Chevrolet Fleetline Coupe (1952) American love for Bjorn

There are moments when you stumble upon something truly special, like this Chevrolet Fleetline Coupe (official version: DeLuxe). What more could you ask for as a classic car enthusiast? It gleamed with appeal in Giekerk. The retro look, the streamlined bodywork, the fastback with its beautiful lines, and the chrome accents were the beginning of an American love affair for Bjorn. A happy reminder of the 50s and an ideal car for someone who wants something a little different. That everyone finds their own way to explore their hobby is evident in his own story:

Bjorn: “In June 2019, I was at a festival in Roden/Foxwolde: the Oldstyle Weekend. We've been attending these kinds of festivals and gatherings for years with a group of regular friends, both in the Netherlands and Germany. One of my friends is the proud owner of a 1951 Chevy 3100 Pickup, which he always comes along. The American body style from the late 40s and early 50s is popular in certain circles, such as the rockabilly scene, because of its rounder and slightly more modest proportions than the cars that came on the market from around 1955 onwards. Several gatherings therefore use the "pre-55 only" policy. My love for these cars grew quickly. Having started with various VWs (Golf Type 1 + 2, Scirocco Type 2, Transporter T3), my eye soon fell on the coupes from Mercury, Chevrolet, and Pontiac.”

The fabulous Coupe

Coincidentally, there was a Chevrolet Fleetline Coupe there, and a two-door at that; more desirable than a four-door. I soon struck up a conversation with the then-owner. He'd bought the car in 2018 from a dealer in Damwoude, without an engine or transmission. He fitted it with a small-block V8 with an automatic transmission and a long list of other parts, after which he made it roadworthy for the RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority). Because of his impending emigration to Sweden and the fact that he owned several classic cars, I was able to convince him to sell the car to me. Shortly afterward, I picked up the Chevy from his house.

Schedule of work

Then the planning begins: what do I want to do with it? Driving and tinkering. As a mechanical engineering teacher at the vocational college in Drachten, technology is certainly no stranger to me, although it's not specifically automotive technology. But with an original workshop manual and the internet, this Chevrolet Fleetline Coupe is no longer a mystery. My motto: driving in spring and summer, tinkering in winter. With a heated garage and a lift, that's perfectly manageable. The challenge is to have it roadworthy in time for spring. Don't overdo the jobs, logically plan what needs to be done first and what can wait a season. With a family of three young children, tinkering time is scarce, so they have to be used wisely. Once everything is finished, we regularly tour in the spring and summer: getting ice cream, picnics, family visits. The children are, of course, in child seats and with the self-installed seat belts—one of the first jobs on the car.

The social aspect

Visiting festivals with friends also remains an annual ritual. We often go to a multi-day event once a year, in the Netherlands or Germany, like the Bockhorn Classic Car Market. We even went to Römö, Denmark. A fantastic trip. We drove two cars from Friesland to the Danish Wadden Island and on the way back, we spent two hours stuck in traffic at the Elbe Tunnel in Hamburg. No fun with a classic car over 70 years old. You absolutely don't want to break down there, so we have to keep a close eye on the temperature gauge. Luckily, we made it on our own.

"This Chevrolet Fleetline Coupe is, in my opinion, a '10-meter car.' It's beautiful from a distance, but up close, you can see it deserves a complete restoration someday. But I can't manage that in one winter, and then my motto no longer applies. We'll see where it ends. Time will tell."

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(Below are a few more photos)