The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs How rare is rare ?!?!?

OK, here are 2 real brain pickers (Question#1 and Question#2)>>> Q#1: Has anyone heard of a 1954 (NOT 55 1st) Chevrolet (NOT GMC) Suburban with the HYDRAMATIC? Q#2: Does anyone know someone with a REAL 1954 Chevrolet HYDRAMATIC Pickup WITH the checkerboard seats (Specifically Transport Blue <turquoise-ish blue> exterior and two-tone blue-gray interior)? Thanks!

I am sure Tim Lederman will be by in a short while, he has quite a collection of 1954/5 data and is one of the most knowledgeable bolters on the subject of 1954/5 suburbans and pickups.

A similar question has already been asked and partially answered:
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...;Main=34213&Number=247663#Post247663

The Hydra-Matic option was available on all 1/2 ton trucks in 1954. There is no way of knowing how many were sold (overall or by model).

I have a real 1954 pickup with a real and original Hydra-Matic but it did not come with two-tone exterior or interior. It will eventually have the yellow/white exterior and the two-tone deluxe maroon/cream interior and Ride-Control (Unison) seat. It was originally Commercial Red exterior and standard Pearl Beige interior.

Greg Hill has a 1/2 ton 54 pickup with deluxe blue/blue interior but I think his Hydra-Matic is an add-on (by Greg).

The only two-tone 54 interior that I have seen first-hand is the green/green option.

This afternoon I'm delivering a '54 Chevy 3600 with Hydra-Matic back to its owner. While the truck has lots of options, including some rare ones, the colors are as common as they come, green paint with brown door panels and black upholstery.

There is a big difference between rare and desirable, and between rare and valuable. Some combinations are rare because no one wanted them when new, and in many cases that is still true.

I think we see more GMC's with Hydra-Matics because in the day the GMC was the 'Cadillac' of light trucks with more chrome and, dare I say it, more class (no personal bias here).

To me an unusual or rare combination of original options is only valuable in a completely original truck. Since I'm a bit of a hot rodder at heart, I shy away from that kind of thing.

sorry guys, I would not have answered this if I had seen his previous post. Just out of respect to those that have already answered the questions. That's why we have the search feature!

Thanks for the info. About the 1954 Chevy Suburban, let me tell you about it and you guys give it your best shot! I have this vehicle , but it's very interesting. I bought it 1 1/2 years ago on Craigslist. It was built in Oakland, Ca, and traveled to the Sacramento aea where it spent its life. It has 81K original miles, and was last registered in 1973. Driveline: It has the one year only 235 with the studs through the valve cover---correct head number. Block was cast March 17th of 1953, and the head March 18th of 1953. Yes, one day apart! Radiator was made in April of 1953.) It is an original Hydramatic vehicle. How do I know? Push button on dash; different floor boards with no foot stomp starter; frame accomodations are different; diff routing of brake lines; etc, etc...Under the hood, with a white grease crayon on the original paint is 1954 (over heater area); 4106 or is that 4116(?---I forget now, designating clamshell); and AUTO over the Regulator area. All markings clearly visible and original. for clamshell Exterior: It has all of its original Transport Blue paint. One minor dent on front left fender is the only body damage---ever. No panels ever replaced/repainted. No rust through. Period. Hidden areas, like inside the wheelwells, look new, once the road dirt cleaned off! Has black primer showing through if paint has thinned, and even has some light, minor surface rust on roof, hood, fenders, kinda like the desired resto-rod look. Interior: Beige paint with white Chevrolet lettering on dash. All seats present. Came with radio (Radio opening is "open", and I found radio mounting bracket under the dash). It is a clamshell model, again. 99.9% of original black floormat is there, and underlying plywood is 100% intact. Unusual things: I've heard that the VERY early suburbans of 1954 had no stainless/chrome around fron windshield nor front side windows. This one has only black rubber around front windshield, and window trims are painted, and have faded with the rest of the vehicle. There's NO pinstripe around the vehicle that goes just below the windshield/windows/etc. There's no accessory 39 Chevy style/47-55 First Series suburban bullet lights on rear of vehicle. Now, put this all together: Someone ordered a 1954 Chevrolet Suburban, not standard juniper Green, but Transport Blue. They added a Hydramatic Tranny, Clam Door, and Radio (all additional options.) The vehicle was built so early, that it dashed out of the GM building facilities so as to have a 1953 235 motor with the studs, and early enough to miss the Hydramatic Plant fire soon after in 1953! It even left with no pinstriping and stainless/chrome around the windows! And with all these added accessories, no 39 style/47-55 First Suburban bullet lights?!?!? When the tailgate is lowered, the lower half looks to be Omaha Orange, perhaps for other drivers' awareness? Definitely original, and not repainted. It came with another clamshell that was also orange like this...This Suburban is still all original, and now what??? (Sorry for the lengthy reply...I'll wait to tell you about the equally-interesting 1954 Chevrolet Hydramatic Pickup I mentioned earlier...)

Very interesting and informative. Here are some comments and questions:

- 3106 is Carryall Suburban with panel-style doors
- 3116 is Carryall Suburban with end-gate (not an option, a different model)
- tail/stop (and signal) side lamps were an accessory that was required in certain states - I's say it was uncommon overall. Does your truck have built-in turn signal mechanism?
- What is the code on driver's door-jamb ID plate?
- What is the engine serial number - pressed into the block at the rear of where the distributor enters the block?
- Stainless around the side door windows was not available in Suburbans (I think) but I think (as you do) that the stainless trim was standard around the windshield and, I thought, around the panel-door windows.
- Your Omaha Orange on inside end-gate theory seems plausible. Maybe someone with an earlier end-gate will post a comment?

How about posting link-s to photos? Greg Hill might like to see the grease pen markings (his 54 pickup has some).

Tim, et al: Grease crayon shows 3116; No factory turn signal on column (but my pickup does have one) It did have a Guide Model 6004 (?---I think; Sold it on ebay, regardless); Plate in door is H54O followed by sequential number for the order of vehicles produced. (As you know, H is for Half ton; 54 is the year; and O is for Oakland, CA). Without disclosing my vin #, trust me it's a low number, around 1,000). Also, something odd, again, you know those storage places under the front seats? They have covers. EXCEPT the one for the passenger looks "less than a clean construction---somewhat fabricated." Again, it has original paint, but it just looks like the storage wasn't completely developed at the time of build. Can't get to those engine numbers right now, but I'll add them later. Thanks!