Vehicle Description
Sporting a thoroughly awesome vintage look, great color scheme and
a handful of modern upgrades, this 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air has a
true "must have" appeal not only because of its looks and
functionality, but also because of its rarity.
Despite being considered part of the 5th generation of Bel Airs
that actually began the year before this one rolled out, 1962
heralded in an essentially all-new design, with only the door
panels carried forward from previous models. The color scheme on
this Chevy - deep black with prominent red striping running the
length of its sides - really shows off the curvature of what was a
very distinctive model. Look in front of the doors and you'll
notice that there are no pillars running from cowl to roof. Bel
Airs like this one were only available for two years and became
closely linked with drag racing, because many of them were
configured for just that, even though Chevy couldn't really come
right out and say so. True to form, this Bel Air has a low slung,
slightly angled stance that conjures up images of it rocketing
forward amid a cloud of burning rubber. Unlike many
"performance-oriented" projects, the aesthetic details have been
well looked after here, and you'll notice that the gaps between
panels are consistent, and the chrome bumpers and trim throughout
look nice and fresh.
This all-red interior grabs you right away. The well-padded bench
seats in front and back have been reupholstered and look truly
distinctive while also remaining completely era-appropriate. On
both sides, the matching door panels are sporting a fresh look
ornamented with the same three-tone insignias as those on the seats
and sit flat against their shells with unblemished hardware. It's a
great looking dash area - a fine example of vintage styling that
must have been considered very futuristic at the time it was
conceived. Glance through the spokes of the pristine steering wheel
and you'll see that the original speedometer is joined by a set of
aftermarket gauges to monitor fuel level, water temperature and oil
pressure. A brand new aftermarket climate control system has been
installed and is in optimum working order, pumping out cold or hot
air as needed through a set of four registers directly below the
centrally-located glovebox, itself a unique styling feature. A sea
of red looped carpeting sits below and looks as though it has seen
very little use, reinforcing the freshness of overall build.
Underneath the hood, a well-equipped Chevrolet small block 350 V8
resides in place of the straight six this unique sedan started life
with in Flint, Michigan and offers substantially more power.
Outfitted with a Holley 4 barrel carb and Edelbrock intake and air
cleaner, it starts right up and idles smoothly. With its long tube
headers leading out to side pipes that emerge just in front of the
rear wheels, it's got a deep aggressive tone to it - another nod to
its racing lineage and, paired with a 4-speed manual transmission,
it's a configuration that promises to make this Chevy a blast to
drive. Underneath, everything is looking good, with straight frame
rails, crossmembers and pans throughout. This distinctive,
race-inspired classic sits on a set of custom 15" steel rims,
outfitted with blackwall radials.
On the hunt for a truly unique vintage classic that's outfitted for
modern day motoring action? You really need to check out this 1962
Chevrolet Bel Air! Call today!