50s Bel Airs at Sharonville

This week I'm going to post some of the groups of cars that I want to single out from the 38th Annual Sharonville Chamber of Commerce Classic Car Show. Today and tomorrow will be those iconic mid-1950s Bel Airs. The Bel Air was first manufactured in 1950 and the first generation was quite successful, particularly with young families making the move to the suburbs.

It is the second generation of this line that is without a doubt the most popular in this hobby. The so-called Tri-5 Chevys encompassed the years 1955 through 1957 and saw the beginning of tail fins. There is hardly a decent sized car show anywhere that one or more of these cars aren't on display.

There were a number of the famed Tri-5s at the Sharonville show but also a few of the first generation cars as well. You can tell them by their more rounded body style which was something of a stepping stone between the 1940s look and what would be rolling down the highway in later years.