Basement Find: 35k Mile 1954 Chevrolet 210
Chevrolet’s automobiles were all new for 1953, so the 1954s would be little changed. The front grille and taillight treatments were about the only way to tell them apart. The 210 was the middle series, sandwiched between the 150 and Bel Air. This ’54 210 4-door sedan is largely an original car and has spent a lot of time in hibernation. The seller well chronicles the auto’s history. From a basement in Orland, Maine, this Chevy is available here on eBay where the bidding has taken us to $13,653.
It’s always appreciated when a seller provides background on an auto. Such is the case with this ’54 Chevy 210 4-door family sedan which was one of 235,000 made that year, the most-purchased series and body style that the GM division offered. The car was sold new by the dealer that the seller’s grandfather-in-law owned. The car’s early life was spent as a summer transport in Maine and stored the rest of the year. When it was time for them to get another new car, the grandfather bought it back and added it to his own collection, where it saw little use. The 210 found itself being passed from one family member to another and the seller’s immediate group has it now but doesn’t want to keep it. It’s spent the last couple of years inside a heated basement garage waiting for today to come.
This Chevy had a repaint 20-25 years ago and that work has held up well, sans a couple of small dings. The car was taken to several local shows where it picked up a few trophies. The bumpers were re-chromed when the paint was done, and the interior is still original from the day it left the factory. The front floor covering has some issues that cleaning or replacement would help.
The car was last driven a couple of years ago, so it’s been sitting since then and may need coaxing to run again. Under the hood resides the “Blue Flame” inline-6 of 235 cubic inches and it’s flanked by a 2-speed Powerglide automatic that needs new seals (it piddles a little). But the motor is said to be strong and new gas should do it wonders. It sits on only the second set of tires ever installed, so to be cautious replacing them would not be a bad idea.
Maine hasn’t done titles on old cars for years, so we’re told a Bill of Sale is all you’ll need to prove ownership once you take it home. If the Chevy doesn’t change hands soon, the seller will take it to Georgia with him in the Summer and fix the few things that need attending. And then relist the Chevy at a higher price. This car looks a lot like the one I used to have. Mine was a 1953 210 sedan but it only had two doors, but the color scheme was identical. And to think I sold it in this kind of condition for $1,600 in 1980.
Comments
Wow, 1600 in 1980, not saying that you didn’t but you could buy a lot of car for that kind of money in 1980. In the mid to late 70’s my two older brothers were scrapping cars and I remember them buying two complete 53 or 54 two door sedans for 10 bucks each, never tried to start them. I didn’t have any good 6 volt batteries to do that but I do remember looking at the dashes and how good those gauges looked. That was the going rate for junk cars back then, 10 for complete cars and 5 for cars without the motor and they went thru a lot of them
My first college car was a ’54 2 door 510, white over light blue with a matching interior that looked like it came out of a Cadillac. Little bit of lowering, duel exhaust system and off it went. Car was in good shape but engine had a lot of miles on it. Found a ’54 with 30K on it at a junk yard and bought the engine for $100. Guys at the yard said we could use their hoist to change the engines out so we hit early on a Saturday and drove it back to campus around 3 pm. Certainly agree the dash was a nice piece of work. Folks who owned this one sure hung a lot of iron on the front bumper with all those extra bumper guards.
Wish I had room, I would make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Prefer a 2dr over the 4dr. to the point I thought I would never consider buying one but in this case I love to own a drive it. In 63/64 a friend had a 54 Chevy a BelAir 2dr. HT original six and manual trans. Never did research what GM called the color it was a butterscotch with a white roof. Beautiful car and every time I see a 53 or 54 I think of his car.
Milage seems suspicious. All of the car has been redone so how could you tell milage is correct? And why would you need to repaint reappolster and paint up engine if it has only 30000 some miles? Love the words people use to sell a car.
James Martin, 1) the listing on the car explains exactly why it was repainted, 2) it specifically states that the interior is entirely original; nowhere does it say it was reupholstered. Before implying that the seller is a liar, why not take a moment to read the listing?
Got it right. Amazing when you’ve got all the information isn’t it? Did notice that apparently I did have an upgraded interior as mine was completely different and probably a special order when new.
Two pluses for this car. By this point, a fully pressurized lubrication system, replacing the “babbitt pounders” and the Powerglide shifts from low to high automatically, where from 1950 to 52 they didn’t.
I bought this car. It is original except paint, battery, etc. One of the original tires in trunk. Beyond an awesome car-I have been a Classic Car Collector with over 200 cars in the past 30+ years and I know original!
Lucky man, Jim! That’s a beautiful car. You got yourself a real “keeper”!
Great win, Jim! Great back story, too. Sounds like a well-loved time capsule and will be a hit at the car shows just in time for Spring. Hopefully we’ll see a Barn Finds success story in the near future!