1956 Corvette upgraded to 57 RPO 579D, including SB400, Rochester FI, Muncie, HD brakes/susp
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*Is Pontiac 1955 considered tri-5?
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"TriFive" historically refers the Chevys of that era.
The Pontiacs, Buicks, and Oldsmobiles are welcomed "cousins", as are the Cadillacs, from the GM organization. Although some parts and components may be the same, they are not - to my knowledge - thought of when someone refers to a "TriFive".
That said, we are not elitists here, so if you want to join and participate in the Forum, please do. When someone starts to imply that the Pontiac's are better, the welcome mat gets pulled out from under ya'!!!
Here's an interesting story of the Small Block Chevrolet design and development. Chevy small-block: The little engine that did
The Pontiacs, Buicks, and Oldsmobiles are welcomed "cousins", as are the Cadillacs, from the GM organization. Although some parts and components may be the same, they are not - to my knowledge - thought of when someone refers to a "TriFive".
That said, we are not elitists here, so if you want to join and participate in the Forum, please do. When someone starts to imply that the Pontiac's are better, the welcome mat gets pulled out from under ya'!!!
Here's an interesting story of the Small Block Chevrolet design and development. Chevy small-block: The little engine that did
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And if you'd pulled it out of a Chevy instead of a Pontiac, they'd have charged you $50.My original '57 Chevy BA sedan has a ft driver side glass in it from a Pontiac - an exact replacement, even with the correct/same date code! It cost me $5 from a country salvage yard...
Wow, thank goodness most of you are happy to let these Poncho cousins become involved in the Tri-five forum! LOL
Even the trucks and Corvettes are allowed to register and participate at Nationals.
The Pontiac Safari and Chevy Nomad are fundamentally the same car, just enough different to justify the increased cost for the Pontiac.
If both of these passed you the opposite way on the highway, you would have to look 2 or 3 times to tell if it were Pontiac or Chevy.
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VERY VERY WELL SAID !!!!!!
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It's interesting how GM divisions engineered their products much the same. I've always loved the later 60's early 70's A body Chevelle. Very popular. I came across the chance to buy an A body 72 Pontiac Lemans convertible with a factory GTO front end (Hood scoop hood, lower fender vents, endura bumper) with many GTO options installed. The bodies (like mid 50's) are much the same with their own differences. I really enjoy it because they're not as popular or known as Chevelle's are. But, mention on the GTO forum about putting an LS or other Chevy engine in a Pontiac and those guys take offense (mine is numbers matching 400 c.i.so no reason to change for me). Here, no one cares what you put under the hood on a tri 5. We just love that they're being restored.
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I have a confession to make. You'd better sit down for this.
As you all know, I'm an "original" guy. As such, I fit in well with the AACA crowd.
I'm a member of the local AACA chapter. That means I hang out with guys who own Fords. And Mopars. And Studebakers. And a Packard or two. And even a Franklin.
Oh, the horror!!!
While there's always the occasional jerk or weirdo (we've had a few), they're mostly good folks, each with their own reasons for what they own.
Our Studebaker guy's father owned a Studebaker dealership for a number of years. Our resident Ford Model T and Model A guru inherited the Model T his father bought in the 1950s, and still has the 1930 Model A he bought when he was 16 (in the early 1960s). Our Franklin guy admired the engineering, and also lived for a number of years near where Franklins were built. We have a Buick guy who designed Rochester carburetors and fuel injection. The smartest mechanicals guy we have is the service manager and resident diagnostics guru at a local Ford dealership (and handles everything for the owner's inventory of classic cars).
I could go on, but you get the idea.
Slightly different interests, but the common passion that allows us all to get along well with each other - and learn from each other.
Fisher Body involvement in body/sheetmetal/glass/etc construction likely helped also with the the 'common parts' across the brands, of course iwth encouragement/demands of upper management in keepiing costs down. That was back when GM's management was LOTS (TONS) smarter than they've been for the last 40 yrs...
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Badge Engineering
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I just remembered my sedan rear glass came from a '57 Pontiac!My original '57 Chevy BA sedan has a ft driver side glass in it from a Pontiac - an exact replacement, even with the correct/same date code! It cost me $5 from a country salvage yard...
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If you look thru the 1955 welding manual which covers both Chevrolet and Pontiac it is amazing how many details were different. While the major panels were similar, almost all of the brackets were formed differently.
I hate to be “that guy” but there is at least one exception Eldon.
There was an extra vent window option on the rear quarter glass for the Pontiac wagons that was not offered on the Chevies.
edit: this is a nine passenger wagon with a third row seat.
Just for giggles, I’d love to put them on one of my Chevy wagons.
Just to see the expression on peoples faces.😁
Love the “Ponchos” !
They are welcome in my garage any day.
I believe they were meant for the third row passengers in a nine passenger wagon.
And yes they open like a standard vent window , like on the front doors.
edit: oddly enough the quarter glass on a two door handyman is not as long as the quarter glass on a four door wagon. There might be enough room to fab in a vent glass.🤔
And yes they open like a standard vent window , like on the front doors.
edit: oddly enough the quarter glass on a two door handyman is not as long as the quarter glass on a four door wagon. There might be enough room to fab in a vent glass.🤔
That window is awesome! I know firsthand what it's like to ride in the back without your own window. God knows how many miles I've traveled in the back of station wagons as a kid. (No Poncho's though) Six kids and two parents don't all fit in the seats! Long vacation rides.I hate to be “that guy” but there is at least one exception Eldon.
There was an extra vent window option on the rear quarter glass for the Pontiac wagons that was not offered on the Chevies.
Just for giggles, I’d love to put them on one of my Chevy wagons.
Just to see the expression on peoples faces.😁
Love the “Ponchos” !
They are welcome in my garage any day.
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