The 1951 Chevrolet advertising slogan “See the USA in your Chevrolet” was often seen in magazine ads and news print. In the 1950s Dinah Shore made a song by the same name famous on television. The very successful 1949 Chevrolet and 1950 Chevrolet meant that more people buy Chevrolets than any other car. The Chevrolet Division of General Motors did a very stylish job of mildly face-lifting the 1951 Chevrolet Bel Air, Convertible, Styleline and Fleetline models.
The new 1951 Chevy grille was daring and simpler, pointing the way to even larger, more massive air intakes in the years to come. Yet the new 1951 Chevrolet grille, with it’s wide-set parking lights and Chevy script, was not clumsy or overdone. The same line up of body styles continued as in 1950. The style leader of the 1951 Chevrolet line was now the Bel Air hardtop and convertible without question. It was America’s largest and finest low priced car with that longer, lower and wider big car look and with the beauty, comfort and safety.
1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe Bel Air 2 Door Hardtop
The only styling changes made on the 51 Chevy was the contour of the rear fenders. In addition all 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe models had a stainless steel molding starting above the fender and extending onto the front doors and the word Deluxe above the fender. To make the Deluxe models look lower to the ground the stainless trim was mounted lower on the body as shown below. Styleline Specials and Fleetline Specials had no chrome body strips or name plates.
You’ll like its longer, lower, wider Big-Car Look! claimed one 1951 Chevy Belair magazine ad. Measure up to the most value… Most length, most weight, most fine-car features! said another. Yet another magazine ad described the 1951 Chevy as – Longest, Heaviest in its Field… with more fine features you want!
The rear taillights were squared off and moved from their inboard location to a more prominent place on the back of the fender. Moving the taillights out made the rear look wider. On the Deluxe models there was a strip of chrome running forward from the taillight along the top of the fender. Stainless steel trim strips which had outlined the rear fenders on the 1950 Chevy Deluxe models was deleted.
The two piece windshield was still there, with the one piece not adopted until used on the 1953 Chevrolet. Drivers also faced a redesigned instrument panel and great looking new interiors.
Restored 1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe Bel Air