You’ll notice that when you search for a “Chevy dealer near me” that Chevrolet has come a long way since its founding back in 1911 and modern models are more and more powerful than ever. Named after founder Louis Chevrolet (who started the company with William C. Durant, who also started Chevrolet’s parent company General Motors and eventually went on to merge Chevy and GM seven years later), the company has been going strong for well over 100 years. Of course, in that time, a number of incredible cars, trucks, and SUVs have come from the manufacturer. Every Chevy lover has their favorite, but does yours make the list of the best Chevy models of all time? From head turners to innovators, these are the best of the best when it comes to Chevy.
1935 Suburban
This is the predecessor of all modern SUVs. It featured the front end of a 1935 pickup, but instead of having a truck bed, it extended the seating area. Of course, the Suburban has also been in continuous production longer than any other vehicle on the road today, so while there are all kinds of great additions to the Suburban lineup, it’s hard to deny the brilliance of the very first release (even if it seemed a bit silly at the time).
1947 Series 3100 Pickup
There’s just something about a classic pickup. It’s hard to describe the sheer beauty of trucks from the 1940s and 50s. These trucks have very little in common with the modern behemoths sold today, and that might be a reason for the charm. The front of the 1947 Series 3100 very much is that of a large sedan, only raised and with a bed in the back.
You will often see this particular model done up and modernized (and often dropped, so the body is just a few inches off the ground). The original front window was two windshields with a divider in the middle so that the glass could be popped out, but most renovated updates feature a newer piece of glass (for safety reasons, it’s a good idea).
If you’re a lover of the corner window on older cars, this 3100 does you one better. It has side corner rear windows, not just in the front. Of course, the classic pickup uses a 90 horsepower straight-6 engine, which is another reason many who buy it use the frame and then drop in a modern piece of equipment.
1955 Bel Air Sport Coupe
If you could sum up cars post World War II in the United States, the 1955 Bel Air Sport Coupe would take the cake. Whether you’re looking at the classic candy apple red and white or turquoise and white option, there’s just nothing like this beauty. It’s as if someone looked at a classic dinner restaurant motif and decided to turn it into a car. The sleek chrome, white and black wheels, the bench front seat, and the finned rear, this is the kind of car everyone can love. Even if you were to hate everything about cars, you’d be drawn to this one. It’s just that much a work of art.
You also know a car was built to last when it was built over 60 years ago, and you will still probably see someone driving one of these cars through town on a warm and dry summer night.
1959 Chevy Impala
The Chevy Impala has gone through many changes over the years, but the 1959 Chevy Impala is unlike anything else. It looks part retro and part space age. If The Jetsons came down to Earth and drove cars, they would drive a 1959 Impala.
The wings on this car, which start right at the end of the doors (this is a massive two-door sedan) flair out at the rear bumper like a great eagle taking flight. While you can find this model as a convertible, the hardtop is pure fun, as well. It feels like you’re in a glass bubble. The 1959 Impala also came with a massive 348 V8, which is more powerful than some modern full-size pickups. It might guzzle the gas, but that’s a small price to pay for a beauty such as this.
1963 Chevy Corvette Stingray
The classic Stingray. It’s part Austin Martin, part American muscle, part Batmobile. There’s just something about the rear of this car that is truly special. The way the car streamlines back to a tip, right at the rear bumper (giving it the “stingray” look). It’s a true thing of beauty.
The 1963 model also features the split rear window, which didn’t last long. With the vertical bar running right down the middle (and essentially creating a blind spot for the driver right in the middle of the back window), Chevy ditched it the next year. But it’s this split rear window that makes it, even more, a classic.
To help improve the handling of this 327 V8, Chevy used a four-wheel independent suspension, which was far more unusual at the time.
1965 Chevelle SS Z16
This car is basically if the FBI and the Blues Brothers decided to come together and make a muscle car. During the early to mid-1960s American car companies were starting to move away from the curved construction and pushed toward harder, angled lines. The Chevelle SS Z16 is exactly that. It has an aggressive, flat rectangle nose with a cabin that seems to pop straight up out of nowhere.
Now, if you ever stumble upon this model and it’s a fair price, buy it right away! Only 201 of the Z16 version were ever made, and the 396 V8 churned out 425 horsepower. It was a total monster of American muscle, crammed and wrangled down into a midsize sedan. It almost doesn’t make any sense, and that’s exactly why it’s such a thing of beauty.
1967 Chevy Camaro Z28
At the time, the Ford Mustang, more or less, had an iron grip on muscle cars in the United States. Sure, the Corvette had already come out, and Dodge was working on its Challenger and Charger vehicles, but nothing had gone head to head with the Mustang. Then Chevy put out the Camaro, and everything changed.
The Mustang and Camaro have gone head to head ever since. The truly crazy thing about the 1967 release of the Chevy Camaro is that it had nearly 80 trim options. Think about trying to sift through all those features on the lot! However, if you’re looking to today, it’s the Z28 trim model that is the best. Of course, as only a limited amount were made, it’s tricky to find one that won’t require you to sell your house to buy it.
Some will tell you the 1969 Camaro is the better car as this is when Chevy really started to drop heavy-duty engines under the hood, but there’s just nothing like your first one, and the 1967 Chevy Camaro Z28 is exactly that. What it lacks in horsepower, it more than makes up for in pure style.
The Best Of Chevy
These are just some of the very best Chevy models of all time. Of course, it all comes down to personality and what you’re interested in. Whether it’s American muscle or you’ve always loved the Silverado, Chevy is a company for the people. So, whether you’ve been typing in “Chevy dealer near me” into the search engine or you are salivating over a used classic, there’s just nothing like sitting behind the wheel of a beautiful classic car.
