Chevrolet has a long and interesting history. The founder, Louis Chevrolet, was a Swiss race car driver and engineer. Along with his brother, Arthur, William Durant and others formed the Chevrolet Motor Co. in 1911 and were very successful. Chevrolet became part of General Motors in 1918, making GM the world’s largest automobile company.

After World War II, the American public were very anxious for new cars. No civilian cars had been made from 1942 through the end of the war in 1945. Initially after the war, 1946 through 1948, Chevrolet along with the other auto manufacturers built as many prewar-styled vehicles as possible, even though, in some cases, all the parts necessary to complete the job were not available. For example, steel was hard to get, so at least one auto company sold the cars with wooden 2-by-4 bumpers, then replaced the wooden ones with steel later. Apparently, customers were just happy to finally get new cars.

Model year 1949 was when the Big Three auto manufacturers introduced the first completely restyled cars after the war. These were major changes, and the public bought them up. Generally, the 1950 models were the same as the 1949 models, but Chevrolet had a couple of significant improvements that really changed the industry. The biggest was the introduction of Power Glide Automatic Transmission with the 1950 Chevrolets. Not only was this a convenience, it was also a status symbol, with “POWER GLIDE” boldly lettered above the trunk handle for all to see. The other major item was the introduction of the two-door hardtop model styled to look like a convertible without the pillared side windows and sold at premium price.

This issue’s car feature is a beautiful 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe convertible owned by Rodeo resident David Orsi. When new, this car had a base price of $1,847, but this car also has the Power Glide Transmission, a $159 option (about $1,762 in today’s dollars) for a total of about $2,006 (about $22,230 today). Orsi’s Chevrolet has the factory tube AM radio, which still works, and a heater that would have also been an option. The top is power, but nothing else is. The convertible is powered by the dependable “235 cubic inch Blue Flame” inline six-cylinder engine rated at 105 horsepower that was used from 1941 through 1962. Orsi has owned this car almost two years.

“I was actually looking for a 1954 Chevrolet,” he said. “I had one when I was a teenager, but then I met somebody, got married and did the family thing, so I had to get rid of it. I didn’t think I could ever find a convertible of any car I was looking for, but I went to Hemmings (magazine) and found this. I remember a neighbor of mine had a yellow one just a year older than this one, and I always loved that car. I wanted it, but he wouldn’t sell it.”

Orsi never forgot that car, though. Even though this one was a little older than what he was looking for, he decided to give it a shot. The car was in North Carolina, and he put in his bid for it over the phone. He had seen pictures and videos but never saw the actual car. He didn’t want to disclose the purchase price but estimates the current market value between $40,000 and $50,000. Frequently, there are some expensive surprises after buying a 70-year-old car even if one can inspect it, so there is uncertainty. The former owner had died, so Orsi couldn’t learn any history of the vehicle.

“I got lucky,” he said. “I will probably never gamble again. I took the risk and came out OK on this. It was presentable, pretty much like it is. It just needs some fine-tuning but nothing major.”

Orsi has added disc brakes in front and turn signals for safety. He loves the styling of his Chevrolet — the fender skirts, the body shape with the fenders being part of the body, make this car an eye-catcher. The curved, two-piece windshield was a style-setter. The front seat is a 5-foot-long bench seat and very comfortable — especially nice for one’s girlfriend to slide over and sit next to you. One item that the owner stated is in this car’s future and is period-correct is a “necker’s knob,” a device that attaches to the steering wheel so the driver can put his arm around his girlfriend and still, allegedly, steer the nonpower-steering car safely.

This car is a show car and a driver. Orsi tries to drive the car every week, and if the weather is bad, he at least starts the engine twice a week to keep all the parts lubricated. To own this car is Orsi’s dream come true, and he has no plans to ever sell it.

Have an interesting vehicle? Contact David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To view more photos of this and other issues’ vehicles or to read more of Dave’s columns, visit mercurynews.com/author/david-krumboltz.