A Guide to 1954 Cars
From reskinned Bel Airs to perfectly-proportioned panel trucks, these are the best 1954 cars.
Written by Sarah Gray
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The reskinned
Chevrolet
Bel Air was the hands-down star of the year, but 1954 also included innovative designs and the introduction of America’s favorite sports car. 1954 brought us the end of school segregation and McCarthyism and the beginning of Elvis Presley’s reign as the King of Rock and Roll, as well as some of the most memorable vehicles in automotive history.
Whether you’re looking to add a classic to your collection, or for a road trip on memory lane,
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The best cars of 1954
From luxury sedans and sports cars to panel trucks and pickups, these seven vehicles are the automotive heroes of 1954.
The best car of 1954: Chevrolet Bel Air
Original MSRP: $5,307
Powertrain: 3.9-liter Blue Flame inline-six engine w/three-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air was the last model year for the first-generation, but you wouldn’t know it to look at it. Instead, what we have in the ‘54 Bel Air is a perfect example of “reskinning”—applying updated outer panels to an older chassis.
The “glamorous new star” featured fresh sheet metal, a one-piece windshield, and a prominent oval grille with vertical “teeth.” The rear end also featured a bulkier look and reshaped rear side-window openings. The two-tone exterior also sported a good deal more chrome than had been seen on previous Bel Airs.
But Chevy didn’t stop with just changing the Bel Air’s outfit—they proceeded under the hood, swapping the smaller “Stovebolt” six featured in earlier models with the 3.9-liter Blue Flame straight-six. Inside the cabin, Chevy offered an updated and more colorful “living room” interior popular among buyers of the time.
The best luxury car of 1954: Buick Roadmaster Skylark
Original MSRP: $4,843
Powertrain: 5.3-liter Fireball V8 w/three-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The
Buick
Roadmaster Skylark was a top-of-the-line, limited production convertible created to celebrate Buick’s 50th anniversary. Production only ran for two years, from 1953 to 1954, and each model year was unique. Both, however, featured Buick’s new Fireball V8—an innovative new engine hot rodders would refer to as the “Nailhead” for its unique appearance. The power plant’s 360-hp and 220–510 lb-ft of torque was the highest output in the division’s lineup.The best SUV of 1954: Ford F-100 Panel Truck
Original MSRP: $5,673
Powertrain: 3.9-liter Mileage Maker inline-six w/four-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
Selecting the most popular SUV for any year in the 1950s is a tough task since the beast just didn’t yet exist. Instead, we have to look to the SUV’s venerable ancestors, the carryall—a panel truck with a folding rear seat that allowed drivers to transport cargo, passengers, or both. Though it was always a popular model, the
Ford
F-100 Panel Truck for 1954 was particularly well loved. Unlike today’s SUVs, which combine creature comforts with high-powered performance, these carryalls were geared toward utility rather than comfort and convenience. If drivers wanted a luxury vehicle, they looked to the sedan—but they looked to the F-Series and other trucks for work.
That said, Ford was unique for using the “Measuring Man”—a 5-foot, 9.5-inch, 166-lb dummy—to lay out the cab’s proportions to be inline with the average American male of the time. This combined with the broadened front-end accommodating the new overhead-valve Y-block V-8 created a combination loved in the ‘50s and collected by classic car aficionados to this day.
The best family car of 1954: Chevrolet Bel Air Beauville Station Wagon
Original MSRP: $2,283
Powertrain: 3.9-liter Blue Flame inline-six engine w/ two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The “reskinned” 1954 Bel Air dominated vehicle sales for 1954, and that included the family car market. In addition to the standard sedan configuration, drivers could also choose the Beauville station wagon, which added a third row of seating to the already spacious cabin along with woodgrain trim around the windows.
In addition to more passenger space, the Beauville wagon also offered options previously available only in more expensive luxury cars—like power steering, power brakes, power 2-way front seats, and power front windows.
The best sports car of 1954: C1 Corvette
Original MSRP: $3,940
Powertrain: 3.9-liter V8 engine w/two-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
Originally slated for release with the 1954 model year, the
Chevrolet Corvette
generated so much buzz at the 1953 General Motors Motorama that execs pushed up production to begin in late 1953. The 3,640 units built for the 1954 model year sold slowly, so it certainly wasn’t the people’s favorite of the year, but what would eventually become known as the most successful concept in automaking history and the most popular sports car of all time had to be recognized.The first-generation, or C1, ‘Vette featured a 3.9-liter Blue Flame inline-six rated at 150-hp and mated to a two-speed automatic that achieved a lackluster 0-60 time of 11.5 seconds. But unlike many automakers, Chevrolet was quick to learn from its mistakes, updating the engine and adding a manual transmission for the next model year.
The best truck of 1954: Chevrolet 3100
Original MSRP: $4,913
Powertrain: 3.9-liter Blue Flame straight-six engine w/three- or four-speed manual or four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The Chevrolet C3100 is the first in the Advance Design lineup—light and medium duty trucks billed as larger, stronger, and sleeker than their AK Series predecessors manufactured from 1947 to 1955. Of the nine model years, the 1954 Advance Designs were the only model to receive significant design and powertrain updates.
One of the most recognizable differences between the 1953 and ‘54 C3100s is the ‘54’s triple-row horizontal grille bars with built-in parking lights creating the iconic “bull nose” grille. The dual-pane windshield was also replaced with a single curved windshield and the cargo box received higher walls. Add a new hood ornament, and you've got one of the most easily recognizable classic trucks in automotive history.
But Chevy offered updates under the hood as well, replacing the smaller straight-six with the more powerful 3.9-liter Blue Flame straight-six and pairing it with an optional four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission for the first time. Standard equipment still featured a three- or four-speed manual.
What cars came out in 1954?
While these seven cars represent the best of the year, 1954 also witnessed the debut of several new models and vehicle series. Check out the table below to see a few more of the great models that debuted in 1954.
Model | Vehicle type | Engine | Original MSRP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dodge C series | Pickup truck | Flathead inline-six | $1,341 | Replaced the Dodge B series |
Dodge Royal | Sedan, convertible, coupe | 5.2-liter Hemi® V8 | $2,518 | Discontinued after only three model years |
Dodge Town Panel | Panel truck | Choice of 3 inline-sixes or a Hemi® V8 | $2,288 | Marketed as a commercial-use vehicle |
Jaguar XK140 | Sports car | 3.4-liter straight-six | $3,745 | Successor to the XK120 |
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | Grand touring sports car | 3.0-liter straight-six | $6,820 | Originally conceived as a racer and not planned for mass production |
Packard Pacific | Full size luxury sedan | 5.9-liter L-head straight-eight | $3,827 | Replaced the Packard Mayfair and was only manufactured for one model year. |
Plymouth Belvedere | Full size sedan | 3.8-liter straight-six | $1,953 | First model-year the Belvedere was offered as a separate vehicle from the Cranbrook lineup |
Plymouth Savoy | Full size sedan | 3.6- or 3.8-liter straight-six | $1,874 | Like the Plymouth Plaza and Belvedere, the Savoy was named after an upscale hotel |
Studebaker Conestoga | Station wagon | 232 cid V8 | $2,095 | Also sold as an ambulance that included a stretcher, red cross decals, and other ambulance features |
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FAQs
What was the most popular car in 1954?
The Chevrolet Bel Air ruled 1954 in both sales and overall popularity.
What was the fastest car in 1954?
The Jaguar D-Type 3.4L could reach 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, and had a top speed of 170 mph, making it the fastest car in 1954.
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