New The Fifty Millionth Gm Vehicle Produced, Was Dubbed The Golden Chevrolet. No I Knows Where The Gilt '55 Is Or What Happened To It.

Assembled amongst the greatest of assist at the Chevrolet works life inward Flint, Mich., the golden chassis too gold-painted body were mated upwards too the especial machine was driven off the trace at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1954 past times Chevrolet GM Thomas Keating, after which he handed the keys to GM Chairman Harlow Curtice.

 Most high-ranking GM officials too a release of civic leaders were present. After a brief ceremony, the machine was loaded on a float too towed through Flint, much to the please of onlookers who had packed the streets to run across the especial Chevy too all the celebrities who were existence hauled behind the milestone machine inward novel GM convertibles.

But too then Chevrolet commissioned the structure of 5,000 gold-painted Bel Airs to commemorate the 50-million-vehicle functioning past times itself too all its sis divisions. Naturally, the chrome, stainless too aluminum pieces would rest inward their normal solid soil ... no to a greater extent than ultra-expensive gilded plating. In addition, perchance to save the sanctity of the real especial Sport Coupe, all 5,000 commemorative models would live on four-door sedans. And they could convey whatever combination of equipment, including engine too transmission.

The Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop including its chassis was painted Anniversary Gold too had 716 cut down parts plated amongst 24-carat gilded along amongst a duplicate laid upwards of replacement parts for repairs if necessary.

 The interior was color-keyed to the outside too had the 50-millionth commemorative medallion made for the effect attached to each door panel. Chevrolet also offered the Anniversary Gold pigment color equally a express option (reportedly merely 5,000) for four-door models only. The 50-millionth machine non exclusively appeared at the “Golden CARnival” parade inward Flint, but also at the GM Motorama.

 General Motors fifty-fifty painted 1 of their diesel fuel locomotives inward Anniversary Gold amongst the especial 50-millionth machine logo equally usage of the celebration.

The unique Anniversary Gold Bel Air two-door hardtop became privately owned at around quest after its days of generating publicity for GM came to an end, too this novel possessor had a dissimilar 1955 hardtop he was planning to restore.

He learned of around guys who were edifice around other 1955 hardtop into a race machine thence he to run across it. Extensive modifications were nearly underway when he constitute it to live on inward amend status than the machine he had too planned to restore, too the gilded side cut down too gilded hood ornamentation plane was nevertheless on it. The residual of the cut down parts were within the trunk. Since this machine inward practiced status was nearly to acquire chopped, he suggested swapping cars, thence he could restore a the amend 1 too they could cutting on the rusty one.

After getting the machine domicile too showtime the dismantling process, he also constitute a especial plate on the firewall, thence he called Tom Trainor who worked for GM for thirty equally a Chevy hobbyist. Tom constitute that the VIN on the Bel Air matched that of the 50-millionth GM car.

The guy that owned it is Bill Edney, of Columbus, N.C. who passed away Nov. 2011, too was a founding fellow member of the Carolina Nomad Club.  Bill saw the machine was going to move a race car.  The machine was Black too white too was offered for 400 dollars. It had mill A/C too ability everything. It was subsequently that he learned that at that topographic point was exclusively 1 sport coupe done too its the gilded 1 inward the parade too inward the promo movies. But Bill started the replating, buying overnice NOS cut down to do it with.

The golden anniversary 55 hardtop came to GM's attending too inward 2002 GM offered to restore the machine for him if they could usage it for promo for the 2005 anniversary but he was afraid that he would non acquire it back. So it was nevertheless sitting too awaiting restoration. As a side note, an master license plate that was on the machine was on ebay a duet years ago. It had 50 000 000 inward raised numbers too at that topographic point were around penciled notations on the dorsum of the plate.

After Bill died, I haven't learned yet what happened amongst the car

It took less than a decade to cross the 75 1 M 1000 threshold inward 1962, too merely 5 years to attain 100 million.

inward 1967, GM's 100 millionth machine rolled off the line, a Caprice

GM was the largest automaker inward the footing inward 1967, providing jobs for 740,000 people inward America, who built cars for 50% of the American market.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a28920/nearly-fifty-years-ago-gm-built-its-100-millionth-car/
http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/35687/
http://northeastwheelsevents.ning.com/video/gm-50-millionth-car-a-gold-1955-chevy-proudly-paraded-through-the

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