Chevelle, Nova, Corvair, El Camino full size, etc. . .), trucks and Corvettes and all Camaros and Firebirds from 1967-2014. In addition to the 1000 Point Show 'n Shine category, we include a "Cruiser" division, which allows owners to bring and display their cars or trucks and compete for Best Of Show and 10 "Picks", but not go through the stringent judging process. With the input of many Chevy "experts" and members, this system has become what we feel is the best system of its kind anywhere.. How important and credible is our system? Many times when a classic Chevy or Camaro is advertised for sale in Hemmings Motor News or similar classified ads or put up for auction, the owner will state ". . . scored 985 points and a Platinum certificate at CCI. . ." in order to certify the car and drive up the price to potential buyers. More importantly, after having a car judged, owners know how their car stacks up to the competition and what improvements, if any, need to be made to score higher. Some are satisfied to reach Bronze or Silver status while others strive for Gold or Platinum. Once a car achieves Platinum (970+ points out of 1000), it is instantly recognized as one of the finest Chevrolets in the world. Suppose you've decided to enter your car in one of our events. Upon or before arrival, you will be asked if you wish to show your car in either Cruisers or the 1000 point category. Here's how to decide which category to enter: Cruisers: Not ready to show your car, but still want to come and enjoy the event? This category is for you. No real cleanup or strenuous preparation is needed. You may display the car doors open or closed, hood open or closed. . . anything goes! A "Best Of Show" vehicle is chosen from the Cruiser category for both Chevy and Camaro. In addition, 10 "Picks" are chosen from all entries. These Picks are not necessarily the best cars in the group, but are often the most unique. Cars in progress and primer are just as likely to win as a shiny showpiece! The Best Of Show and Picks awards are presented along with the Show 'n Shine trophies on awards day. Cruiser winners appear in the magazine coverage along with Show 'n Shine winners.

1000 Point Show 'n Shine: This category is for car owners who wish to see how their car really stacks up against a 1000 point judging sheet. A fair amount of preparation is required to do well in Show 'n Shine because you are subjecting your car to perhaps 30-40 minutes of scrutiny by a panel of three participant judges.

Here are the items we will cover in our upcoming issues as they relate to Show 'n Shine:

Tech Check	Judging Sheets	Selecting Judges
Display	Clean-Up	Tallying
Parking	Classification	The Judging Process
Judges & Display Meetings	Awards & Certificates	Using The Sheets After The Show

In this Judging 101 series, we will outline in some detail our entire system in order to educate and hopefully entice you to bring your car to one or more of our events. While this series will just focus on judging, this is only a small part of our events. Tours, meals, live music, hundreds of classic cars, cruises, swap meet and the camaraderie of hundreds of other enthusiasts and families just like you accounts for 95% of the fun!

Tech Check:

This is the first step in the classification process once you have registered and received your window card and registration number.

A team of 2-3 individuals will approach you and ask you to operate 25 different items on your car:

Turn Signal LightsTurn Signal Dash Indicators

High/Low Beam Headlights	High-Beam Dash Indicator
Parking Lights	Taillights
Brake Lights	Rear License Light(s)
Gauges	Glove Box Light
Radio/Stereo	Heater Motor
Wipers	Windshield Washers
Window Operation	Neutral Safety Switch
Horns	Clock
Cigarette Lighter	Courtesy (Dome) Light(s)
Convertible Top	Power Seat
Air Conditioning	Emergency Brake
Back-Up Lights

For each item that does not work properly, 1 point is deducted from your 1000 point total. For items like brake lights, gauges and turn signals, both sides and front and rears must work. If for example, the turn signals all blink except for the left rear, 1 full point is taken off. If the item is not on the car/does not apply (power seat, glove box light, convertible top), no points are deducted. If the item is present but does not work, a point is deducted. On custom cars that have been extensively modified and certain items like the wipers and horns have been fully eliminated, no points are deducted. All vehicles, custom or restored, must have an operable emergency brake as this is a major safety item!

Classification:

Once tech check is completed, the next step is classification. For passenger cars there are 8 possible classes:

Factory Original - less than 20% restoration on entire car and no changes from original.

Unrestored - less than 35% restoration on entire car and no changes from original.

Restored - 36% to 100% restoration on car and no changes from original.

Contemporary - 1 or 2 major changes from original.

Modified - 3 to 5 major changes from original.

Custom - 6 or more changes from original.

Full Custom - 4+ minor body cuts or a major body cut.

Special Interest - police cars, race cars, taxis, etc. . .

There are similar class breakdowns for trucks, Corvettes, Chevelles, etc. . all within this same system. Our system has sheets and categories for any 1949-1972 Chevy. Camaro has similar classes for all 1967-2014 Camaros and Firebirds. In addition, each of the above categories is broken down into driven and trailered. A car is put in trailered if it is trailered or towed any part of the way to the event. If your car is normally driven around at home to local shows but you decide to travel 500 miles to one of our events and elect to trailer your car, it is in trailered class. So, cars that are driven to our events do not show against cars that are trailered to the event..

The first 3 classes are easy enough to understand. These are cars that have no modifications (changes) whatsoever and are painted the original colors, wheels are original, no aftermarket accessories added, etc. . . But what about the other classes with changes? Possible changes fit into 14 categories:

Engine- anything other than the original engine called for on the VIN plate (no V=6-cyl, V=V8) and year. A 1955 with a 1956 engine would constitute a change. A 6-cylinder VIN car with a V8 engine would be a change. A correct year engine stamped as a 2-barrel, but equipped with a 4-barrel is a change. An original engine with a later air cleaner is a change. A non-original exhaust system constitutes an engine change.

Engine Compartment- chroming, dual master cylinder, fan shroud, aftermarket horn, aluminum radiator; any items not 100% stock in the engine bay would count as a change.

Transmission- anything other than the original transmission type called for on the engine stamping. If the engine stamping calls for a 3-speed, but the car has a Powerglide is a change. A 4-speed or a TH transmission in a '55-'57 would be a change. A 5-speed manual in a 1964 is a change.

Rear End- a rear end of a different year (a '64 in a '57) or a 9" Ford, a 12-bolt; anything other than the original rear.

Interior- any part of the interior (seats, carpet and headliner) that does not match the trim number on the cowl tag is a change. Also, a non-original radio, speakers, wrong color dash or steering wheel all result in a change. Seat belts are considered a safety item and will not result in a change.

Wheels & Tires- any wheel or tire combination that is not correct is a change. All chrome or aluminum aftermarket wheels and white lettered radials are changes. A tire that is grossly incorrect as to size or whitewall width is a change. Radial tires are allowed as long as the size of the tire and whitewall or lettering is similar to the original.

Paint- a paint color or combination that does not match the cowl tag is a change. Other paint types (single or 2-stage urethane, enamel) are accepted as long as they are original colors. Cars that were originally solid color per the trim code, but have had the top painted white would be considered to have a non-original paint scheme.

Body Metal & Exterior- any cuts, filling, chopping to body sheetmetal is a change. Glass modifications are included in this category as well (etching, tint film).

Trunk & Cargo Area- any trunk or cargo area (wagons, trucks) changes such as carpet or non-original paint results in a change. This area includes the spare and jack.

Suspension & Undercarriage- this includes springs, brakes, shocks, traction bars and anti-sway bars. Any non-original item under the car in suspension areas is considered a change.

Chrome & Stainless- any additional exterior emblems, trim, and louvers are a change. Also any original items removed (nosed, decked) is a change.

Air Conditioning- any air unit not installed at the factory or Chevy dealer is a change. Any components on an original air unit that are not correct (late model compressor, non-original vents) results in a change.

VIN- the VIN plate must match the year and series of the vehicle. If the VIN designates Bel Air but the car is a 150 it is a change. The VIN may also determine correct engine type. If a car has a 6-cylinder VIN but has a V8 installed an engine change would result.

Knick-Knack- most common items like blue-dot lenses, non-stock license plate frames or antennas would result in a change.

