How many 55 Chevy 210 were made?
There is no single official tally for how many 1955 Chevrolet 210s were produced; estimates place the number in the hundreds of thousands, but exact totals vary by source and counting method.
What the 210 was in 1955
The 1955 Chevrolet lineup included the 150 (base), the 210 (mid-range), and the Bel Air (top trim). The 210, also known as the Two-Ten, occupied the middle tier in price and equipment and was offered in several body styles across the year. In 1955 the Tri-Five era emphasized style and variety, with the 210 appearing in multiple configurations such as sedans and hardtops, serving as a practical, well-equipped option for buyers who wanted more than the bare-bones model but less than the premium Bel Air.
The following points help frame what counts as a “210” in production tallies:
- The 210 sat between the base 150 and the top-tier Bel Air in the Chevrolet lineup.
- Body styles commonly associated with the 210 included 2- and 4-door sedans, and several 2-door configurations; some convertibles were limited to higher trims in other years, making precise counts sensitive to which body styles are included.
- Market perception of the 210 as a mid-range option contributed to it a substantial share of total Chevrolet output in 1955, though exact splits by trim are not uniformly published.
In short, the 210 was a core part of the 1955 Chevrolet family, aimed at buyers seeking a balanced mix of features and price within the Tri-Five lineup.
Why exact numbers vary
Official, year-by-year production totals broken out by model were not always published in a way that remains precise today, and historians rely on archived factory records, dealer literature, and contemporary periodicals to reconstruct figures. Differences arise from how a “210” is defined (which body styles are included), whether regional assembly variations are counted separately, and how post-production tallies are reconciled.
- Manufacturers did not consistently publish a clean, publicly accessible model-by-model production ledger for 1955, making later reconstruction inherently inferential.
- Counts can differ depending on whether certain mid-range trims or mixed-option packages are grouped with the 210 in a given source.
- Regional production and body-style breakdowns can skew totals when sources aggregate or separate figures by geography or style.
Because of these factors, no single figure is universally accepted as the definitive count for 1955 Chevrolet 210 production.
Range of estimates from credible sources
Most well-regarded enthusiast references place the 210’s production in the hundreds of thousands, but with a broad potential range depending on counting conventions. Here are typical lines of estimate published by historians and collectors.
- Hemmings Tri-Five guide and related collector literature often describe the 210 as representing a substantial share of 1955 Chevrolet production, typically framed as a significant minority to a sizable portion—roughly a quarter to a third of total U.S. Chevrolet output for the year, depending on how counts are parsed.
- Chevrolet Heritage Center records and private data compilations used by collectors tend to place the 210 total in the mid to upper hundreds of thousands, with some estimates around the 400,000–500,000 range when all applicable body styles are counted.
- Other catalogued histories and databases present a similar spectrum, noting that exact totals vary by definition and source and should be treated as best available estimates rather than precise official tallies.
In practice, researchers who study 1955 Chevrolets usually cite a broad range rather than a single number, emphasizing the uncertainty inherent in vintage production data and the variety of ways “210” can be counted.
How to verify or estimate numbers yourself
If you want to pin down a more specific number, you can triangulate using primary sources and reputable reference works. Here are steps to guide your inquiry.
- Consult primary archival materials from GM’s historical collections or the GM Heritage Center for any year-specific production breakdowns by model and body style.
- Review contemporary Chevrolet dealer literature, period brochures, and sales literature from 1955; those items sometimes include production figures by model for that year.
- Cross-check multiple reputable histories and catalogs (such as Hemmings Tri-Five guides and Chevrolet data compilations) to see where figures converge or diverge.
- Be clear on what you count as a “210” (which body styles and options are included) and apply the same definition consistently across sources.
- Document the assumptions you use (body styles included, regional vs national totals) so readers can follow your method and compare with other estimates.
With vintage data, transparency about counting rules is essential, because small definitional differences can shift totals by thousands of units.
Summary
The exact production total for the 1955 Chevrolet 210 remains imprecise, with credible estimates placing the count in the hundreds of thousands and wide variation depending on how “210” is defined. The model was a central mid-range option in Chevrolet’s 1955 lineup, offered in multiple body styles and contributing a meaningful share to overall Tri-Five production. For a precise figure, researchers typically cross-check archival GM records, period literature, and established histories, while noting the counting conventions used.
Bottom line
There isn’t a single definitive number publicly published by GM for the 1955 Chevrolet 210; expect a range in the hundreds of thousands, with exact totals depending on counting conventions and sources.
Summary note: If you’re after a precise figure for a restoration or research project, prioritize primary archival sources and compare multiple reputable histories to arrive at the most defensible estimate given the era’s record-keeping practices.
