Another HAMB Definition Request from FNG

I've always thought that the term "shoebox" referred to the Tri-Five Chevys, but I've seen numerous references here to "shoebox" for cars other than these - is there a different connotation here on HAMB, have I always had it wrong, or..?

Granted I'm an FNG, and I've never built a true Hot Rod, but I've always been around them - have driven many of them - and love pretty much every aspect of this disease we all have in one form or another...it's not my fault I was born a generation too late

 

49-51 Ford equal "Shoebox"

 

Next door in Ct, yes, the shoebox was a tri five Chevy a long time ago..

 

It's a legit question if you ask me. I routinely hear the term "shoebox" used to refer to '49-'51 Fords mostly. Though I've also heard it a lot referring to mid '60s Chevy II's/Novas. Haven't really heard it refer to Tri-5 Chevys much, though. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't be considered shoeboxes, too!

 

Yep, we called 55/57 Chevies shoeboxes around here back in the 60's.
Didn't take long after I started posting here to find out we were all dumb asses back then. And we were, but who knew?
Larry T

 

49-51 fords are shoebox cause of their shape, but I've heard 55 Chevy called it as well

 

I think the phrase likely came about as the newer cars abandoned separate fenders and or running boards and became slab sided. Thus cars looked like a shoebox, a derogatory term I am sure at one point, but one that is used endearingly now. Both tri-fives and early/mid 50's fords were given the name, but I think the ford seems to more often be referred to that way.

 

I forgot to say that in Ct, the Chevy Shoebox term was used by drag racer tri-fives. I don't recall it being used on street driven cars.

 

I've heard 53-54 Chevies referred to that way also, but when I hear the term I automatically think of 49-51 Fords.

Don

 

I never heard of anything except 49/51 Fords being called "shoeboxes" before seeing the other vehicles being referred to as shoeboxes on the HAMB. I'd have to think that originally the tag was put on the Fords as a derogatory term by 48 and earlier Ford owners or owners of other round fendered cars of the time.

 

OK - I'm going home now - I learned something today.

Thanks for the replies - I like the running boards-to-slab sides theory as to the origins of the term.

 

mid 60's novas are crackerboxes around here (sw ohio) 49-53 chevys are stovebolts

shoeboxes are 49-51 fords allthough a few call the trifive chevys shoeboxes also but not many they are most just called tri-fives

 

Ironically, you could have fit the remains of this one into a shoebox...found it in southern RI a few years back on my friend's grandfather's land - '49 I think

 

I always thought it was like a square cardboard thingy that new shoes came in ?

 

Nope, '51

 

Its what PorknBeaner keeps his stash in!

 

Maybe the 55-57 chevy 'shoebox' is an eastern term. Wasnt until I started looking into west coast stuff that I saw the fords called a shoebox. I grew up in the late 70's early 80's up here in the north East and it was always the chevys that were the shoebox. Or maybe it is just me thats weird...

 

yes...i always thought it was 53-54 chevys. pretty sure Hot Rod did a rebuild on a 53 chevy back in the late 80's and they referred to it as a shoebox.

 

In 1949 Ford produced one of the first production slab sided boxy looking cars. Called 'em shoeboxes because they look well... you get it. That's what a few have said on here before though. I'm from the newer generation as well

 

49-51 Ford = "Shoebox"

 

I've always thought the term referred not to a particular car or make, but to a car built during a specific era or time period. For Fords, '49-'56, for Chevys, '49-'57. As are many things on this board, subject to debate.

Bob

 

Same here in the NW....both tri fives and the fords were all called 'shoe boxes" as I grew up. Now I just call them cool and like them both.

 

Plug "shoebox Chevy" in your search engine and see if anything shows up.

 

Puke^^^...Yes, shoe box = 49-51 Ford.

 

You just can't save all of them! But doesn't it drive you nuts when someone in the family has an old car and they know you are a caretaker of American automotive culture but they let it rot to hell ANYWAY! AAHH!!

 

I heard the 55-57 chevy being called a shoebox way before the Fords. I think shoebox as a term for the Fords is more popular here than in the real world.

 

X2, but the younger crowd won't ever believe it.


Here is another one:

OG is now supposed to mean Original.

It started with the VW aircooled crowd as Original German.


The internet..."Where history is rewritten every day"

 

Dad, who has recounted on many, many, repetitive, repetitive occasions his stories of terrorizing the Puget Sound region in more than a few '57 Chevies (he apparently wrecked a bunch of 'em) in the early '60s, always referred to '55-57 Chevies as "Shoe-Boxes". It wasn't untill later in my life that I learned the 'truth' in that '49-51 Fords owned that term.

I'm going with its a local thing...

 

49 thru 51 Fords were called Shoeboxes before 55 thru 57 Chevy were made. But don't let facts disrupt the thread.