The good folks over at the racing-focused ImportRace channel on YouTube are back at their usual venue - Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey because they caught on camera a very interesting Tri-Five that connects past and present with a furious racing attitude.
Automotive enthusiasts lovingly call the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Chevrolet models – especially the 150, 210, Bel Air, and Nomad – as part of the Tri-Five era. Over the years, these cars have spawned an incredible cult following comprising clubs, online venues, dedicated aftermarket outlets, and entire businesses exclusively catering to fans of the age.
Today, they are all some of the most popular years for collectors, resto-modders, and hot-rodders – all for good measure. As such, it's not unusual to see a 1955 Chevrolet 210 possibly looking like the world's greatest Tri-Five thanks to its frame-off restoration and contemporary enhancements that include Roadster Shop goodies along with a 755-hp LT5 V8 engine under the hood!
However, even the Chevrolets that don't look perfect – such as this white-and-teal 1957 Bel Air – have a potential for greatness. In this case, it's not as much as a heart-stopping show appearance but rather a butt-clinching performance at the local quarter-mile dragstrip. So, here's an example caught at Island Dragway by this videographer as it prepared to face off with a Ford Mustang and a turbocharger Honda Civic.
First, the Tri-Five 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air had to confront a newer 2004 Ford Mustang that looked like it could fend off even a 1,025-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 with its menacing aero looks, lack of hood, and meaty Hoosier rear tires mixed with front cookie cutters. However, appearances can be deceiving, and the Blue Oval driver was sleeping on the line while the Bel Air owner was a bit in a hurry to perform a wheelie and then go on to win the race with a stunning 9.2s versus 12.35s pass.
This Bel Air is nothing to be trifled with, obviously, given the 146 mph (235 kph) trap speed! Alas, the Ford racer thought it could still beat it and asked for a rematch – only to botch things even further as the driver almost lost control of the Mustang passing by the Christmas tree and decided to let it slide into chill mode. At the same time, the Chevy did its thing and again posted a stunning 9.29s pass at almost 146 mph.
Last but not least, a turbocharger FWD Honda Civic came along because it probably didn't see the stomping that occurred earlier. As such, the Bel Air and Civic lined up, the Chevy didn't redlight anymore (instead hitting a near-perfect 0.3 reaction time), and delivered yet another 9.29s victory, showing that it's also consistent, not just mind-blowingly fast!
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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