Taking to the Woods—1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe

A 1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe eight-passenger station wagon’s doors are big, so climbing in is easy. The bench seats are covered in leatherette, a leather-like plastic-coated fabric designed to be tough and long lasting. The interior is roomy and handsome, though somewhat curious in that – though rich real wood moldings, with the feel of a classic Chris-Craft speedboat surround you— when you look out over the dash and hood you see a typical 1951 Chevrolet.

I turn the key, push the starter button, and the inline, six-cylinder, 216-cubic-inch, 92 horsepower engine gives a couple of lazy six-volt turns and comes to life. After a few seconds of warm up, with just the faintest ticking of tappets, it settles to a smooth quiet idle. I pull the column-mounted shift lever into low and we are off for a spin through a local park. The engine pulls smoothly, with plenty of bottom end torque, but runs out of revs fairly quickly. Shifting is almost effortless with the short throws of the column-mounted lever. And except for the slight hum of the differential, typical of station wagons, the car is quiet and comfortable.