The changes within each area do not add up to create more changes. For example if the engine compartment includes chromed hood hinges, an aluminum fan shroud, air horns, dual master cylinder and stainless braided heater hoses; this is still only one change engine compartment. The only time that changes do add up is in Body Metal & Exterior. Four or more minor body cuts (radiused quarters, louvers, etc. . .) pushes a car from Custom to Full Custom class. All "pro-street" or tubbed cars are in Full Custom class. Cars with a major body part removed (hood) are considered full custom.

We are often asked before an event over the phone "what class will my car be in?" This question is impossible to answer over the phone. The above guidelines will help you determine what class your car might show in at one of our events. But, owners often overlook a change or 2 and wind up in a class much different than they anticipated! I always tell folks: ". . . don't worry. There is a class for every car out there. Just come to the event and let us handle the classification." Build/finish your car just how you like it and let it fall in which ever class the changes determine.

At one time, we organized the parking lot/show field by year and class of car. This required a tremendous and unnecessary amount of planning and marking of spaces. In addition, we were always wrong. We had to guess how many of each year and class were coming to the show and mark the lot off accordingly. In addition, the Cruisers class cars were usually stuck off somewhere in a remote corner. Somewhere along the way, one of our more observant employees (I can't claim credit) suggested we just let cars park where they wanted. This allows friends/clubs to park together and the show cars and Cruisers are mixed with each other. The earlier you arrive, the better your parking space! One might think this makes judging more difficult since all cars in one class are not parked together. It does require a bit more walking, however, we devised a “parking dot” system which allows you to choose your space, place your dot on that space and have it recorded as your space for the duration of the event. The parking space numbers are printed on the judging sheets so the judges can easily locate the cars. The day before Show-n-Shine judging, we hold a mandatory (for judges and car owners) meeting called the Judges & Display (Drivers) meeting. In this meeting we explain how the judging process works, what time to show up and the general do's and don'ts when judging show cars. This meeting is particularly important to those that have never judged before as they receive a quick education on how our 1000 point system works. Naturally we cannot teach you everything about how to judge during this meeting; but we can arm you with enough information to get you off to a good start. We always assign beginners to a team with one or two experienced judges so they are not lost. Very often, beginners make the best judges since they are overly cautious and not willing to judge too harshly! We also explain to show car owners how their car should be displayed for the show. Hood open, doors open, no displays, etc. . . to make the judging process go smoothly and equitably. Cars in Cruisers may be displayed any way the owner wishes, there are no rules.

Clean up. This is perhaps the most time consuming and tedious part when trying to ready your car for judging. In the "old" days, nearly 150 of the 1000 points was allocated to how clean the car was. This resulted in folks taking cleaning to an extreme: wheels off, up on jack stands, 2 or 3 solid days of cleaning. We woke up and realized how ridiculous it was for our show participants to arrive at the event and spend all of their time before the show judging laying on the ground cleaning their car. So, we reduced the total cleanliness points to just 75/1000 and greatly reduced the points allocated to the hard to clean areas like undercarriage and engine compartment. This immediately improved the whole show experience for our registrants since they didn't need to be quite so fussy about cleaning. That said, a clean car will always score higher than a dirty one. If your car is dirty (water spots, brown tires, mud on the springs, oil on the engine, smudges on the carpet) not only will the judges take off points in the cleanliness sections, their overall impression of your car will be negative resulting in a lower score. The bottom line? Once you are at the show, they way you can most influence the outcome of your score is via how clean your car is. Perfectly white glove-test clean? No, just reasonably clean and sparkly.

If car clean up is the hardest part of the show for you, the participant, then the hardest part for us is selecting judges. We take multiple pages of raw recruits, organize them into piles sorted by experience, the class of their car and their judging preferences and hopefully assign them to capable and fair judging teams. The teams are made up of 3 individuals so that each person has one sheet on each car. The ideal team would have one very experienced judge that has judged our system 5 or more times, a less experienced judge that may have judged just 1 or 2 times and a beginner that has never judged. Do we always have ideal teams? No, but we usually come very close to our goal. Each team is assigned no more than 6 cars to judge. So what happens if one class has 8 or 10 cars? We do what's called "splitting the class". Two teams are assigned to the larger classes with 7 or more cars and one team of 3 is assigned the "left"side of the sheet to judge with the other team judging the "right" side. Once each team is done with their section, they trade sheets with the other team so each may complete their section. This reduces the amount of work the judging teams must do yet assures equity across the class. If one team of 3 people has to judge 8 cars, it may take 5-6 hours which is too much to ask of a team.

What happens to the classes with only 1 or 2 cars? Very often the 6 cars assigned to a regular judging team (not judging split classes) may be made up of several classes.

A common grouping of cars for a 3 person team may be:

Class	# Cars
1956 Special Interest	1
1955 Contemporary	2
1964 Modified	3

If the team spends 20-30 minutes per car, judging the 6 cars will take 2-3 hours. If judging begins at 8 am, the team would be finished and ready to relax by 11am!

Once the judges are chosen, given their sheets and turned loose to judge, the real fun begins! Since there are 1000 points per sheet, there are lots of areas on the car to look at and lots of lines to write numbers on! Writing legibly is extremely important to assure accuracy in scoring.

It is a good idea to make notes on the sheet next to items that have points deducted. This will help the owner to understand why the points were deducted and will help him to correct these areas if he wished to do so to score better next time. If is very important for judges on a team to communicate with each other. If you have Judge 1 taking off 10 points and Judge 2 taking off 40 points for the same item, obviously this needs to be discussed as a team and decided, keeping in mind the total percentage that is being taken off for this one item. Example: if one section of the sheet is worth 345 points and you deduct 40 points off of one item in that section, that is over 10% off. If these judges had been talking things over and comparing scores and notes, then sheets with scores this far apart would never have been turned in. Once all three sheets are completed on one car, the farthest apart the scores should be is about 10-20 points or so. If the sheets are a total of 30+ points apart, something is wrong and the judging team needs to re-evaluate their process.

Once the judges are all done and all sheets are turned back in, the tally process then begins. Each and every sheet must be examined and totaled. The totals of all three sheets are then added together and divided by 3. This gives the final score which is an average of what each judge recorded as their final score. That average is then deducted from 1000. This is the score used to award place and certificate. Let's use a hypothetical set of scores from a 1955 Custom class. .

There are 7 cars in this group all judged at the same show.

Car 1	981
Car 2	922
Car 3	845
Car 4	901
Car 5	945
Car 6	991
Car 7	899

Cars 2, 4 and 5 are Senior 1955 Customs. This means they have shown at a CCC/WCC event before and scored 900 points plus. Cars 1, 3, 6 and 7 are Junior 1955 Customs meaning they have either not shown before or if they have shown, scored under 900 points. Given the above scores and Junior/Senior breakdown, here is how the cars will place and which certificates they will receive:

1955 Custom Junior

Car 6	First Place 991 Points Platinum Certificate
Car 1	Second Place 981 Points Platinum Certificate
Car 7	Third Place 899 Points Bronze Certificate
Car 3	No Place 845 Points No Certificate

1955 Custom Senior

Car 5	First Place 945 Points Silver Certificate
Car 2	Second Place 922 Points Silver Certificate
Car 4	Third Place 901 Points Silver Certificate

Cars 6 and 1 will be seniors the next time they show as they scored 900 points plus. You can see that even though all 7 cars were judged in the same class, the Junior and Senior cars are broken out when it comes time to present awards. In the Junior division, if car 6, 1 or 7 had not been at the show, car 3 would have placed third with 845 points but still no certificate since it scored under 850 points. All cars that place first, second or third place receive an award plaque or trophy. All cars that score 850 plus points receive a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum certificate. The two are not directly related. So, a car can place but get no certificate (as with car 3 example above) or a car can get a certificate but not place (if there are 3 cars in the class with higher scores). Once the results are recorded for the event coverage in the magazines, the original judging sheets are then returned to the car owners for their use. These sheets are extremely helpful to the owner so that he/she can make changes/improvements in their car based upon the information recorded by the judges. And with any kind of luck, they will score higher the next time after improvements are made!

