1959 Chevrolet Biscayne Series

The Chevrolet Biscayne made its debut in 1958, having been preceded by a concept car dubbed the Biscayne XP-37 Sedan in 1955. It was a four-door, four-passenger, pillarless hardtop that was described as 'an exploration in elegance.' The daring concept wore long fairings on the headlamps, a series of vertical grille bars baked by fine mesh, distinctive side coves that wrapped around the rear, and a panoramic windshield. The Biscayne Concept hinted at a few future Corvette styling nuances, the essence of the Chevy Corvair is evident in rear views, and various styling elements would influence future GM vehicles well into the 1960s (including the Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado Brougham). Prominently featured beneath the bonnet was the company's new 265 cubic-inch V8 engine.

The production Biscayne that arrived in 1958 and lasted until 1972 (United States market; Canadian market through 1975) was part of Chevrolet's full-size sedan fleet that included the Bel Air, Impala, and Delray. Initially, it was an affordable family sedan that catered to comfort and convenience, and its practicality made it popular with families. Most examples were powered by six-cylinder engines through the late 1960s, but the V8 engine grew in popularity by the early 1970s.

Body styles included a two- and four-door sedan, and a four-door station wagon was offered between 1962 and 1968. The Chevrolet Brookwood wagon was the Biscayne equivalent both before and after this period.

Chevrolet Brookwood Station Wagon

The Brookwood station wagon was first seen in 1958 and formed part of Chevrolet's new lineup for 1959, which the company proudly advertised as 'All New, All Over Again'. These new 'Streamline Design' Chevrolets were larger than previous models, with dramatic styling elements that consisted of flat wing-shaped tail fins (known as 'Spread Wing'), low-slung headlights, a new front grille, and cat's eye tail lights. The 'Spread Wing' and the 'cast eye' lights give the 1959 models a very distinctive appearance.

The Brookwood was part of the entry-level Biscayne series and offered with either a 235.5 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine or a 283 cubic-inch V8, with a range of higher-performance V8 power units offered as options.

Both the two- and four-door Brookwood station wagon could accommodate six passengers.

1958 Chevy Biscayne

The 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne was positioned above the Delray and below the Bel Air. The Delray four-door sedan was priced at $2,155, the Biscayne at $2,290, and the Bel Air at $2,440p. The Delray was discontinued for 1959, with the Biscayne becoming the new 'entry-level' full-size Chevy model.

The 1958 Chevrolet vehicles wore 'one-year-only' styling that was longer, lower, and wider than the cars of 1957. Two fuel-injected versions of the 283 CID V8 were again offered, and both were identical to the fuel-injected engines in the 1958 Corvette, barring the air cleaner and valve covers. The 348 cubic-inch 'Turbo Thrust' engine was introduced in 1958, Chevy's second-generation V8. It was called the 'W' engine, referring to the shape of its valve covers. Eventually, it evolved into the legendary '409.'

Riding upon General Motors' all-new X-member 'Safety Girder' frame design, Chevy bodies wore Motorama dream car-inspired stylistic cues and were described in company advertisements as 'Sculpturamic Styling.' Features included quad headlamps, neatly coved rear fenders, sculpted rear decks, and bold body-side accent trim. The cargo capacity in the trunk compartments of the coupes, convertibles, and sedans offered 25 cubic feet of space, while station wagons were capable of seating up to nine plus cargo.

The Delray, Biscayne, and Bel Air model lines were carefully segmented, with each higher level receiving increasing levels of trim, standard powertrains, and comfort and convenience amenities. The top-of-the-line Bel Air series was joined in 1958, for the first time, by the sporty, high-style Impala in two-door Sport Coupe and Sport Convertible forms. Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole summed up the Impala and its market position best, stating it was a '...prestige car within reach of the average American citizen.' The Impala became a separate, top-of-the-line series in 1959.

1959 Chevrolet Biscayne (Second Generation)

Chevrolet made their 1959 models even longer, lower, and wider than before, with the most distinguishing styling feature being the 'bat wing fenders' and 'laid over' tailfins (a.k.a. 'gull-wing' taillights) forming 'brows' over the 'cat's eye' taillight. Responding to Chrysler's dramatic 'Forward Look' styling, the 1959 Chevys were two inches longer, one inch lower, and three inches wider, with thin-section roofs on sedans and coupes. Chevrolet described these two body styles as having a 'crisp-lined hardtop highlighted by wrap-over back window for an almost unlimited rear view.' Drivetrains were little changed from the previous year as was the new-for-'58 X-member chassis with four-link rear suspension. The new Safety-Master brakes with air-cooled drums provided twenty-seven percent more bonded lining area.

