1957 Chevrolets

[Swifster]

I'm planning on building a mid-to-late 1950's car carrier. My thought is to load the trailer with some 'new' 1957 Chevrolets. I'm looking for some ideas

for Chevy kits. My mind was immediately set to the Black Widow 150 and the newer convertible kit. Is there a 'newer' kit as a Bel Air? A resin kit for

a 4-door somewhere? The trailer when completed will only hold 4 cars.

[BubbaBrown]

Well you  got two with the black widow and conv. How about the Bel Air 2 dr htp and 2dr sdn. Somebody at one time made 4drs in resin. Don't know if there still available ? How about the Pick ups ? or Vette

[timc]

Why not throw a 57 corvette in the mix? Kind of a special order delivery.

[plastic trucker]

Or a Nomad?

[Atmobil]

I don't know where in the world you want to put this one in to it's context but take a look at sales figures of the 57 Chevys. I don't know them myself but I think that I have read somewhere that there was not so many 150s sold as there was 210s and Bel Airs so maybe one of Revells 150/Black Widows as a stock 150, and one Revell Bel Air two door sedan and one AMT "New tool" Bel Air 2 door hard top and (if you can get it) one four door sedan (maybe in 210 trim). If you want to make a transport from factory to dealer I suppose you should also have plain steelwheels on all cars with no hubcaps as I belive the hubcaps where left in the trunk or inside the cars during transport.

[Mike Chernecki]

MCW has a nice 57 Nomad based on the Revell kits.

[DumpyDan]

Sounds like a great project, but it will only carry 4 cars why not 7?

[Craig Irwin]

How about a 57 Belair 4 door Sport Sedan (4 door hardtop) ? Resin Realm has one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwtkZ7oTv1o

[Swifster]

Sounds like a great project, but it will only carry 4 cars why not 7?

Dan, car carriers back in the day only carried 4 cars. Two on top and two on the bottom. The 7 car carriers didn't come along until the 1960's.

 

Thanks for your help guys. I'll check these out.

[henry57]

Here's a few pics of tri fives on car haulers I've saved.

The pic of the 57's is a little small but it's the only pic I've ever found of the 57's on a car hauler.

Form all the pics I've seen they were usually pretty random.

[stavanzer]

Tom, for myself, I'd load this way.

1. One Base 150 (Black Widow), One Convertible, One Bel Aire, and One Corvette.

2 Swap a 57 Pickup for either the Vette or Bel Aire.

But that's just me.

I'm sure anything you chose will look great when done.

[DumpyDan]

Thanks for the information, I did not know that but the pictures wants me to see what you do with this project.

[henry57]

Corvettes and trucks were usually shipped separately.

[mod3l Lover]

    Wow Henry, those are some very cool picks you

came up with there!

   This kind of info is indeed very inspiring.

   Tom, I hope we all get to watch your project build

on this one, if you would be so kind as to share.

 

    Happy scratching to you,

        David S.

[oldcarfan]

You might look at one of these. I bought one years ago and turned it into a stock 2-door wagon.  The body is accurate, needing only a repaint and with the wheels and some other parts from the parts box it

ll pass for a stock wagon.   http://www.ebay.com/itm/SLAMMED-JESSE-JAMES-1957-57-CHEVY-NOMAD-STRAIGHT-6-WEST-COAST-CHOPPERS-/201442783349?hash=item2ee6ecf075:g:EG0AAOSw42JWEal-

[Swifster]

Thanks for the pics. I have the cab for the stubby nosed Chevy medium duty

truck to haul the cars. Still trying to find a good deal on an Opel Blitz to use

for the chassis.

 

I've found, even today, most trucks will carry vehicles at the same assembly plant.

I work at a Chrysler dealer and will see 300's, Chargers and Challengers on one

truck. Never a pick up or even a 200. At the same time, if 200's are being dropped,

they are ALL 200's. I will say that because trucks didn't sell like they do now, I've

seen carrier photos with a truck mixed with cars, but they are only on the upper

level of the carrier. The only truck with 5 cars I haven't seen before. All the photos

I've had were of the 4 car carriers without the truck rack.