I hope you have enjoyed our 4-part series on how judging works at the CCC events. Hopefully we have wet your appetite enough that you will bring your 49-72 Chevy or 67-2014 Camaro or Firbird to one of our events. We guarantee that you will have a blast! Visit our events section and click on the events for shows in your area. For a fully detailed explanation of our judging system including actual judging sheets and restoration helpful hints, order P/N 17-63 Restoration Judging Guidelines Manual.

Email Cozette Alley for any comments or questions you might have.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

(Link to my other blog “The Classic Guitar Experience”)

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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History and Options of 1955 Chevrolet Tri-Five Carburetors Part, 1 "1955"

2016-11-07T12:43:00.000-06:00

History and Options of 1955 Chevrolet Tri-Five Carburetors Part 1 "1955"

History of the Tri-Carburetor 1955

One of the most influential elements of the Tri-Five was the recent development of their newest 265 cid (4,340 cc) V8 engine, which was first offered in 1955. It was an overhead valve high compression, short stroke design that remained in production in various forms for decades. The base V8 had a two-barrel carburetor and was rated at 162 horsepower (121 kW), and the "Power Pack" option featured a four-barrel carburetor and other upgrades yielding 180 brake horsepower (130 kW). Later, a "Super Power Pack" option added high compression and a further 15 brake horsepower

In 1955 the 265 arrived on the scene with a 3.75-inch bore and 3.00-inch stroke (95.2 – 76.2 mm). It made 162 horsepower and 257 lb-ft in base form with a two-barrel carburetor. An optional Power Pack added a four-barrel carburetor (and other modifications) taking power up to 180 horsepower and an even 260 lb-ft of torque. When fitted to the Corvette, the 265 made 195 horsepower through a dual exhaust system. Later in the year Chevrolet added a Super Power Pack option to the Bel Air, taking it to Corvette power levels.

1955

Six Cylinder Carburetor

Rochester Model “BC”

(1947-59) Rochester Model “BC” Carburetor, 6-Cylinder 235 CI Engine

The carburetor used on all six cylinder models is the Rochester Model “BC” down carburetor, equipped with an automatic choke. This carburetor presented several distinct features of importance.

Concentric fuel bowl-Regardless of any shift of fuel level in the bowl, the main metering jet is at all times immersed in fuel.
Centrally located main discharge nozzle-a shift in fuel level has little or no effect on the rate of discharge from the nozzle.
The main well and supported assembly, which contains the main metering jet and the power valve, is attached to the cover and suspended in the float bowl which provides ease in servicing.
Automatic Choke-Insures proper starting and driving carburetion during cold weather operations.
A fast idle mechanism, which is in linkage with the choke lever, is an aid to more efficient cold weather warm-up, insuring correct idle speeds during warm-up period.

Rochester B BC BV Exploded View

Eight Cylinder Model Carburetor

Rochester 2GC

Rochester Model “2GC” Carburetor 8-Cylinder 265 CI Engine

The rochester Model 2GC two barrel carburetor was standard equipment on all 1955 Chevrolet's’ eight cylinder models. While not interchangeable, the carburetors used on powerglide-equipped models and standard shift models are basically the same, and description and service operation are identical. The carburetor incorporates the calibrated cluster design.

The cluster casting is the heart of the carburetor; it embodies the small or secondary venturi, the high speed passages, the main well tubes and nozzles, the idle tubes and the calibrated air bleeds for both the low and high speed metering systems, as well as the accelerating pump jets.

When the cluster is removed for service purposes, all of the vital parts can be readily seen, cleaned and examined; the main well tubes and idle tubes are permanently installed in the cluster body by means of precision pressed fit.

The cluster fit on a platform provided in the body casting of the carburetor so that the main well and idle tubes are suspended in the fuel.

A gasket is used between the cluster casting and the body platform. This method of design and assembly serves to insulate the main well tubes and idle tubes from engine heat, thus reducing heat expansion and percolation spill-over during hot idle periods of operation and during the time the hot engine is not operating.

An external vent with a protective cover to keep out dirt and other foreign matter is located in the center of the bowl cover to provide adequate venting of the unit under all types of operating conditions.

The Model 2GC carburetor functions conventionally, using the standard six systems of carburetor: Float, Idle, Part Throttle, Poser, Pump and choke. These systems are basically simple and easily be traced and understood.

The Model 2GC carburetor is of side bowl construction. It is designed, however, with fuel supply jets and passages submerged enough below the liquid level to provide proper engine operation under all driving conditions.

Rochester 2GC Two-Jet Exploded View

Rochester carburetors were primarily used as original equipment carburetors on Chevy and GM cars and trucks. Rochester carburetor applications spanned the range of engine sizes offered by GM. The carburetors had multiple designs ranging from the Rochester Mono-jet carburetor, to the dual jet Rochester carburetor, to the most popular Rochester quadra-jet carburetor.

Over time, the Rochester carburetors evolved from basis mechanical units to carburetors that were electronically controlled by the vehicles on board computer systems.

The main difference between Rochester carburetors used on the various GM product lines that include Chevy, Oldsmobile, Buick, Pontiac Cadillac and GMC is the throttle linkage configuration. For the most part, the linkage differs by product line. Rochester truck carburetors are usually different from car carburetors even if the engine size is the same. Rochester carburetors have numbers identifying numbers stamped into the body of the carburetor. They are either a eight digit number that starts with "17XXXXXX" or a seven digit number that starts with "7XXXXXX". Look for the number on the body of the carburetor. The carburetor may have similar numbers stamped on the base or top, the number on the body will more accurately identify the carburetor.

A common issue on Rochester re-manufactured carburetors is wear on the throttle shafts that leads to either fuel or air leaks. This issue can be overcome by inserting bushings to that the play out of the throttle shafts creating a tight seal. This process requires special tapered drills. Always make sure that the bushings are being replaced when you buy a re-manufactured Rochester carburetor.

Eight Cylinder Model Carburetor

Carer WCFA

The basic 265 had a two-barrel carburetor and was rated at 165 H.P. Horsepower was increased to 185 with the addition of a four-barrel carburetor, and an underrated 195 HP version, called the "Power Pack" had a high lift solid lifter cam, high compression heads, and dual exhaust.

The Carter WCFB

The Carter WCFB Power Pack Caburator Option

A Carter WCFA carburetor was available as optional equipment on 8-cylinder engines. This carburetor was used when higher engine performance wa desired.

The Carter Model WCFB carburetor was basically two dual carburetors contained in one assembly. The section containing the metering rods, accelerating pump and choke is termed the primary side of the carburetor, the other section the secondary side. It has five conventional circuits as have been used in non optional carburetors for the 1955 model year. They are:

2-Float Circuits

1-Low Speed Circuit

2-High Speed Circuits

1-Pump Circuit

1- Control (choke) Circuit.

The purpose of the float circuits is to maintain an adequate supply of fuel a the proper level in the bowls for use by the low speed, high speed, pump and choke circuits. Primary and secondary bowls are separated by a partition. The fuel line connection is on the primary side. Fuel is supplied to the primary and secondary intake needles and the seats through a passage in the bowl cover. Located at the fuel inlet.

The WCFB was Carter’s first attempt at a four-barrel carburetor. It was introduced in 1952. A total of 222 different WCFB models were made in the years 1952 through 1967. The WCFB was discontinued after the 1967 model year. I have seen a number of different meanings for the WCFB acronym. One employee of Carter once told me that it meant “wrought cast four barrel”; and used that terminology for years. However, a close friend who worked most of his life for Carter, chastised me for using this terminology. It seems the official Carter meaning was Will Carter Four Barrel (Will Carter of course being the inventor that started the Carter Carburetor Company). So I now use this designation when asked.

The WCFB is a “square-bore” carburetor; with three major castings: (A) throttle body (early aluminum, later cast iron); (B) bowl (zinc alloy) and (C) airhorn (aluminum).