The entry-level Biscayne wore only front fender-side moldings, while the mid-range Bel Air series had full-length body-side moldings with a painted insert. The top-of-the-line Impala had painted inserts with a crossed-flag emblem. Standard equipment on the Biscayne were electric wipers, oil bath air cleaner (V8 engines), and rear foam cushions. The Bel Air added front foam seat cushions, a Deluxe steering wheel, and a power tailgate on the Kingswood wagon. The Impala added dual sliding sun visors, aluminum trim, and an electric clock.

The Biscayne was offered as a two-door sedan priced at $2,247, a four-door sedan at $2,300, and a two-door utility sedan at $2,160. The two-door Brookwood station wagon was priced at $2,570, and the four-door version at $2,640. Substituting the base V8 in place of the standard six boosted the base price by approximately $100.

Engines

The standard six-cylinder engine was a 235.5 cubic-inch unit with a cast-iron block, overhead valves, four main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Rochester two-barrel carburetor, 8.25:1 compression, and 135 horsepower at 4,000 RPM.

The standard eight-cylinder engine was a 283 cubic-inch unit with a cast-iron block and head, overhead valves, 8.5:1 compression, a Rochester two-barrel carburetor, hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, and produced 185 horsepower at 4,600 RPM and 275 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 RPM.

The 'Super Turbo-Fire' 283 CID V8 had 9.5:1 compression, dual exhaust, dual Carter four-barrel carburetors, and produced 230 horsepower at 4,800 RPM and 300 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 RPM.

The 'Ram-Jet' fuel-injected 283 CID V8 had a Rochester fuel injection system, dual exhaust, 9.5:1 compression, and produced 250 bhp at 5000 RPM and 305 lb-ft at 3,800 RPM.

The 'Special Ram-Jet' fuel-injected 283 CID V8 had a Rochester fuel injection system, dual exhaust, 10.5:1 compression, and produced 290 bhp at 6,200 RPM.

The 'Turbo-Thrust' 348 CID V8 had dual exhaust, a Carter four-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, 9.5:1 compression, and produced 250 bhp at 4,400 RPM and 355 lb-ft at 2,800 RPM.

The 'Super Turbo Thrust' 348 CID V8 had dual exhaust, three Rochester two-barrel carburetors, 9.5:1 compression, hydraulic valve lifters, and delivered 280 bhp at 4,800 RPM and 355 lb-ft at 3,200 RPM.

The 'Special Turbo-Thrust' 348 CID V8 (GD) had dual exhaust, a Carter four-barrel carburetor, 11.00:1 compression, solid valve lifters, and produced 300 bhp at 5,600 RPM and 350 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 RPM. With 11.25:1 compression, output rose to 320 bhp at 5,600 RPM and 358 lb-ft at 3,600 RPM.

The 'Special Super Turbo-Thrust' 348 CID V8 (FA) had 11.00:1 compression, dual exhaust, three Rochester two-barrel carburetors, solid valve lifters, and produced 315 bhp at 5,600 RPM. With 11.25:1 compression, output rose to 335 bhp at 5,800 RPM and 362 lbs-ft at 3,600 RPM.

Dimensions

The 1959 Chevy Biscayne had a 119-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 210.9 inches, and a width of 79.9 inches. The sedans stood 56 inches tall, the station wagons at 56.3 inches, and the hardtops at 54 inches.

1960 Chevy Biscayne

The 1960 Chevy Biscayne wore second-generation styling introduced the previous year, with most of the styling revisions occurring below the beltline. At the front was a new oval grille with dual headlamps, and the rear was given more angular 'wings.' The Biscayne Fleetmaster was a lower-priced option that was primarily aimed at the fleet market. It was given a lower grade of upholstery and was devoid of amenities found on the standard Biscayne, such as the door armrests, passenger-side sun visor, and cigarette lighter. Many of its parts were painted rather than chrome-plated.

Body Styles

The two-door Biscayne sedan was priced at $2,247, the four-door sedan at $2,300, and the two-door utility sedan at $2,160. The two-door Brookwood station wagon listed at $2,570 and the four-door at $2,640. The addition of the standard eight-cylinder engine boosted the base price by approximately $120.

