Selling Chevys in Buffalo in the 1960s

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

You can almost hear the guttural laments of car enthusiasts everywhere.

Few cars are more sought after than early Corvettes, and there likely haven’t been many available at $2,795 since Mernan Chevrolet put this one out on the Bailey Avenue lot back in 1960.

While many among us can see ourselves peeling off the hundreds to buy such a classic at such a rare price, it must be noted that the National Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator says this ‘Vette actually cost about $22,500 in 2015 dollars. Still a great deal, but maybe it doesn’t sting as bad for having missed it?

57 Chevy for $1595

Right around the same time, Mernan also offered more of a working man’s classic.

For decades, the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air has been a sought-after ride. It’s considered among the most perfect examples of 1950s American design and consumer culture.

During the spring of 1960, it was little more than a three-year old used car that the folks at Mernan Chevy wanted off their Bailey Avenue lot.

A few years later, Mernan was hoping a little mid-’60s sex appeal would help clear out their “dreamy 1965 models” to make room for 1966 Chevys.

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Steve Cichon

Steve Cichon writes about Buffalo’s pop culture history. His stories of Buffalo's past have appeared more than 1600 times in The Buffalo News. He's a proud Buffalonian helping the world experience the city he loves. Since the earliest days of the internet, Cichon's been creating content celebrating the people, places, and ideas that make Buffalo unique and special. The 25-year veteran of Buffalo radio and television has written five books and curates The Buffalo Stories Archives-- hundreds of thousands of books, images, and audio/visual media which tell the stories of who we are in Western New York.