While some of the WCFB carburetors had no air valve, most of the WCFB carburetors have the weighted air valve to prevent the secondary from flowing until the engine demand was sufficient to require flow from the secondary. There were also a very few WCFB units that had vacuum controlled secondary. These units, like the vacuum controlled AFB carburetors, were (and still are) exceptionally troublesome. Carter discontinued this design after a couple of years.

The Carter WCFB Power Packt Exploded View

While there are many categories of parts on the WCFB that look as if they should interchange; two in particular that give many enthusiasts problems are metering rods and floats. The metering rod is an extremely precision device. Most enthusiasts look only at the metering diameters; but do not realize that the LENGTH of the metering step is not the same for all rods. Carter utilized at least a dozen different step length profiles. When interchanging rods, unless one is deliberately changing the step length, one should compare the step length profile of the replacement to the original rod. The floats used in the WCFB are a double pontoon arrangement, connected by an arm. THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT FLOATS, WHICH APPEAR TO THE NOVICE AS IDENTICAL! Maximum buoyancy of a float occurs when the flat surface of the float arm is perpendicular to the fuel inlet needle. A method used by Carter (also Rochester in their 4G series, and Stromberg in most of their two barrel series) to adjust the fuel level was to move the height of the arm where the arm was soldered to the pontoons. Failure to observe this difference in floats may lead to carburetor flooding issues. Even if the float arm is bent to achieve the specified adjustment, the buoyancy change may cause a flooding issue.

There were actually two WCFBs used in the 55 model year, the earlier style is called the "bell-crank" style because it has a large bell-crank connected to the throttle linkage. I understand that it was used up through early February with the round snout air cleaner, then the second more common style was substituted, along with the oval snout air cleaner. My 55 was assembled in mid-February and I used the second style and oval snout, though it originally had a two-barrel carb set-up.

Carter Carburetor Company in St. Louis, MO was established in 1909, and ceased operation in 1985. It was founded by William Carter, who started experimenting with automotive carburetors while running a successful bicycle shop. His first, cast brass carburetor could meter and deliver fuel more accurately than many competing units. He sold Carter Carburetor Company 13 years after founding it to American Car and Foundry Company, a firm older than Carter himself. Carl Breer wrote that, upon learning that the Ball family (owners of Ball & Ball) was planning to leave the carburetor business, he set them up with Carter, which continued to produce the Ball & Ball basic designs, which were used by Chrysler.

Carter adapted carburetors for Willys Jeep four-cylinder engines, waterproofing them for water crossings and making it possible to keep the engine going even on a steep incline (the Y-S carburetor). Carter also produced the first American four-barrel carburetor, used for Buick’s 1952 straight-eight, and followed by the WCFB on the 1955 Chrysler C300. This was eventually superseded by the AFB and the AVS. The final Chrysler use of four-barrel Carter carburetors was the Thermo-Quad, which used a lightweight theroplastic float bowl, on the most powerful Chrysler engines.

Carter produced Rochester Quadrajet carburetors for their rival maker whenever demand outpaced Rochester's ability to make them. They were identical to Rochester's units except the Carter name was stamped into the body. In Carter's final years in the early 1980s, they also produced Weber carburetors under license, such as the three-barrel Type 40IDA sold as replacements (or fuel injection retrofits) for 1960s and 70s Porsche 911 S.

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

General Motors Plants Set the Standard to Meet the High-Volume of Car Production in the 1950's

2016-11-05T15:19:00.003-05:00

General Motors Plants Set the Standard to Meet the High-Volume of Car Production in the 1950's

How do you sell a couple hundred million cars? Build them properly, and do it on a scale the would had never seen, that's how. Throughout its 100 plus years, General Motors consistently invested its profits in the world's best production engineering and machine tools. Back in the 1960's Gm was able to offer scores of options and color choices with most of its nameplates, and still get it right. That's a car-building machine for the ages.

Great production line video.

A typical universal milling machine of the early 20th century. Suitable for tool room, jobbing, or production use.

Milling is the machining process of using rotary cutters to remove material from a work-piece by advancing (or feeding) in a direction at an angle with the axis of the tool.It covers a wide variety of different operations and machines, on scales from small individual parts to large, heavy-duty gang milling operations. It is one of the most commonly used processes in industry and machine shops today for machining parts to precise sizes and shapes.

Milling Machine

Another great assembly line video. Auto Assembly Line: American Harvest (Revised) 1955 Chevrolet Division GM

1955 Assembly line, True Virgins!

1957 Assembly Line

The Ground Work for a New California Assembly Plant.

Final Assembly on the Line

GM Assembly Plant Campus

Engine Lathes

An Engine Lathe is a common manually operated metal turning lathe. The standard lathe has a stepped pulley or gear box for different spindle speeds, gears to drive the carriage which supports the cutting tools and a tailstock to support long work and to drill holes in work supported in the spindle.

Mechanical Power Press -electrical outlet box Metal Junction box-Progressive Die Stamping Process

Stamp in Action

Metal stamping products

Stamping (also known as pressing) is the process of placing flat sheet metal in either blank or coil form into a stamping press where a tool and die surface forms the metal into a net shape. Stamping includes a variety of sheet-metal forming manufacturing processes, such as punching using a machine press or stamping press, blanking, embossing, bending, flanging, and coining. This could be a single stage operation where every stroke of the press produces the desired form on the sheet metal part, or could occur through a series of stages. The process is usually carried out on sheet metal, but can also be used on other materials, such as polystyrene. Stamping is usually done on cold metal sheet

Body Assembly at the Detroit Cadillac Plant

Body Assembly on a 1957 Sedan.

Assembled GM Cars Ready to be Shipped to Dealers.

1957 Chevrolet Being Unloaded From a Rail Carrier

1957 Bel Air Convertible

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

Car Show Flyer

2016-11-03T18:47:00.001-05:00

3rd Annual Heritage Ranch Car and Truck Show

Saturday 11/19/2016

11am-3pm

Heritage Ranch and Country Club

465 Scenic Ranch Circle

Fairview TX 75069

Time machine Car Shows

I am asking all my car buddies, friends that I have met at car shows and Fellow Mad Dogs to please consider coming to the Heritage Car Show and Make me Look Good( if that can happen). This is where I live and in the past we have had over 100 vehicles show up! There will be food-The restaurant is great. Entry fee portion going to “Meals On Wheels”

Come out and Have some Fun.

Directions: either come north or south on hwy 121 or central exp. 75, exit Stacy rd (I apologize for the construction this year) turn east follow to end and turn left ,at first light turn right, back on Stacey, about 1 mile up on left is entrance to Heritage Ranch. Or you can take 121 till it ends and at first light past central exp turn right on hwy 5. At first light turn left on country club and follow till the next light and turn left onto Stacey rd-about 1 mile up on left is entrance. Be careful and come and Have fun!

Understanding Ball Joint Production Changes in the Tri-Five Chevy

2016-10-29T18:23:00.000-05:00

Understanding Ball Joint Production Changes in the Tri-Five Chevy

Tri-Five Chevys underwent changes to many parts during its reign from 1955 to 1957. Chevy, even made improvement changes to the basic architecture of the frame, suspension, steering, drive train as Chevy’s engineers evaluated and solved construction, maintenance and usage problems. Luckily ,for the Tri-Five Chevy owner and mechanic alike is that the later designed parts will interchange with the earlier design parts.

Today's blog will discuss the upgrades to the lower ball joint.

Beginning with the earliest 1955 model, ball joints went through a series of changes. The first design “lowers” had only four heat-treated rivets on the main face of the control arm.. An additional brace was welded into the arm on the underside to provide support. The ball joint itself did not have any sides. This design was used for only the first few months. Its use was discontinued due to the increased time needed to weld the brace. Later designs have a flange around three sides of the joint, and use six rivets to hold it to the control arm. This design is still used by TRW and MOOG replacement parts.

