Chevy’s second major postwar restyling came in 1953, and with it came new models and some mechanical refinements.
Townsman Two-Ten Station Wagon
“Entirely NEW throughout!” the advertisements exclaimed. The fresh exterior sheet metal of the 1953 Chevrolet was actually the combined effort of Ed Glowacke, the division’s departing (to Cadillac) chief stylist, and his replacement Clare MacKichan, who would remain in the post through 1962. And while the car wasn’t really new inside or underneath, it included a number of significant refinements. There was early consideration given to launching a V8 for ’53, but it wouldn’t be ready until late ’54 for the ’55 model year.
Bel Air Sport Coupe Cabin
With the old Fleetline and Styline models dropped for ’53, the new designations were One-Fifty, Two-Ten, and Bel Air, with the deluxe Bel Air line expanded to include not just the Sport Coupe but a Convertible and 2-Door and 4-Door Sedans. Meanwhile, the pillarless Sport Coupe and Convertible were now also available in the mid-range Two-Ten line. All told, there were 16 different body style and trim level combinations. Of course, the Bel Air Sport Coupe with its reversed C-pillars was the star of the show. And at only $84 more than the Two-Ten hardtop ($2,051 vs $1967), the Bel Air outsold the Two-Ten by a seven-to-one margin.
One-Fifty Business Coupe
Although the Fleetline fastback (the last gasp of the GM streamliner era) was discontinued, another somewhat dated body style carried forward in ’53: the short-roofed, long-decked Club Coupe. Available as a stripped-down Business Coupe (above) or a Club Coupe in the One-Fifty line and a Club Coupe in Two-Ten trim, the close-coupled coupes sold in far smaller numbers than the conventional Sedans, and this would be the final year for the once-popular style.
There were two different versions of the Cast Iron Wonder, the Chevy inline six, offered in ’53, both displacing 235 cubic inches. The Thrift King was rated at 105 hp and available only with a manual transmission, while the Blue Flame Six featured a drilled crankshaft, aluminum pistons, and hydraulic valve lifters. Rated at 115 hp, the Blue Flame was standard equipment with the $178 Powerglide automatic transmission, which now included a throttle-kickdown downshift. Power steering was also available for the first time in ’53 for $135.
Two-Ten Sport Coupe
Despite the new sheet metal, 1953 is typically regarded as a sleepy year for the bow-tie brand, and that’s probably fair. Chevrolet has been seen as coasting on its dominant market position rather than capitalizing on it in ’53-’54. Still, Chevrolet maintained its number one spot in U.S. sales in 1953 at 1.47 million units, as Ford trailed by more than 250,000 cars. However, by 1954 Chevrolet and Ford were essentially in a dead heat. Chevrolet would then shake things up with the truly new ’55 models and the small-block V8.
The Chevrolet story for 1953 would not be complete without including the Corvette (below). Introduced on January 17, 1953 at the GM Motorama in New York, it went into production in June with only 300 hand-built that year. Hobbled in part by its Blue Flame six and Powerglide transmission, the Corvette got off to a rocky start, but that too would change with the introduction of the small-block V8.
Corvette
I’ve always wondered who designed the original Corvette. No, not Harley Earl. I mean the artist who penned the shape. Carl Renner and Chuck Jordan have been mentioned. Anyone know?
It makes an interesting “what if?” If there had been a half baked ’53 Chevy V8 that had stumbled off the block – would it have caught up with itself, been recalled and shoved under the rug like the Copper-Cooled, or been one of those GM ideas like so many that followed where they got it sorted out only to drop it the next year because the reputation had been trashed by the early ones?
On another note, the club/business coupe must have dropped off fast to have been worth facelifting for ’53 but not worth keeping in the line for the final year of the design cycle in ’54. Even the 2 door Jeep Cherokee made it to the end of production.
Probably not a “what if” that would have ever happened. Chevrolet had that nice 250,000 unit cushion over Ford, so they could take the time to get the effort right. Plus it wasn’t just sales, used car resale values for Chevrolet were significantly higher than for Ford or Plymouth (my father was a Chevrolet dealer back then, I got used to this) so GM was in a good enough position to give them that luxury.
As a pimply-faced four-eyed messmaker tweener, I have vague memories of helping a gearhead neighbor shoehorn/cobble a 283 and hydro into a ’53 Chevy. I do remember everything was in the way especially the steering box, exhaust, starter, oil filter and doghouse sheetmetal. The torque tube had to go and the rear axle was replaced too. If Chevy had any dreams of introducing the mouse motor V8 for 1953 (or ’54), it would not have been in this car…
I never was a fan of the 53-54 restyle, I much preferred the 49-52 styling. Interesting article.
The 53-54 looked like the 52 after it put on a few pounds. It would take another generation to reach a modern, slab-sided design, which Ford had in 1949.
Part of the problem Chevrolet (and Pontiac) faced during 1953 and 1954 that–while a V-8 was being worked on by both divisions–Buick was introducing its V-8 in Super and Roadmaster models while wringing another year out of its straight-eight in the Specials to amortize the cost of its recently revised engine. To borrow the 1955 ad campaign, Buick didn’t want Chevy or Pontiac to “steal the thunder” from their new V-8!
The 53-54 Chevrolet design couldn’t hold a candle to the 52-53-54 Ford. Neither could the 53-54 Plymouth.
I like the 1953 B-Bodies (Oldsmobile, Buick) and their updates (1954?) but I don’t care for the Pontiacs and Chevrolets. They look over-inflated and stodgy. The ’53 to ’55 Corvettes are not my cup of tea either. To my way of thinking, the 1956 Chryslers were the start of Detroit’s 2nd classic era.
Nevertheless, I’m interested in every article that Mac publishes. Even the Executive Briefings usually have at least one thing that interests me.
My grandfather’s second new car was a ’53 Bel Air, India Ivory over Sungold. Can’t remember if it was a two door or four. He must’ve had a good couple of years farming because he also bought a new 3600 pickup with the five window cab that year. Both purchased at Wessler Brothers Chevrolet in Arenzville, Illinois.
Another great article from MMG.