Technical Tri Five driving question

Hi!
I've always had late 60s to 70s muscle cars, but have started to think about the 55-57s. Can someone give me an idea on what they drive like compared to say a 69 Camaro?

I would be looking at a restored/mild hot rod in the 40k price range. Something with power steering and discs at least in front. Before possibly going on a long drive to see one it would be nice to have a general indication on what they're like.

Thank you!

 

Ten years of progress....meant a lot back then.

We don't talk about muscle cars here, either.

But as you probably can guess, the ride will depend on the modifications to the car. What the mods are, and how well they were done. The 55 I had for a couple decades rode decently, it had a blown big block in it, and I put close to 100k miles on it. Pretty comfy.

ymmv

 

Maybe I should have set more of a base line. Most likely car would be something like one with a stock restored suspension and 300-350 hp small block. I just want to to know if they drive nice or wallow down the road like some big boat. LOL

 

Most of the cars you'll find have had modifications, expect different springs and shocks, added sway bar, etc. There's no way to give an answer about what a modified car will be like, without knowing exactly what was done with it.

But in general, the Chevys weren't as bad as the bigger cars...but they weren't late 60s sporty cars, either. I had a 59 Edsel for a little while, it was the king of wallow...the 55 was much nicer to drive.

the most important thing will be to take it for a drive, before you buy.

 

My '55 T Bird rides like a newer car with radial tires. My '51 two door does also with Aerostar front coils and 2" lowering in the back on stock suspension with king pins.

 

As already mentioned, ride and stability have a lot to do with what all has been modified or not on the car. However, I recently borrowed a completely original 55 convertible all the way to the stock 265, powerglide, and drum brakes all around from a friend for a wedding, and it drove and handled pretty well I thought. It did have radial tires. I could be biased though since my daily driver is only 5 years newer than the 55 is (in the background of the pic).

 

I've driven my Nomad for over 30 years and over 300,000 miles. I like the way it rides and drives. Mine has stock suspension, non-power drum brakes (although I did install self-adjusters on the brakes).

 

Like others have said, 50's cars drive well, but nothing like cars in the 60's or 70's. I've got a 57 T-Bird and have had it for 25 years. Radial tire made a big difference. The next biggest change was a much larger diameter front sway bar and the addition of a rear sway bar along with gas shocks. 50's cars like to lean quite a bit in corners and the sway bars made a big difference. It drives real well now, but the steering is fairly slow. However, I can live with that.

 

Find one that's been done right with non-HAMB friendly parts and upgrades and you'll have a nice handling and riding car. They call it progress for a reason.

 

I thought I might get mocked asking such a subjective question, but everyone was very kind to share their opinions and experiences.

Two things have become clear; first I'll need to drive any potential purchase and not just get it shipped and second I'll want to have someone who knows these cars inspect it.

Thank you to everyone who replied.

 

I drive a '59 Ford that is pretty comfortable. New stock suspension all around, manual steering. I'd like to convert it to PS. Front discs, cut a coil off the stock springs. The one thing that made the most difference was the big fat front sway bar.

 

...and skinny front tires

 

my news car is a 57 Chevy mine has always rode like a new car

 

I had a 55 and my best friend a 69 Camaro.
While the 69 would out do it in the twisties, the 55 was far more comfortable on the road. Lot's of great comments on suspension setups and remember EVERYTHING suspension wise is available in the aftermarket; from power steering and disc brake setups to complete A arms, dropped spindles, coil overs to the moon.

Let's talk about the car itself interior/driving wise. The 55-57's with a properly reupholstered bench seat are far more roomier and comfortable than the 69. The cabin is bigger, taller and has much better visibility. Even if the car is lowered, you sit up higher in the 55-57 adding to the visibility. The 55-57 seats you on the ch***is rather than down in it. If you're above stature or large framed, you have better head room, legroom, plus can rest your arm across the bench seat top. Also more room for p***engers and a comfy riding/visibility position for back seat p***engers compared to being crammed into the back of the 69. The 69 is essentially a 2 seater with room for a couple of kids while the 55-57 can comfortably seat 4+ adults no problem even on a long drive.
Easy to work on, all trim and parts available from the aftermarket, as well as a very roomy trunk for out of town trips to shows.

Find a few local 55's for sale (at a local car show?) and drive them to get familiar with the car before traveling long distance to drive/buy one for the first time.

 

Funny you say that. I’ve been driving my girl friends 56 and my 57 that I don’t drive the 56 in avatar at all any more (son drives it now). So back on his birthday this past May I had to bring the car back into the garage because he partied a little to much at his home where it stays. Man that thing sure turned easy even with out power steering and a 13 1/2” steering wheel.

 

wife's 55 she has had for 44 years. She drove it daily in Bay area traffic. Got rid of her 79 Camaro. Upgrades since 2005 are a ps setup,68 Camaro 12 bolt,327,ac, od auto, dropped spindles, power disc brakes and sway bars with radial tires. It handles great and does not wash out or wallow on turns etc. Let my son in law drive it--he could not believe how well it drives and handles-pretty stout too. Took it a while back to have the 12 bolt posi redone. The owner of the shop told us it is the best driving/handling trifive he has ever had in his shop-told my wife if it was his he would drive it every day. Did neighbors 57 Nomad the same way-both have been done for many years. The 55 is a great road car too-roomy and good visibility as well.