A special note must be added about the factory lower ball joints. The stud has a loose fit and may have as much as ⅛-inch up and down travel when not installed. The stud did not fully seat in the socket until the pressure of the coil spring was released. Later replacements did not have a much travel and seemed to wear out sooner. Because of these factors, many repair shops replaced the lower ball joint thinking they were worn out, when in fact they were not! Those ball joints have been known to remain usable for at least 35 years.

The upper ball joints from 1955 through 1957, were all riveted to the face of the control arm with heat-treated rivets. The tip of the ball joint resembles a top hat with a rounded dome measuring 1-9/32-inches from the face. The replacements seen today have a very short top measuring ½-inch from the face. Some NOW upper arms have been seen with low-type ball joints riveted to the control arm, though not normally done on assembly line cars. This type of joint was used in 1958, and would have been used for NOS(R) parts. This would not be considered correct on a restored car today.

Factory-installed ball joints were installed on control arms that had already been painted black. Therefore, the ball joint itself was not painted, but left in a oil finish. The rivets are usually black heated-treated but can be natural. The grease cup on the underside of the upper arm was painted black before being riveted in place. Both upper and lower control arm grease fittings are a 90-degree bend style, and point to the front of the car. These should be cadmium plated, The nut is usually heat-treated black, bu may be also be natural; and the cotter pin should be cadmium plated. -By Mike Domoracki, Shop Talk, Bow Times, Volume 1, Number 3, Nov 1992

The BEST way to get a great overview of the changes from year to year can be found in the Historical Brochures-Passenger Car Engineering Achievements for 1955, 56, and 57. These documents address all the technical changes/updates for each new model year...

These documents are found on this site at:

http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103036

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

2016-10-28T23:56:00.000-05:00

1957 Chevy Spotters Guide Photos

The 1957 Chevy Line:

There was a great diversified line-up of twenty passenger cars, including the Corvette, offered by Chevrolet in the 1957 model year. All specific models were carried over from the previous year with the exception; of the nine-passenger Bel Air Station Wagon replacing a six-passanger capacity of previous years of Tri-Fives. There were models of each series, the 2400, the 2100 and the 1500 were distinguished by individualized exterior trim and color areas as well as interior upholstery and appointments.

Seven models were available in the Bel Air series. They were the two-door sedan, Four-door sedan, Two Door Sport Coupe, Four-door Sport sedan, the Convertible, the Nomad and the Four-door, six passenger Station Wagon.

The 2100 series was composed of eight models. The included the Two-door the two-door sedan, Four-door sedan, Two Door Club Coupe, Two-door sport coupe, Four-door sport Sedan, Two-door, six-passenger Station Wagon, Four-door, six-passenger Station Wagon and the Four-door, nine-passenger Station Wagon.

A Two-door Sedan, Four-door Sedan, Utility Sedan and a Two-door, six passenger Station Wagon comprise the 1500 series. The Sedan Delivery was available for commercial use and not included in the passenger car line-up.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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Guns & Hoses Car Show Event Photos

2016-10-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

Guns & Hoses Car Show Event Photos

Photos by Patrick Briney

Photos of the car show call Guns & Hoses held at El Dorado Chevrolet in McKinney. Texas. The show supports fallen police and firefighters families. (Here) is a link to their FaceBook page.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Please use the add link to purchase auto part, books, etc

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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http://www.dallasclassicchevy.com/FeatureCar0509Strong.htm

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Alan Arnell’s Classic Chevy-Classic Auto Biography

2016-10-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Alan Arnell’s

Classic Chevy-Classic Auto Biography

-Alan Arnell

1957 Chevy Bel Air 4-door hard-top painted in Canyon Coral & India Ivory

I became interested in Hot Rods as they were called and not old enough yet to be considered classic cars, because they were just cars in 1965. Classic Car at that time were cars made before World War II, such as the '40 Ford Coupe and the '32 Deuce Coupe.

I was 7 years old in 1965. My mother had a wonderful 1957 Chevy Bel Air 4-door hard-top painted in Canyon Coral & India Ivory with an interior color of black and silver, that I just loved. I wanted my own car to hot rod since that time. That ideas has been the forefront of my mind to this day. This reoccurring theme stayed true my whole life despite the changes and personas a man has to live through during his life in Middle America.

Interior Color of Black and Silver

I lived during my formative years in the late 60’s and late 70’s I lived the Mid-West, watered down version, of the 1950’s Greaser life in a suburb of Peoria, Illinois (called the Lanes) with a little flower power and anti establishment thrown into the mix and without the greasy hair. Yes, we were always a little behind the times in the Lanes, than the the more trendy and influential parts of the USA. We more or less lived the '50s twice. (a reference to the movie Field of Dreams) Nevertheless, even in the Lanes we knew the wet head was dead!

Me in 1976 with my 69 Chevelle

You might already know that Greasers are a working class youth subculture that was popularized in the late 1940s and 1950s by middle and lower class teenagers in the United States. Hot Rod Cars, Rock and roll music, and rockabilly, were major parts of the culture, and styles were influenced by singers like Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Vince Taylor and Ritchie Valens, but the two main figures of the look were Marlon Brando and James Dean. In the 1950s and 1960s, these youths were also known as "hoods," as in "hoodlums." This may be because the style was more popular in poor neighborhoods that had higher crime rates than upper-class neighborhoods.

James Dean in the movie “Rebel Without a Cause”

In the 1950's, Hollywood film characters portrayed by actors such as Marlon Brando and James Dean influenced American greaser culture. American youths were looking for entertainment and identity following the war-hero image of the World War II generation. The 1950's was a boring time for many of America's youths, and the greaser became an individualistic iconic image as a role model to escape boredom. The subculture also featured deviant social behavior influenced by the way films portrayed greasers. Dean represented greaser culture in the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, in which his character is an outcast trying to fit in with his peers while wearing a red windbreaker jacket. This reinforced the notion of individualism even within the social boundaries of greaser culture. Dean epitomized youths' search for identity during the 1950s. Dean's untimely and reckless death made the leather jacket that he frequently wore, even more symbolic of the rebellious greaser seeking adventure.

Individualism or hoodlumism?

The Tri-Five Chevy played a great roll in my emerging love of fast hot rod cars. In 1965 you could buy a 55 for $200 and spend $50 a week made from you part time job, pumping gas for example, and with your buddies in your dad’s garage in a couple months time have a cool life changing car at your disposal. For nearly all of the first century of automobile travel, getting your license meant liberation from parental control, a passport to the open road.

Make it or Break it, Find it or Grind it, Fix your own crap man!

Cars of the late ‘50’s and early 60’s were not as reliable as autos of today. Teens had to work on their cars and therefore had a intimate connection to the mechanics of the vehicle. My friend Carl spent so much time bent over his 1962 Chevy II, I thought he would be permanently bent over that way for the rest of his life. I tore out so many transmissions in my 1969 Malibu-Chevelle that my best friend Ron used to say, “I believe we will find Alan a sleep under that car some morning.”

Too Cool for School!

Some-what like army buddies in a fox hole, working and maintaining hot rod was a bonding activity. Therefore, adversary and strife as well as over overcoming that hardships builds a pride and friendship that is rarely matched by less stressful experiences. Thus, was the heap of crap most of us drove, at least where I grew up. We did not buy a car for reliability and transportation. No, we bought a car for the potential of making a self customized-hot rod that was an expression of your own personal character that was eagerly perceived by others in your age group.

Rich kids-Bogus-Bad Vibes.

Oh! We had rich kids who’s parents bought them the brand new Thunderbird. Yet, they were looked down upon by their peers as not as cool, because they did not build their personal chariot by themselves. If you could build an engine that was faster than the next guy, or paint a custom paint job in your garage you were looked upon as a man among men.

I read an article in the Washington Post that quotes Matt Crawford, a political philosopher at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture who also fabricates components for custom motorcycles. He said:

“Digital enticements are displacing the pleasures of driving, So that whole sense of getting in the car and finding out what’s beyond the next town is less powerful.”

Crawford, 49, fell in love with cars back when drivers often had to deal with mechanical problems. His first few cars were “real beaters” that broke down frequently, requiring him to bang on a stranger’s door and beg for help. “You’d end up interacting with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet,” he says. And knowing your car paid dividends. Braking was a skill. Parking did not involve cameras or computers.

