1951 Chevrolet DeLuxe Series

When Chevrolet introduced its new-for-1949 models, it was General Motors' high-volume popular-priced division's first all-new design since 1942. The other GM divisions had introduced their all-new postwar models for 1948, while Chevrolet and Pontiac's came in 1949. The all-new Chevy's were an unqualified sales success despite the industry-wide slowdowns associated with the Korean War, and the styling introduced in 1949 would continue with refinements through 1954.

Dealer introductions for the 1951 model year were held on December 19th, 1950. Model year production reached above 1.25 million vehicles allowing Chevrolet to maintain its position as America's number one automaker.

The 1951 Chevrolet models were the Special and Deluxe series, both equipped with six-cylinder power and resting on a 115-inch wheelbase box girder frame. Both were offered in Styleline and Fleetline trim levels with both having a two- and four-door sedan and sport coupe on the Styleline Series and a two- and four-door sedan on the Fleetline. The Special also had a business coupe on its Styleline and the Deluxe had a Bel Air, convertible, and station wagon.

Powertrain options included the overhead valve 216.5 cubic-inch Stovebolt six paired with a manual transmission and delivering up to 92 horsepower. A larger 235.5 cubic-inch unit was also now available with the newly released Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission. The brakes were four-wheel hydraulic 11-inch drums.

The top-of-the-line Chevrolet model and its best sellers for 1951 was the Deluxe, comprised of the Fleetline 2- and 4-door Sedans and the Styleline sub-series. The Styleline two-door sedan was priced at $1,630, the four-door sedan at $1,680, the sport coupe at $1,650, the Bel Air at $1,920, the station wagon at $2,190, and the convertible at $2,030. The Fleetline two-door sedan was priced at $1,630, and the four-door sedan at $1,680.

The most popular body style was the sedan with 380,270 units built, followed by 262,933 of the two-door sedan, 103,356 of the Bel Air, 64,976 of the Sport Coupe, 23,586 of the station wagon, and 20,172 of the convertible. Additionally, there were 57,693 of the Fleetline four-door sedan and 131,910 of the Fleetline two-door sedan. A total of 855,293 were Deluxe Styleline models and 189,603 of Deluxe Fleetline models. The total Deluxe line had 1,064,896 sales.

The production of the Special line included 175,285 examples of the Styleline and 9,805 of the Fleetline. The total Special production was 185,090 units.

Both the Special and the Deluxe wore a slightly restyled front grille with two horizontal bars that reached below the round headlights to form a circular frame housing oblong parking lamps. The Deluxe had Deluxe nameplates on the front fenders, chrome rear fender gravel shields, stainless steel molding that began above the front wheel well and traveled rearward onto the doors. There were painted fender skirts, and the interiors were two-tone gray with gray stripe broadcloth upholstery. The Bel Air interiors were available in four different two-tone combinations and the upholstery was in two-tone gray striped pile cord fabric. The station wagons had tan imitation pigskin interiors.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2014