Vehicle Description
How cool is this 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with its slick
two-tone paint job and contemporary tan leather interior? It makes
for a slick resto-rod that ignores convention and just goes for
pure style, succeeding on every level.
It's hard to improve on the basic goodness that is the 1955 Chevy,
so the guys who built this one honored the original design and
simply made it as straight and shiny as they could. Panel gaps and
alignment were given the attention they deserve, and every square
inch of the bodywork was blocked and blocked again so it would be
straight enough for that blue and white paint job, which looks
pretty close to the 1955 combination of India Ivory over Glacier
Blue. All the trim is still in place, now restored to a very high
standard. There's a ton of stainless, and all of it went on the
polishing wheel until it sparkled, and the chrome pieces are either
re-plated or fresh reproductions that look and fit right. Even the
wrap-around glass is in excellent shape, with the windshield having
the right Soft-Ray tint. It's not a perfect car, but the look is
eye-catching and you'll always be proud to show up in this one no
matter what show you attend.
Where a lot of resto-mods would have modern buckets or some kind of
original black-and-white '50s looks, this gorgeous Bel Air offers a
sophisticated tan leather take on the original patterns. The stock
bench seat is still in place, but the supple leather is quite
modern and gives it a unique look, especially with the blue suede
inserts. Matching door panels were stitched up to compliment the
seats, and blue carpets continue the subtle theme. The factory dash
is intact, painted to match the tan leather and still wearing the
cool machined insert that stretches from door to door, but the
original gauges have been replaced by a set of incredible backlit
LED units that are totally 21st century. There's still an
original-looking radio in the dash, but it has an iPod interface
that powers speakers in the kick panels. A custom center console
under the dash houses the A/C system that makes it look more
integrated than your usual under-dash unit and it wears custom
color-matched and embroidered floor mats to keep things tidy.
Overhead, there's a new white power convertible top and the trunk
is beautifully finished with a custom cover for the spare tire and
a storage compartment.
Under the hood there's nothing radical, which is just what you want
for a car you're actually going to drive. A reliable, powerful
Chevy 350 has been stashed between the fenders, and it wears an
Edelbrock intake, a matching 4-barrel carb, and plenty of custom
painted components. Custom finned aluminum valve covers are a very
cool blend of old and new, and you'll note things like A/C, power
four-wheel disc brakes, and a massive aluminum radiator up front. A
700R4 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission has been fitted,
powering the original rear end. Ram's horn exhaust manifolds feed a
dual exhaust system with Flowmasters, so it has plenty of rumble to
match its looks, and while it isn't detailed for show underneath,
it's quite solid with no trouble in any of the usual spots. And you
just can't go wrong with classic sand-cast Torque Thrust wheels,
with these wearing 205/75/15 Uniroyal whitewall radials.
Documented with restoration receipts, this '55 Bel Air is
great-looking, great-driving, and a refreshing take on a familiar
theme. Call now!