Now, he says, “cars have become virtual reality boxes,” infantilizing the driver. BMW even pipes phony engine noises through its cars’ sound systems to make drivers feel like they’re in charge of a machine that mostly runs itself. Driving these days, Crawford writes, “would seem to promote a kind of regression — back into the womb.”

Maybe car culture is waning, he suggests, because “parents are less authoritarian and want to be your friend.” In other words, the need to rebel isn’t what it used to be."

Candy the Apple 1957 Chevy-AKA The Hell Bitch

I shall now segway into my Hot Rod autobiography. Instead of rewriting the same thing over again, I wish to use what I wrote when my Hod Rodded, candy apple red, with painted flames, 1957 Chevy 150 2-door sedan was featured on www.dallasclassicchevy.com the Dallas Area Classic Chevy’s home Web Page.

I, like many other car enthusiasts, have always remembered which cars made us excited and car crazy during childhood. As you can guess, the start of my obsession with cars began with a 1957 Chevy. I grew up in a coral pink, 4 door hardtop 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air that my parents had from 1958 to 1972.

I can remember being 5 years old and saying “Put it into passing gear, Mama!” She would floor it and kick in the 4-barrel. To make it even better, we lived in Illinois where rust is a real problem, especially with the exhaust system. My Dad, a product of growing up during the Depression-era, would buy the least expensive mufflers, which were called, in those days, “Glasspacks”, which made the 283’s roar a very pleasing tune to my ears. Sadly, even though there was no body rust and the car looked brand new, my father sold it when I was 14 for $150 to buy a truck camper. Back then, in his view, it was just an old car.

When I became interested in cars in 1963, there were several kids that were 10 or more years older than me in the neighborhood that were Hot Rodding '57 Chevys. I used to watch them tearing around the neighborhood in their '57’s with reverse chrome wheels and no front bumper. I was so enamored I even made a plastic model of what my '57 would look like if I had one. Of course it had no front bumper, was painted yellow, with an off centered racing stripe and multiple “STP” and Moon stickers. Forty two years later, I still have that model.

My first car and hot rod I fixed up, a 1969 Chevelle-Malibu

By the time I turned 16 in 1974, most of the Tri-Fives in Illinois were pretty much rusted hulks. So I purchased a 1969 Chevelle. I drove the Chevelle throughout high school and college. When I was 25 in 1983, I went the Corvette route buying a 1978 pace car. I owned the Vette until 1988 when my first child was born.

My 1978 Corvette Pace Car

Fast forward to 2000 and once again that strong desire to have a hot rod came over me. I didn’t want to ride the same path again with a muscle car or a Vette so, I set my sights on my first car love and lust, a 1957 Chevy. When I started looking for a '57, of course I wanted a Bel Air hardtop coupe. I looked in magazines and the newspapers and had no success with that search. As luck would have it, in The Colony, Texas where I live there is a classic auto dealer called Pat’s Auto Sales. I had been going there for years just to look at the cars, as if it were my own little car show. One night I found a dark blue 2 door Bel Air hardtop. I thought about it for a couple of weeks and when I decided to buy the car it had a sold sign on it. Well, I moped around for a day or so and called Pat and said, “If for some reason the sale on the blue '57 doesn’t go through, give me a call because I’m interested.” Pat replied, “I am getting in a yellow and orange flamed candy apple red 57 today for a trade in so why don’t you come on down and have a look?” Candy apple red, I thought, “I’ve always wanted a candy apple red car.”

1957 Chevy 150 2-door Sedan

I went down to have a look and when I arrived at the car lot I immediately liked the flames and the red paint, but it was a post sedan and then I blurted, “What is wrong with the side of that thing?” Pat told me, “This car is a One-Fifty. She doesn’t have the stainless diamonds on the side like the Bel Air or the painted diamonds like the 210. The chrome trim on the side looks somewhat like a 55 Chevy 210.”

I had never seen a car like that before and a One-Fifty was not what I wanted. Even though I went for a test drive and even liked the look of the car’s paint, I passed on buying that day. So, you could say it was not love at first sight. I went home that night with the intention of continuing my search but I started thinking. I love the flames. I love the candy apple red paint. I love the price. And do I really need a Bel Air? With that much needed spark and my wife’s two cents, “Oh, I like that red car much better than the blue one!” the car started growing on me more and more to the point that the next day I went back to Pat’s and plopped down my money and drove her home.

I didn’t do any restoration work on her for a year or more. I just wanted to enjoy driving her every chance I got.

Here is a link to my Dallas Classic Chevy Club Featured Car.

Now in July, 2016 my main thoughts have not really changed since was that toe-headed 7 year old boy in the Lanes in 1965. Even after getting more educational degrees than a thermometer and more chins than a Chinese laundry establishment, 36 years of marriage, raising 2 children, 35 years working in public education, I still want the same basic things for my hobbies. Guitars and Hot Rod Cars! To quote Billy Gibbons Rock of the famous rock band ZZ Top, “Everyone knows cars and guitars go together like tortilla chips and guacamole.” I like chips and that green slime is sooo goooooood!

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

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LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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Special Thanks to San Jose Classic Chevys for this article.

Slammin’

Photos From the GoodGuys Lone Star Car Show 2016

2016-10-02T20:52:00.001-05:00

Photos From the
GoodGuys Lone Star
Car Show 2016

Photo by Patrick Briney

September 30, 2016
Lots going on this morning at the GoodGuys 24 Annual Lone Star Meet. Looks like the weather is really cooperating and there will be about 3,300 cars & trucks here this weekend. I've been lucky and been able to make it out to the event 20 times... I hope to make it 40.

Decoding the Tri-Five Chevy 55 56 57 Passenger Car VIN

2016-09-30T22:47:00.000-05:00

Decoding the Tri-Five Chevy 55 56 57 Passenger Car VIN

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): The VIN tag is located on a stainless steel plate that is spot welded to the driver's side front door jamb. Although, hard to see, Chevrolet also had the vehicle identification number stamped on the frame roughly below the drivers seat.

Decoding the VIN number:

Digit 1 - Model Type

The VIN may be ten or eleven characters long. The letter "V" before the first digit is the eleventh character, and denotes a V8 engine in the 1955 - 1957 cars. For cars originally equipped with a six cylinder engine, the "V" was omitted and the VIN would be only ten characters long rather than eleven..

Code	Years	Series	Model Type
A	55-57	1500	150
B	55-57	2100	210
C	55-57	2400	Bel Air
D	55-57	1508	Sedan Delivery
E	55-57	2934	Corvette

Digits 2-3 - Year Of Vehicle

Code	Year
55	1955
56	1956
57	1957

Digit 4 - Assembly Plant

Code	Assembly Plant
A	Atlanta, GA
B	Baltimore, MD
F	Flint, MI
J	Janesville, WI
K	Kansas City, MO
L	Los Angeles, CA
N	Norwood, OH
O	Oakland, CA
S	St. Louis, MO
T	Tarrytown, NY

Digit 5+ - Sequence Number

Each plant used their own sequence numbers and usually started with number - 001001 for 1955 and 1956, and 10001 for 1957. This number became the car's serial number.

The format, and possibly the content of this article has been modified.

More

	55 Chevy ID Numbers
	VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER
	Located on the plate on the left front door hinge pillar post. The 8cylinder vehicles have a "V" preceding the first digit.
	FIRST DIGIT: Identifies the series and model

CODE	MODEL - SERIES
A	One-Fifty, 6cyl - 1500
VB	One-Fifty, 8cyl - 1500
B	Two-Ten, 6-cyl - 2100
VB	Two-Ten, 8-cyl - 2100
C	Bel Air, 6-cyl - 2400
VC	Bel Air, 8-cyl - 2400
D	Sedan delivery, 6-cyl - 1508
E	Corvette, 6cyl - 2934
VE	Corvette, 8cyl - 2934

	SECOND AND THIRD DIGITS: Identify the model year -1955

	FOURTH DIGIT: Identifies the assembly plant

CODE	ASSEMBLY PLANT
A	Atlanta, GA
B	Baltimore, MD
F	Flint, MI
J	Janesville, WI
K	Kansas City, MO
L	Los Angeles, CA
O	Oakland, CA
S	St Louis, MO
T	Tarrytown, NY
N	Norwood, OH
	LAST SIX DIGITS: Represent the basic production number


	BODY NUMBER PLATE
	Located on the right hand side of the cowl.
	THE STYLE NUMBER indicates the model and body style.

