1951 Chevrolet
By 50 | September 11th, 2008 | Category: 1949-52, Model Information by Year | No Comments »At first glance, it might seem that the newest thing about the 1951 model year was the advertising slogan “See the USA in your Chevrolet” seen in magazine ads, news print and heard on television in a song by Dinah Shore.
The Chevrolet Division of General Motors did a very stylish job of mildly face-lifting the very successful 1949 Chevrolet and 1950 Chevrolet body style line up.
Often restyling a car in its third or fourth year of production brought dreary results. But not in the case of the 1951 Chevrolet Bel Air, Convertible, Styleline and Fleetline models.
The new 1951 Chevy grille was daring and simpler, pointing the way to even larger, more massive air intakes in the years to come. Yet the new 1951 Chevrolet Grille, with it’s wide-set parking lights and Chevy script, was not clumsy or overdone. The same line up of body styles continued as in 1950. The style leader of the 1951 Chevrolet line was now the Bel Air hardtop and convertible without question. It was America’s largest and finest low priced car with that longer, lower and wider big car look and with the beauty, comfort and safety.
All Deluxe models had a stainless steel molding starting above the fender and extending onto the doors. A deluxe name plate was mounted on each front fender. The stainless trim on the side of the 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe models was moved lower on the body to make the entire car look lower. Styleline Specials and Fleetline Specials had no chrome body strips or name plates. The only sheet metal changes made on the 1951 Chevy was the contour of the rear fenders.
You’ll like its longer, lower, wider Big-Car Look! claimed one 1951 Chevy Belair magazine ad. Measure up to the most value… Most length, most weight, most fine-car features! said another. Yet another magazine ad described the 1951 Chevy as – Longest, Heaviest in its Field… with more fine features you want!
The rear taillights were squared off and moved from their inboard location to a more prominent place on the back of the fender. Moving the taillights out made the rear look wider.
On the Deluxe models there was a strip of chrome running forward from the taillight along the top of the fender. Stainless steel trim strips which had outlined the rear fenders on the 1950 Chevy Deluxe models was deleted.
The two piece windshield was still there, with the one piece not adopted until used on the 1953 Chevrolet. Drivers also faced a redesigned instrument panel and great looking new interiors.