Tri-Five

Tri-Five is the collectors' name for the 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevrolet automobiles, in particular the 150, 210, Bel Air and Nomad. All three years shared a front engine, rear wheel drive layout that was common for the era, and the cars have a devoted following in clubs, websites and businesses that cater only to them. A key element was the new 265 cubic inch V8, first offered in 1955 as an overhead valve, high compression, short stroke design that stayed in production in various forms for decades. Chevrolet outsold Ford by 250,000 cars in 1955, retooled heavily in 1956 to make the Bel Air look more like a Cadillac, and in 1957 added large tailfins, a choice of seven V8 engines and a fuel injected 283 cubic inch V8 making one horsepower per cubic inch.