BEL AIR
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011D	2-Dr. sedan
1019D	4-Dr. sedan
1037D	Sport coupe
1062DF	Station wagon (Beauville)
1064DF	Station wagon (Nomad)
1067D	Convertible

ONE-FIFTY
CODE	BODY STYLE
1211	2-Dr. sedan
1211B	Utility sedan
1219	4-Dr. sedan
1263F	Station wagon (Handyman)
1271	Sedan delivery

TWO-TEN
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011	2-Dr. sedan
1019	4-Dr. sedan
1011A	Club coupe
1037	Sport coupe
1062F	Station wagon (Townsman)
1063F	Station wagon (Handyman)

CORVETTE
CODE	BODY STYLE
2934	2-Dr.

	THE BODY NUMBER is the production serial number of the body.
	THE COLOR CODE indicates the paint color used on the car.

	SINGLE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
585	Onyx Black
586	Sea Mist Green
587	Neptune Green
588	Skyline Blue
589	Glacier Blue
590	Copper Maroon
591	Shoreline Beige
592	Autumn Bronze
593	India Ivory
594	Shadow Gray
596	Gypsy Red
598	Regal Turquoise
626	Coral
630	Harvest Gold
683	Cashmere Blue
*	Polo White
*	Harvest Gold
*	Gypsy Red
*	Corvette Copper
	*Corvette

	TWO-TONE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
599	Sea Mist Green/Neptune Green
600	Skyline Blue/Glacier Blue
601	Neptune Green/Shoreline Beige
602	India Ivory/Skyline Blue
603	Autumn Bronze/Shoreline Beige
604	Neptune Green/Sea Mist Green
605	India Ivory/Sea Mist Green
606	Shoreline Beige/Autumn Bronze
607	Glacier Blue/Shoreline Beige
608	India Ivory/Onyx Black....
610	Glacier Blue/Skyline Blue
612	India Ivory/Regal Turquoise
613	Shoreline Beige/Neptune Green
614	Shoreline Beige/Glacier Blue
615	Shoreline Beige/Gypsy Red
617	India Ivory/Gypsy Red
624	India Ivory/Shadow Gray
627	Shadow Gray/Coral
628	Onyx Black/India Ivory
629	India Ivory/Coral
631	India Ivory/Harvest Gold
682	India Ivory/Cashmere Blue
684	India Ivory/Navajo Tan
685	India Ivory/Dusk Rose

	THE TRIM CODE indicates the key to the trim color and material for each model series.

CODE	COLOR
500	Gray
547	Gray/Black
506	Blue/Beige
507	Green/Beige
508	Black/ivory
503	Blue
504	Green
505	Tan/Brown
509	Blue
510	Green
511	Brown/Beige
513	Turquoise/ivory
531	Gray/Coral
549	Gray/ivory
525	Red/Beige
526	Green
527	Blue
528	Brown/Beige
533	Gray/Coral
537	Truquoise/lvory
551	Gray/ivory
519	Beige/Blue
520	Beige/Green
521	Beige/Red
522	Beige/Turquoise
532	Gray/Coral
550	Gray/Ivory
514	Blue/Beige
515	Green
516	Brown/Beige
517

1956

	56 Chevy ID Numbers
	VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER
	Located on the plate on the left front door hinge pillar post. The 8cylinder vehicles have a "V" preceding the first digit.
	FIRST DIGIT: Identifies the series and model
CODE	MODEL - SERIES
A	One-Fifty, 6cyl - 1500
VB	One-Fifty, 8cyl - 1500
B	Two-Ten, 6-cyl - 2100
VB	Two-Ten, 8-cyl - 2100
C	Bel Air, 6-cyl - 2400
VC	Bel Air, 8-cyl - 2400
D	Sedan delivery, 6-cyl - 1508
VD	Sedan delivery, 8-cyl - 1508
VE	Corvette, 8cyl - 2934

	SECOND AND THIRD DIGITS: Identify the model year -1956
	FOURTH DIGIT: Identifies the assembly plant
CODE	ASSEMBLY PLANT
A	Atlanta, GA
B	Baltimore, MD
F	Flint, MI
J	Janesville, WI
K	Kansas City, MO
L	Los Angeles, CA
O	Oakland, CA
S	St Louis, MO
T	Tarrytown, NY
N	Norwood, OH
	LAST SIX DIGITS: Represent the basic production number

	BODY NUMBER PLATE
	Located on the right hand side of the cowl.
	THE STYLE NUMBER indicates the model and body style.
BEL AIR
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011D	2-Dr. sedan
1019D	4-Dr. sedan
1037D	Sport coupe
1039D	Sport sedan
1062DF	Station wagon (Beauville)
1064DF	Station wagon (Nomad)
1067D	Convertible

ONE-FIFTY
CODE	BODY STYLE
1211	2-Dr. sedan
1211B	Utility sedan
1219	4-Dr. sedan
1263F	Station wagon (Handyman)
1271	Sedan delivery

TWO-TEN
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011	2-Dr. sedan
1019	4-Dr. sedan
1011A	Club coupe
1037	Sport coupe
1039	Sport sedan
1062F	Station wagon (Townsman)
1062FC	Station wagon (Beuaville)
1063F	Station wagon (Handyman)

CORVETTE
CODE	BODY STYLE
2934	2-Dr.

	THE BODY NUMBER is the production serial number of the body.
	THE COLOR CODE indicates the paint color used on the car.

	SINGLE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
687	Onyx Black
688	Pinecrest Green
690	Sherwood Green
691	Nassau Blue
692	Harbor Blue
693	Dusk Plum
694	India Ivory
695	Crocus Yellow
697	Matador Red
698	Twilight Turquoise
749	Tropical Turquoise
750	Calypso Cream
752	Inca Silver
*	Onyx Black/Silver Panel
*	Aztec Copper/Beige Panel
*	Cascade Green/Beige Panel
*	Artic Blue/Silver Panel
*	Venetian Red/Beige Panel
*	Polo White/Imperial Ivory Panel
	*Corvette

	TWO-TONE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
696	Crocus Yellow/Onyx Black
700	Sierra Gold/Adobe Beige
701	India Ivory/Onyx Black.
702	Sherwood Green/Pinecrest Green
703	Harbor Blue/Nassau Blue
705	India Ivory/Pinecrest Green
706	India Ivory/Sherwood Green
707	India Ivory/Nassau Blue
708	India Ivory/Dusk Plum
710	India Ivory/Twilight Turquoise
711	India Ivory/Matador Red
715	Matador Red/Dune Beige
717	Crocud Yellow/Laurel Green
721	India Ivory/Dawn Gray
754	India Ivory/Tropical Turquoise
755	Calypso Cream/Onyx Black
756	Grecian Gold/Calypso Cream
757	Inca Silver/Imperial Ivory
763	Matador Red/Adobe Beige
	Note : The first color is the upper body color, the second is the lower body color

	THE TRIM CODE indicates the key to the trim color and material for each model series.
CODE	COLOR
560	Gold
567	Black/Ivory
568	Ggreen/Ivory
569	Turquoise/Ivory
564	Charcoal
565	Green
566	Blue
573	Charcoal/Ivory
574	Green
575	Blue
577	Turquoise
578	Charcoal/Yellow
617	Copper/Tan
626	Charcoal/Cream
602	Charcoal/Ivory
603	Turquoise/Ivory
604	Charcoal/Yellow
605	Red/Ivory
606	Green
607	Blue
621	Copper/Tan
631	Charcoal/Cream
579,610	Charcoal/Ivory
629,633,628	Red Taupe/Red
630,632,627	Charcoal Yellow/Cream
611	Charcoal/Ivory
580,590	Green
581,591	Blue
593	Red
584,587,594	Turquoise
585,588,595	Charcoal/Yellow
618,619,620	Tan/Copper
570	Green
572	Turquoise