 

I put new lowering springs and a sway bar in the front of my 57 Chevy 2dr sedan. I thought it handled pretty good. We have lots of curves here in the Ozarks and it always took them well.

 

As a side note-in the early 80's my friend ran a 56 Chevy in street stock. He was the track champ at two 3/8 mile asphalt tracks for 3 years. He was sponsored by McDonalds and when he won which was most of the time you got a free hamburger if you showed your entry ticket. With the super stock tire setup he could run with them pretty well too. It would out handle anything on the track. Would beat Chevelles Camaros etc. About 85-86 they outlawed trifive ch***is on several Nor cal tracks. The 327 that he ran now resides in my wifes 55 but refreshed with milder cam and heads. Been in the car since 84.

 

My 55 drives fair at best. Stock rebuilt suspension, sbc and auto . other than the ****py steering, it takes bridge bumps and rr tracks way better than my wife's luxury car. The only addition I will end up making will be PS. Stops well with 4 cornered drums. Remember it doesn't outweigh your comparison car by much, but a base car to a base car comparison will be pretty much a toss up, load up the tri five with the same features as the later cars and it will be your ride of choice. I am like the others above, research and drive some. My buddy's 57/150 six cyl 3ott sedan, feels like it already has ps on it, even though it doesn't.

 

I had a bone stock 56 in high school in the early 70's, it was a tank didn't stop, didn't want to turn(bias ply 7.50 14's) 265 with a powerglide so it didn't accelerate either, I had a 65 GTO at the same time, there was a large difference in stopping, handling and acceleration. Of course the later was not stock and the 56 was a beater.

 

Don't put 17 inch wheels and tires on it. The lack of sidewall makes for a rougher ride. I like radials and disc brakes, have them on all three of mine. Not a big fan of power streering or power brakes.

 

One thing to remeber, these cars are not tanks like most modern folk think. A Camry or Accord weighs about the same. Even my 54 drove great, loved chasing 55-62 Vettes down since I had more HP and the Vette owners had no clue we were both on "outdated" ch***is. All I did was add blocks, and cut the coils with better shocks. My family has had6 or 8 Tri 5s over the years, all drove great

 

Put a stock manual box on my 57, threw the power steering **** in the s**** pile. I have 4 wheel drum brakes, but i did put a booster on there to make it a little easier on my wife. But my car rides, drives, steers, and stops like a dream. If i didn't want my old car to drive like an old car, I'd just buy a new car.

 

Mid 50’s Chevys and Fords were built for the working cl***. They had to be tough enough to survive the roads of the day, and give a decent ride while doing it. Buyers wanting a softer, more cushy ride bought upscale—- Buick’s, Olds, Mercury. In most areas now, the worst highways are better than a lot of the good highways of the 50’s.

Another thing, most families only had one vehicle, so it had to take Dad to work, carry groceries home, and carry the family on vacation if they were lucky enough to get a vacation. The carmakers spent millions on the suspensions of that era cars so they would hold up and hoped to have repeat buyers. I’d rather drive a 50’s vehicle with a tight suspension and steering than most new vehicles. I prefer to sit a little higher instead of close to the ground, probably a result of driving semi trucks all these years. I loved my Corvettes, but every time I got in them I felt like my *** was going to drag the road!

 

I feel like the 55-57 Chevy in well-kept condition rides and drives as nice as most 60's era musclecars, and I've had a few to compare. They have A arms with ball joints and coil springs up front and leafs in the rear just like the Camaro. There's not really that much difference in the design of their suspensions.

 

Wow even more informative replies. I really appreciate the time everyone took to help give me a better understanding of these cars and their experiences. This is a great site!

 

I drove my '55 about 20K miles, including trips from CA to Virginia, Maine, Florida & back to VA.
Drivetrain was a mild 350 SBC, Muncie M-22 4-speed & stock 3.55:1 rearend.

Ch***is mods included:
Radial tires, front GM disc brakes, GM 605 power steering, lowered in front (2" dropped spindles plus one coil cut) lowered in back (2" lowering blocks), 7/8" front anti-sway bar.

It was comfortable for a family of 4 plus had a HUGE trunk.

It handled well for a 60-year-old car. Compared to a modern daily driven sedan, the ride was very cushy. The brakes were satisfactory. It kinda wallowed in the corners (like in the corkscrew at Laguna Seca). It understeered (as all production sedans do), but the sway bar helped ALOT.

Hope this helps.

 

Stock appearing made very user friendly. Great modifications; mid 50’s cars, any manufacturer, will always be instyle for me. Great story.

 

Well, I am going to differ a tad as my observation has been that 75% of one's concept on ride and handling on any vehicle is based on what they are used to driving most of the time or what they grew up driving.
Us older guys who grew up driving I beam axle rigs and cars and trucks with basic coil spring on the front and leaf on the rear suspension have a lot different view on handling of older rigs than the younger guys who learned on sporty models with rack and pinion and factory tuned suspension.
Ride quality is the same thing. It is what you are used to.
My wife's daily drivers for years were a succession of Cadillac sedans starting with a 76 Seville and going though several rear wheel and then front wheel drive Devilles. They all drove good but you didn't have much road feel She gets in my BMW and complains that it is rough riding all the time. To me it rides and handles great.
That may or may not be an issue going from a car with a pretty tight suspension and performance tires to a 55 with period correct 15 inch wheels and tires with taller sidewalls.