VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1955-1957 55 CHEVY Trailer Queen

Good luck! keep us up to speed!
John

I'm gonna add my .02 cents worth here too.

It sounds like you're getting a real sound car here. If it was a real sound virgin original car I would trailor it to every show. Your future car is a restored example. If I were in your shoes I'd show it for a year or two and then I would drive it and enjoy it. That's what they were made for. I know a few of you may disagree with me here but once a car has been redone you can never go back to original because it's gone as soon as it was torn down so you might as well enjoy it. It can always be redone again.

Good luck with your new baby. :)

chev nut, if the dealer installed option (duel exhaust) doesn't show up on the cowl tag wouldn't that take points off? :confused:

What you would need to be safe is documentation.Thats is why I mentioned that it was not shown in the early 1955 parts book.They brought out the kit in spring so a later parts book (later in the year) or it should still be listed in a 1956 parts book.It was not an accessory such as a radio,etc.so it was never shown in the accy. lists but will be in the exhaust section of the parts book.It would qualify as "legal" because the dealer could have installed it on a car before delivery.If it is a crude after market job with incorrect hangers and home made looking parts you could loose points for that reason.

the original kit came with a plug so you cut off the crossover pipe (the extention to the right side) and pounded the plug in the hole to plug it up.The original left muffler was retained and they gave you a new muffler fo the right side.You wound up with a long single exhaust muffler on the left side and the shorter dual exhaust muffler on the right side.I'm sure none of these parts exsist on cars anymore as they would have long rusted away and been replaced with stock parts.This would not be a problem in judging as I'm sure no judges remember what it should look like unless they are real '''55 experts

First be sure to read info. on gators topic.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Cowl tag should read as follows,paint #631...Ivory & Harvest gold 2 tone......Trim # T520 ,Biege cloth& Green fake leather.Serial # on left front door post V(indicates 8 cyl.,C indicates BelAir,55 for year.next is a letter that identifys assembly plant.The serial numbers.....Engine number stamped in front of right cyl. head on block .First is serial number of engine then F or T for plant that made engine.then 55 for year and last F which indicates 2 Bbl. P.G.These numbers can be restamped so ???.A '55 265 will have either NO oil filter or a orange & blue AC mounted on top front of engine.All later V8's had filter hanging in lower left rear corner of block. Just about everything on engine has an identifing number and date code so to check all items you would need a number book and about two days.
if you want a car with just the correct year parts it would keep
most people happy if the price is right.If you pay a premium price just to get matching numbers be sure they really match.My '57 has all correct '57 parts but not matching numbers,its a VCCA preservation car but would not do well in Classic Chev. competition..... :p :)