Gold 1955 Chevy Chassis Build For Tribute Of 50 Millionth Vehicle

As work continues on the gold 1955 Chevy tribute to the General Motors 50 millionth vehicle produced in the fall of 1954, the team of Tri-Five Chevy enthusiasts’ focus is on the chassis and driveline. Because there were three gold 1955 Chevy vehicles produced for the various events (see Part One), the under-construction tribute car is patterned after the third vehicle that was produced. That is the actual 50 millionth GM vehicle featured in the parade celebration; it disappeared without a trace afterward.

The gold 1955 Chevy tribute team, from left: Joe Whitaker, Steve Blades, Kenny Snodgrass (orange shirt), Mike Wisnewski (yellow shirt) and Kenny Snodgrass.

The gold 1955 Chevy tribute build is a collaboration of Tri-Five authorities – Joe Whitaker, co-owner of Real Deal Steel in Sanford, Florida; Snodgrass Chevy Restoration in Melbourne, Florida; and Kentucky-based Steve Blades, a Tri-Five enthusiast, owner, restorer, and dedicated historian. Other restoration specialists are also contributing to the build.

The Chassis For The Gold 1955 Chevy Tribute

The chassis and driveline for the gold 1955 Chevy tribute project is a combination of original pieces and aftermarket components. Most, if not all, of the original pieces are correct for the October/November 1954 period when the actual gold 1955 Chevy 50 millionth vehicle was manufactured. Because the 1955 Chevy was so different from previous years, Chevrolet made running changes during the 1955 model production run.

For example, the radiator core support on the first ‘55s was modified after the first few months of production. The original, gold 1955 Chevy had the early-production support. Reproduction pieces are the later-model version and early, original supports are almost impossible to find. To maintain the historical accuracy of the gold 1955 Chevy tribute car, Randy Irwin, a co-owner of Real Deal Steel, started with a stock reproduction support from Golden Star Classic Auto Parts. He fabricated the L-shaped reinforcement braces that were attached with rivets. He also added the “C” stamping that is on the original core supports as well as the “P” on the center top bar.

A bare, reproduction chassis from Golden Star Classic Auto Parts is fitted with original pieces as well as reproduction parts. Springs, A-arms, brackets – even correct October 1954-dated spiral shock absorbers – came from Steve Blades’ extensive collection of vintage Tri-Five parts.

All of the chassis and its components were meticulously restored, painted, and assembled by the crew at Snodgrass Chevy Restoration. The steering column, steering wheel, and dash came from one of the 5,000, four-door, gold ’55 Chevy Bel Airs that GM originally produced for distribution to thousands of Chevy dealers as part of the celebration. Those were standard assembly-line models, painted with a special gold, but not the custom mix that was used on the true, gold 1955 Chevy.

Fuel lines, brake components, and the exhaust system were provided by Shafer Classic Reproductions, including pipes, mufflers, clamps, hangers, and more. The constant attention to correctness meant focusing on details that most observers would never notice.

We even put the correct cut on the tailpipe as was shown on the original car! – Steve Blades, Chevy Historian

A Date-Correct Small-Block V-8

A date-correct, 265 cubic-inch block was restored to October 1954 specs by Tim Weber, a Central Florida-based Tri-Five enthusiast and machinist. The rebuilt engine includes several internal NOS pieces, including NOS pistons and head gaskets.

Chevy’s iconic small-block V-8 debuted in the 1955 models, and as is the case for many new engines, early versions were constantly upgraded to improve performance, fix quality issues, or just reduce manufacturing costs. For instance, the oil pickup was substantially different in early versions of the V-8.

“Early 265s had a swing-arm oil pump. Instead of the pickup arm being fixed, it floated up and down,” Blades says. “They changed it because they were too expensive. I had one, so we put that in the engine. Even the oil pickup is correct to the date of that car.”

The drive for historically accurate parts turned up several NOS pieces, including the distributor cap, rotor, and points; even the lead wire on the distributor.

Stock steel wheels were restored and wrapped in US Royal whitewall tires supplied by Coker Tire. Original-style, full Bel Air wheel covers are gold plated, along with the hundreds of other pieces that were originally gold plated and are being plated for the tribute car.

The rolling chassis and a collection of gold-plated pieces that will be used on the car as well as other 50th Anniversary Celebration memorabilia were displayed on December 5, 2023, at the Holiday Walk event at the Sloan Museum of Discovery in Flint, Michigan. The completed car will be displayed at the Detroit Autorama, March 1-3, 2024.

A Facebook group – 1955 Chevrolet 50,000,000th GM Gold Cars – started earlier this year is drawing attention from Tri-Five fans. From offers of parts and information to questions and positive comments, group participation grows as more enthusiasts learn about this historic and ongoing project. In the next installment, we’ll focus on the body and interior of the golden Chevy, including how the one-of-a-kind, original, NOS interior material was sourced and assembled by the team at Ciadella Interiors in Arizona. Stay tuned to ChevyHardcore.com to keep updated as this gold 1955 tribute to GM’s 50 millionth vehicle comes together.