1957

	57 Chevy ID Numbers
	VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER
	Located on the plate on the left front door hinge pillar post. The 8cylinder vehicles have a "V" preceding the first digit.
	FIRST DIGIT: Identifies the series and model
CODE	MODEL - SERIES
A	One-Fifty, 6cyl - 1500
VA	One-Fifty, 8cyl - 1500
B	Two-Ten, 6-cyl - 2100
VB	Two-Ten, 8-cyl - 2100
C	Bel Air, 6-cyl - 2400
VC	Bel Air, 8-cyl - 2400
D	Sedan delivery, 6-cyl - 1508
VD	Sedan delivery, 8-cyl - 1508
VE	Corvette, 8cyl - 2934

	SECOND AND THIRD DIGITS: Identify the model year -1957
	FOURTH DIGIT: Identifies the assembly plant
CODE	ASSEMBLY PLANT
A	Atlanta, GA
B	Baltimore, MD
F	Flint, MI
J	Janesville, WI
K	Kansas City, MO
L	Los Angeles, CA
O	Oakland, CA
S	St Louis, MO
T	Tarrytown, NY
N	Norwood, OH
W	Willow Run, MI

	LAST SIX DIGITS: Represent the basic production number

	BODY NUMBER PLATE
	Located on the right hand side of the cowl.
	THE STYLE NUMBER indicates the model and body style.
BEL AIR
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011D	2-Dr. sedan
1019D	4-Dr. sedan
1037D	Sport coupe
1039D	4-Dr Sport sedan
1062DF	Station wagon (Townsman)
1064DF	Station wagon (Nomad)
1067D	Convertible

ONE-FIFTY
CODE	BODY STYLE
1211	2-Dr. sedan
1211B	Utility Sedan
1219	4-Dr. sedan
1263F	Station wagon (Handyman)
1271	Sedan delivery

TWO-TEN
CODE	BODY STYLE
1011	2-Dr. sedan
1019	4-Dr. sedan
1011A	Club coupe
1037	Sport coupe
1039	Sport sedan
1062F	Station wagon (Townsman)
1062FC	Station wagon (Beauville)
1063F	Station wagon (Handyman)

CORVETTE
CODE	BODY STYLE
2934	2-Dr.

	THE BODY NUMBER is the production serial number of the body.
	THE COLOR CODE indicates the paint color used on the car.

	SINGLE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
793	Onyx Black
794	Imperial Ivory
795	Larkspur Blue
796	Harbor Blue
797	Surf Green
798	Highland Green
799	Tropical Turquoise
800	Colonial Cream
801	Canyon Coral
802	Matador Red.
803	Coronado Yellow
804	Inca Silver
805	Sierra Gold
806	Adobe Beige
821	Dusk Pearl
823	Laurel Green

	CORVETTE
CODE	COLOR
704	Onyx Black
709	Aztec Copper
712	Cascade Green
713	Arctic Blue.
714	Venetian Red
718	Polo White

	TWO-TONE COLORS
CODE	COLOR
807	India Ivory/Onyx Black
808	Imperial Ivory/lnca Silver
809	Harbor Blue/Larkspur Blue
810	India Ivory/Larkspur Blue
811	India Ivory/Tropical Turquoise
812	Surf Green/Highland Green
813	India Ivory/Surf Green
814	India Ivory/Coronado Yellow
815	Colonial Cream/Onyx Black
816	Colonial Cream/India Ivory
817	India Ivory/Canyon Coral
818	Adobe Beige/Sierra Gold
819	India Ivory/Matador Red
820	Colonial Cream/Laurel Green
822	Dusk Pearl/Imperial Ivory
	Note : The first color is the upper body color, the second is the lower body color

	THE TRIM CODE indicates the key to the trim color
CODE	COLOR
650	Black/Gray
651,652	Black/Gray
653	Green/Gray
654	Charcoal/Ivory
655	Green
656	Blue
657	Charcoal/Ivory
658	Green
659	Beige/Copper
660	Charcoal/Ivory
661	Green
662	Copper/Beige
663	Black/Silver
664	Black/Green
665	Black/Blue
666	Black/Turquoise
667	Black/Copper/Beige
668	Black/Yellow
669	Black/Red
670	Black/Silver
671	Black/Green
672	Black/Blue
673	Black/Turquoise
674	Black/Copper/Beige
675	Black/Yellow
676	Black/Red
677	Silver/Ivory
678	Green
679	Blue
680	Turquoise/Ivory
681	Copper/Beige
682	Silver/Yellow
683	Silver/Red
684	Black/Silver
685	Green
686	Black/Blue
687	Black/Turquoise
688	Black/Copper/Beige
689	Black/Yellow
690	Black/Red
691	Black/Silver
692	Black/Green
693	Black/Blue
694	Black/Turquoise
695	Black/Copper/Beige
696	Black/Yellow
697	Black/Red

From http://www.bestintexas.com/

2016-09-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Vintage Car Show

at Southfork Ranch which was;

Used in the Filming of the TV Show "Dallas"

Plano, Texas

Around 1994

Photos by Alan Arnell

A car similar to my first car a 1941 Chevy Deluxe

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My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

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Videos: Offbeat Muscle Cars, Muscle Cars That Made Way More Horsepower Than Advertised, Fastest American-Made Cars

2016-09-28T09:30:00.000-05:00

8 of the Most Obscure, Offbeat Muscle Cars

Most car enthusiasts know about Chevelles and Barracudas, but these cars are equally fantastic.

This video features 8 of the Most Obscure, Offbeat Muscle Cars. If you wanna see 8 of the Most Obscure, Offbeat Muscle Cars watch this video and hit the like button.

8 Most Powerful Classic Muscle Cars That Made Way More Horsepower Than Advertised

This video features 8 Most Powerful Classic Muscle Cars That Made Way More Horsepower Than Advertised. If you wanna know which are 8 Most Powerful Classic Muscle Cars That Made Way More Horsepower Than Advertised watch this video and if you like the video hit the like button.

10 of the Fastest American-Made Cars

This video features 10 of the Fastest American-Made Cars. If you wanna know which are Fastest American-Made Cars watch this video and if you like the video hit the like button.

Vintage Car Show Photos

2016-09-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

Vintage Car Show Photos
July 1982
Hosted by the Slowpokes
Held at Detweiller Park
Peoria, Illinois

-Photos taken by Alan Arnell-

Back in the day it was harder to take photos of a car show. I used a 35mm Cannon AE-1 SLR camera will real film. You only had 24 shots on a roll, so you had to be selective in which cars you chose to photograph. There was no Photoshop to crop or make the color better. You had to do it all setting up the camera when taking the pictures. Then when you exposed your film you had to send it off to a processing plant and have the pictures mailed back. The whole process from buying the film to having it printed cost about $10. Does not sound like much today, however as a first year teacher I only made $10 an hour. It is much better today with my digital Cannon Rebel camera. I have a memory card where I can take several hundred pictures and post on the internet for free. You can see that on the last 3 photos some how I exposed the film to a light source by the glow in the picture. I remember, I also lost a half dozen pictures in that roll due to unwanted light on the film. Please enjoy my first real car show as a newly employed adult.

LINK to General Information for Texas Classic Chevy Experience

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

LINK to where it all began at post number 1, " Texas Classic Chevy Experience-The Beginning"

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook: LINK to FaceBook

My winning Peel Out at the 2011 Lone Star Classic Convention in Dallas

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Classic Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and More.

LINK TO NORTH TEXAS CAR SHOWS AND EVENTS

*********************

A Great Tri5 Chat Board