 

I'll have the build on here, but I may put a bunch on at one time. I'm not fast. Too

much stuff going on including 2 full size Studebakers (and work). There are also

plans on this site for a 1940's dealership. If I get a wild hair up my you know what,

it will probably also be a Chevy dealer with '57 Chevys just to be able to use the

truck and rolling stock.

[Harry P.]

Dan, car carriers back in the day only carried 4 cars.

Depends. There were a lot of different configurations, some of them carried 5 or 6 cars.

https://www.google.com/search?q=1950s+car+carrier+truck&biw=1582&bih=864&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidn8K_0YnKAhXEYiYKHeCeCjQQsAQIGw#tbm=isch&q=1950s+auto+transporter+truck&imgrc=2N2cn4SsuT540M%3A

[horsepower]

Depends. There were a lot of different configurations, some of them carried 5 or 6 cars.

https://www.google.com/search?q=1950s+car+carrier+truck&biw=1582&bih=864&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidn8K_0YnKAhXEYiYKHeCeCjQQsAQIGw#tbm=isch&q=1950s+auto+transporter+truck&imgrc=2N2cn4SsuT540M%3A

And lot of it depended on the area too, since almost all the trucks were gasoline engines and didn't have the power of the later diesels, they didn't tend to put larger loads on trucks that were going to see mountain traveling.

The big deal about not seeing trucks or Corvettes on the same shipment as passenger cars is because they were built in different facilities and the only time you might see them shipped together is just like today in the case of an inter dealership trade, where a special drop shipped passenger car for one dealership would be made and pick up the trade of a truck or Corvette to go to the original dealer for the shipment.

Edited January 1, 2016 by horsepower

[ScaleSpeedShop]

Modelhaus offered a 57 150 four door sedan conversion kit , that uses the Revell  Black Widow kit as a donor. It comes with correct door panels, a back seat and dog dish hubcaps.

[Longbox55]

Thanks for the pics. I have the cab for the stubby nosed Chevy medium duty

truck to haul the cars. Still trying to find a good deal on an Opel Blitz to use

for the chassis.

 

The Blitz chassis would need massive reworking to be correct for a Chevrolet, especially for a '55 -'59 body. There really is very little that is similar other maybe the axles.

[Swifster]

The Blitz chassis would need massive reworking to be correct for a Chevrolet, especially for a '55 -'59 body. There really is very little that is similar other maybe the axles.

Suggestions?

 

[Longbox55]

The chassis from the AMT Ford Louisville trucks would be a closer start, or scratchbuilding the chassis. To be accurate, you would want to use the front and second crossmembers from the AMT '55 or '57 Cameo/Stepside kit, along with the engine block (all LCF trucks were V8s). The Louisville front suspension and axle along with the single rear axle suspension would be ok. I'll have to some checking, but I do know of a source for the correct wheels as well, or you could use the wheels/tires from an Ertl '57 Chevrolet stake truck die cast.

Here's a link to the GM Heritage Center site, which shows all the models and give dimensions. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Chevrolet-Trucks/1957-Chevrolet-Truck.pdf

If you would like, I can scan in the pages for the LCF chassis from the Factory Assembly Manual as well.

[Swifster]

Bill, that would be great. I already have a couple of Cameos in my stash...

[mikemodeler]

The Modelhaus probably has the wheels for the hauler, IIRC they have some wheels for older and newer conversions.

If you do decide on an Opel Blitz frame, contact me via PM as I have one I would trade.

 

Nice project, looking forward to more progress pictures. If you aren't hung up on a detailed model for the back of the hauler, I would suggest the Revell 57 Chevy snap kit, it is a nicely proportioned body and details nicely.

 

 

[Longbox55]

3/4 view.

5100 short

5400 long