Chevrolet Biscayne
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The Chevrolet Biscayne was a series of automobile produced by Chevrolet for model years 1958 through 1971. Save for 1958, the Biscayne was the least expensive model in the Chevrolet full-size car range, which included the Delray, Bel Air, Impala and the Caprice. The Biscayne name survived in Canada through the 1975 model year. Biscaynes were produced primarily for the fleet market, though they were also available to the general public — particularly to those who wanted low-cost, no-frills transportation with the convenience and room of a full-size automobile. While most were sold with a six-cylinder engine through the late 1960s, nearly all Biscaynes sold in the early 1970s had a V8 engine1 and automatic transmission; power steering was made standard in 1971, as was the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission on all cars ordered a V-8 engine.
Throughout much of the 1960s, Biscaynes were available with optional high-output big-block V8 engines and floor-mounted 4-speed manual transmissions with Hurst shifters low-ratio final drives. Original production numbers were very low, and examples of these high-performance cars are highly sought after by collectors today.
In most years, Biscaynes were largely devoid of exterior chrome trim and shod with small hubcaps. Inside, interior trim was spartan with lower-grade cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl upholstery trim and standard steering wheel with center horn button, along with rubber floor mats. By 1964, Biscayne models were upgraded a bit as a deluxe steering wheel with horn ring (through 1966, Chevy dropped horn rings for steering wheels in 1967 due to safety concerns), deep-twist carpeting and foam-cushioned front seats became standard equipment along with armrests on all doors. However, the absence of most exterior and fancy interior trimmings remained through the life of the series, as the slightly costlier Chevrolet Bel Air offered a lot more interior and exterior trimmings at a pricetag still significantly lower than the mid-line Chevrolet Impala.
[edit] Biscayne Fleetmaster
In 1960, a lower-priced, sparsely trimmed version of the Biscayne called the Fleetmaster was produced. Aimed primarily at the fleet market, the Fleetmaster included a lower grade of upholstery than the standard Biscayne and deleted routine convenience items such as a cigarette lighter, door armrests, and passenger-side sun visor. In addition, many parts were painted rather than chrome plated. Both two- and four-door sedans were available.
A number of economy-minded options were available exclusive to the Fleetmaster model, although the performance-oriented engines and transmissions were also available (for police applications or customers who wanted the lightest car possible), The Fleetmaster was dropped after 1961.
[edit] Footnotes
- 1 A total of 76,800 Biscaynes were equipped with V8 engines compared to 16,700 six cylinder engine models years 1970, 1971 and 1972. Biscayne engine distribution (V8/I6) 23,100/12,300 (1970); 34,700/2,900 (1971); and 19,000/1,500 (1972), or one six cylinder power Biscayne for every 4.5 V8 cars produced. (Gunnell)
[edit] References
- Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-096-3.
- Biel, John (2005), "A Glass Half Full: The Story of the 1958 Chevrolet", Collectible Automobile 21 (6): 8-23, <http://auto.consumerguide.com/product/collectible/index.cfm>.