1961 to 1975

1961 would introduce an all-new styling direction for Chevrolet which would continue through 1964. The fourth generation of styling began in 1965 and continued through 1970. The fifth and final generation of the Biscayne began in 1971 and ended in 1972 for the United States, while production continued through 1975 in Canada.

by Dan Vaughan

The Chevrolet Biscayne was among the concepts showcased as GM's vision of the future in its traveling Motorama. The Motorama was GM's way of taking concept vehicles on tour through cities throughout the U.S. that invited viewers to 'enter the future' by viewing these amazing concepts. At the 1955 Chicago Auto Show, a young boy, Joe Bortz saw one of these 'dream car's' and later salvaged the remains in a Detroit-area junkyard. His results were later displayed at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concourse as part of the 100th Anniversary celebration of GM.

The Biscayne's chassis had been crushed, but the junkyard owner had managed to save all of the pieces from the original body. Bortz had to dig pieces out of the ground, thankfully, the body of the vehicle was made out of fiberglass, so it didn't oxidize, and many of the parts had to be glued together from all the bits and pieces.

Described by GM as 'An Exploration In Elegance', the 1955 Biscayne was Chevy's Motorama Dream Car for 1955. A four-passenger, pillarless four-door hardtop with suicide doors, the Biscayne featured front fenders that wore a gold anodized 'V' logo that indicated a V8 engine under the hood. Incorporating many Corvette design ideas, the Biscayne featured side covers on the rear quarters that appeared on the front fenders of the 1956 Corvette.

A series of automobiles produced by Chevy for model years 1958 through 1972, the Chevy Biscayne was named after a show car first displayed at the 1955 GM Motorama. The Biscayne was the least expensive model in the Chevy full-size car range that included the Bel Air, the Impala and the Delray. Also available to the regular public, the Biscayne's were produced mainly for the fleet market. The Biscayne was great for those consumers that wanted low-cost, no-frills transportation with room, power and convenience.

During the late 1960's, most Biscayne's were sold with a six-cylinder engine, while in the early 1970s, the V8 engines became the most popular powerplant. In 1970, power steering and brakes became standard, while the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission was standard on all vehicles that were ordered with a V8 engine halfway through the 1971 model year. Biscayne's were easily recognized by their two taillights per side on the rear panels.

The Chevy Biscayne featured very little exterior chrome trim and was fitted with small hubcaps, various exterior trim pieces, and upgraded wheel covers were available for an additional cost. The trim on the inside was very limited and was decorated with lower-grade cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl upholstery trim. A very standard steering wheel with a center horn button was fitted inside, along with rubber floor mats. The 1964 model came standard with a deluxe steering wheel with a horn ring, foam-cushioned front seats and deep-twist carpeting.

The Biscayne did not feature many of the prestigious features normally found on more expensive full-sized Chevy models, features such as power windows. But, any of Chevy's high-output big-block V8 engines could be purchased for the Biscayne, along with performance-oriented transmissions that included the floor-mounted 4-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter and low-ratio final drive.

A trimmed-down version of the Biscayne was introduced in 1960; the Biscayne Fleetmaster. An inexpensive version of this vehicle, the Fleetmaster was aimed mainly at the fleet market, and included a lower grade of upholstery than the standard Biscayne. Convenience items such door armrests, passenger-side sun visor and a cigarette lighter were not included in this model. Rather than chrome-plated, numerous parts were painted. Two and four-door sedans were both offered. Economy-minded options were available exclusively to the Fleetmaster model, though performance-oriented engines and transmissions were also available. Unfortunately, the Fleetmaster was dropped after 1961.

The Biscayne was offered as a 2- or 4-door pillared roof beginning with the 1958 model year. Newly named the Yeoman and the Nomad, the station wagon versions were not called Biscaynes from 1958 through 1960. The entry-level wagon was called the Brookwood from 1959 through 1961, while the Parkwood was the high-end wagon.

From 1962 through 1968, there were Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala model station wagons, before they were replaced in favor of the Townsman, Kingwood and Kingswood Estate. The final year of the 2-door Biscayne was 1969. The only Biscayne model available from 1970 through 1972 was a 4-door sedan, meanwhile, a convertible or hardtop Biscayne was never made available.

In 1972 the production of the Biscayne ended, though the Biscayne name survived in Canada up until the 1975 model with a 350 cubic-inch V8 engine and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission that was made standard in 1974.

by Jessican Donaldson