This Special-Order 1956 Chevrolet 150 Was Once a Washington State Patrol Car

One of America's best-selling automobiles, the Tri-Five Chevy is anything but rare several decades later. The market is literally flooded with examples in all forms: Concours-ready restorations, survivors, and beefed-up restomods. Most of them are still affordable, and some are more desirable than others.

Classic car enthusiasts usually chase the Bel Air two-door hardtop and convertibles. These are quite common with over 600,000 units built in three years, but they're favored due to their sleek appearance. There's also the two-door Bel Air Nomad station wagon. This body style is actually the scarcest; Chevrolet sold only 22,897 examples between 1955 and 1957.

The 1956 Tri-Five you see here is not a Bel Air. It rolled off the assembly line as an entry-level 150 (One-Fifty) model. But it has a few notable things to brag about: a relatively rare body style, a stunning condition, and special-order status. 

While it may look like a plain two-door sedan, this 150 is, in fact, a utility sedan version. What's the difference? Well, utility sedans were even more minimalist than the regular entry-level sedans, featuring a flat cargo area behind the driver. It did not have a rear seat because it was essentially a commercial vehicle for people who didn't need a wagon (say door-to-door salespersons).

How rare is it? Well, it doesn't boast a very low production number, but it's definitely scarcer than most other body styles. Specifically, Chevrolet sold 31,668 units in three years, which is only 6.6% of the total One-Fifty production. It's up there with the Nomad and the Delivery Sedan, the latter being an equally sparse, paneled station wagon.

This sedan is one of only 10,712 units produced in 1956 and a very rare example that was specially ordered for the Washington State Patrol. It's unclear how many years it served and what it was used for, but it's amazing that it survived for so many decades.

Restored on a rotisserie in 2013, the Tri-Five wears the correct Washington State Patrol blue paint, a hue you probably won't see on another 150 anytime soon. We don't get to see the interior, but the vehicle looks stunning on the outside and under the hood. The odometer shows it was driven only 123 miles (198 km) since the restoration. 

Although many base 150 cars were ordered with inline-six engines, this one rolled off the assembly line with a V8. Moreover, it rocks the most potent iteration of the 265-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) mill available at the time: the dual-carb 225-horsepower Turbo-Fire. The engine mates with a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive.

The Tri-Five has been sitting in a private collection since 2014, and it's looking for a new home. The Chevy will cross the block at Mecum's Houston 2026 auction on April 10. And I have a feeling it will become one of the most expensive stock 150 models ever auctioned.