By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Craigslist

Tri-five Chevrolets are great project cars and fantastic hot rods. There's no arguing that these cars have risen to true icon status, and they’ve come to represent an entire generation of automotive design. Since these cars can be found most anywhere, there’s no problem finding stock ones or modified examples (one just might be a little more fun than the other). This 1955 Chevrolet 210 is a nice little hot rod today, and it actually takes its inspiration from one of the most well known tri-fives out there — Project X.

Of all the magazine project cars back in the day, there are few that guys talk about more than Project X. A long-term project of Popular Hot Rodding magazine, and later Hot Rod, Project X was a tri-five Chevrolet that was purchased as a lowly $750 used car and built up into a gnarly street/strip machine over nearly a decade. The car started out with a tired old 283, and several engines were installed, upgraded and tested over the years. The final combination in period was allegedly a 427 ci Chevrolet with a blower, good enough for 11-second, 120 mph passes. The magazine would run regular installments covering new ideas and new components for the car, making it better and faster every time. The car is still kicking around somewhere, but has recently been modified in a pro-touring style.

There’s no telling how many enthusiasts were inspired by Project X, but when you talk to the old timers, it seems like a heck of a lot. According to the seller of this 1955 Chevrolet 210, the original builder of the car followed aspects of the Project X template, and it has remained unchanged over the years. It’s powered by a 327 ci Chevrolet with a Turbo-400, and it sports an old-school Pontiac rear end with 5.57 gears — how’s that for acceleration? Under the hood we can see that a tunnel ram is installed with a pair of Holley carbs, a Mallory ignition and fender well-style headers. The interior is nicely appointed for a period car but not overdone. The leather buckets look fantastic, and the roll bar, race belts and dash-mounted tach let you know that this thing means business. The car is clean enough underneath to eat off of, as they say, and there’s no evidence of any modern upgrades anywhere.

The icing on the cake here is the period photo that the seller has included in the listing, which appears to be from the 1970s if I had to guess, reminding us that this car has great history. Overall, this one not only has the right look, but it also has a great story, and that’s gotta be worth the price of admission right? Find this Chevrolet 210 for sale for $35,000 here on San Francisco Bay Craigslist.