The Deluxe line included its Sort Coupe and convertible where both bodies became Bel Air exclusives in 1954. In 1953, Chevrolet restyled their bodies and improved on mechanical items. It utilized a chassis from the 1949 model, an engine from 1941, and a Powerglide automatic transmission from 1950. The 1937 model year Power plants were improved such that, the 92-hp, 216 cu. in. splash oiled six-cylinder. The 235 was a stout engine introduced in 1941 for Chevrolet trucks. The Thrift King was different from Blue Flame stable-mate in that its compression ratio was 7:1 and had 108 horsepower while the Blue Flame compression ratio was 7.5:1 engine producing 115 hp.
The Powerglide of 1953 Chevrolet automatic was a little less of Buick for 1953 although its first three years of production it was Dynaflow relying mostly on the torque converter to move in high gear. For 1953, drivers didn’t require to manually downshift to pass because a kick-down linkage could trigger a downshift. Both transmissions used an enclosed driveshaft. Gearing had a ratio of 3.55:1 for Powerglide models and 3.70:1 for three-speed. To embrace a modern transmission, the 1953 Chevrolet has been changed to open-drive. The chassis remained the same with a 115-inch wheelbase featuring a coil-spring independent front suspension retaining kingpins and Chevrolet’s old torque tube and leaf springs outback. To accommodate a V-8, many cars abandoned their original front suspensions to use Mustang 2 style setups. The four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes had 11 inches diameter with front brakes 2 inches wide and rear fenders 1.75 inches. The pedals included a dual reservoir master cylinder. It had a handsome restyled body resembling a Cadillac. The bodies were shorter and more straight that had the effect of a bigger cargo capacity due to its taller trunk lid. Standard additions were done in the Bel Air series like the fender skirts, double windshield moldings, and saddle moldings on Sport Coupes and Convertible. It had vinyl interior upholstery fit to bench seats in the front and rear.
x