Given the Tri-Five Chevrolet series' huge popularity, probably no one is going to mistake a 1955 Chevrolet survivor for a beat-down American V8 car. After all, even though it doesn’t look pretty with its 50-year-old paint job and typical rust spots, there are several hints as to what this classic is really capable of.
For starters, you’re not going to bring a vintage car on a trailer unless it doesn’t start at all, you’re preparing for an extensive restoration project, or the owner simply doesn’t want anything to happen to the prized possession ahead of spinning the wheels for some quarter-mile glory.
Naturally, since we’re dealing with the ‘55 Chevy arriving at the Byron Dragway in Northern Illinois, the case gets settled early on with help from the Race Your Ride channel on YouTube. Besides, there are several other easy giveaways, such as the spectacular body lettering, which includes a mention about this being a tribute to an A.H.R.A. National Record Holder from 1967, ‘68, and ‘69.
This actually ties into the nickname—the Chevy is called “The Crusher II”—with the original bearer of the moniker being the owner’s long-time friend who helped create the current ride and once owned a different ‘55 Chevy. And, by the way, the current incarnation is a California drag car through and through (hence the license plate) originally acquired from a 90-year-old.
It’s certainly got a new lease on life nowadays, as the Tri-Five has retained the original body and much of the interior and underwent some changes to make it a hoot at the drag strip. Among them, highlights include the single four-barrel carburetor 406ci small-block V8 engine, the original Fenton Gyro wheels up front, nine-inch slicks in the back, or the Ford nine-inch rear end receiving the gold-colored mill’s power through a Turbo 350 automatic transmission.
It’s not all show with little go either because the Chevy was up for some crushing of modern foes at the strip that day. As such, from the 1:30 mark, we can see the Tri-Five lining up with a black Jeep (we presume a stock Trackhawk judging by the ET) to give it a lesson into reaching the end of the drag strip with a result of 10.89s at almost 120 mph (193 kph).
Unfortunately, the tables do turn when it’s time to face competition from a more classical (and probably wildly modified) nature. This time around, the driver in the other lane snatches the victory with an ET of 10.64 seconds against the Chevy’s 10.88s. The rematch isn’t any better either, although we do get a wheelie show to make up for it.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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