Vehicle Description
SUMMARY
Authentic Bel Air
The beneficiary of a ground-up restoration
6.0 liter GM LS2 V8 / 400 horsepower
GM 4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission
Custom leather interior / Vintage Air conditioning / Modern
audio
Powdercoated Street Rod Garage chassis
18 and 20-inch Coys wheels
Power rack-and-pinion steering
4-wheel disc brakes
Ford 9-inch rear axle
Over the years GM's Chevrolet division has implemented a pretty
methodical tactic of building a nameplate up, creating fierce
loyalty within a certain set of buyers, and eventually phasing the
model out. While that's proven to be a very beneficial practice for
folks who want to build equity with classics like this incredible
drop-top, it seems a bit counterintuitive. Introduced in 1950 as a
youthful alternative to the well-known Styline, the revolutionary
Bel Air was decidedly cool. And, not as ostentatious as an
Oldsmobile or as boorish as a Pontiac, the car spent most of its
life as the poster child for quintessential Americana. This world
class tri-five is an infinitely impressive classic that's primed,
polished and ready to show. And if you're a discerning gearhead
who's looking for a bit of premium Detroit metal, it's your ticket
to good times and great value!
BODYWORK/TRIM
Beginning Chevrolet's march up the market, the Bel Air sought a
more stylish and sophisticated buyer. And when you take one look at
this impressive convertible, you'll understand exactly why the
marque was a colossal sales success. Mixing a tailored profile with
a killer stance, the car definitely conveys genteel aesthetics in
an era of elaborate design. During an extensive, ground-up
restoration, which appears very fresh, shapely sheetmetal was fully
stripped and painstakingly worked into a tight profile that serves
as a solid foundation for unbroken reflections. Those reflections
are provided by a rich coat of Burgundy 2-stage, which was
augmented with small mirrors, modern headlights, flashy "Fuel
Injection" emblems and a truckload of monochromatic Bel Air trim.
And today, this legendary Chevy rolls as one razor-sharp tri-five
that's poised to show and raring to go!
ENGINE
Peek under the car's domed hood and you'll find six liters of LS2
V8 that's good for a solid 400 horsepower! More specifically,
straight from the factory, that fully sorted mill combines a sturdy
aluminum block with a hot cam and lightweight 243 heads to twist
stout 10.9 to 1 compression in to 400 lb./ft. of torque. At the
front of the engine, polished serpentine components spin a polished
alternator, a coated AC compressor and a coated water pump behind a
color-keyed air tube that terminates at a vertical filter. Once air
enters that tube, it flows through a F.A.S.T. Big Mouth throttle
body to a color-keyed intake that's bolted over completely stock
internals. High octane fossils are provided by GM electronic fuel
injection. Sparks are sequenced through 7mm Taylor Spiro Pro plug
wires. Spent gases are whisked away by ceramic-coated shorty
headers. And cooling comes courtesy of a polished aluminum radiator
that's sandwiched between a polished condenser, corrugated hoses, a
polished support and large electric puller fans. Aesthetically,
both the Cast Silver mill and its assortment of bright accessories
seem right at home inside their smooth, body-matched frame. And
details like trick dipsticks, polished fluid reservoirs, polished
hood supports, custom fuel rail covers and a polished master
cylinder ensure this classic runs every bit as good as it
looks.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
At the bottom of this slick Chevy, the resto-mod theme continues
with fully finished floors that are bolted to a powdercoated Street
Rod Garage chassis. That chassis trades GM's traditional 'glide
ride' suspension for a whole new setup that plants sturdy
coil-over-shocks inside tubular control arms and a triangulated
4-bar rear-clip. That hardware is led by power rack-and-pinion
steering. The quick-spinning small block sends power to a reliable
4L60E 4-speed, which twists torque to a Ford 9-inch axle. Braking
is provided by polished calipers, which clamp 13-inch drilled and
slotted rotors. Exhaust is handled by a series of large-diameter
tubes, which center small Magnaflow race mufflers and throaty
Flowmaster Hushpower IIs in front of polished stainless tailpipes.
Torque meets the tarmac through chrome Coys spinners, which turn
225/45R18 Nitto NT555 Extreme ZRs in front of 245/40ZR20 Nitto
NT555 Extreme ZRs. And everything, from this Bel Air's Earl's brake
lines to its stainless fuel tank, is solid, sorted and ready to
roll.
INTERIOR
There's certainly no shortage of tri-fives with custom interiors.
But this cockpit, high-dollar leather installed by Steve Holcomb of
Knoxville, Tennessee's Pro Auto Custom Interior, is certainly a
stand out. It all begins with custom bucket seats, borrowed from a
fourth generation Pontiac GTO, that feature full power adjustment
for both the driver and front passenger. In front of those seats, a
body-matched dash traces clean Classic Instruments telemetry, and
hardware for Vintage Air climate control, in polished billet trim.
Beneath that dash, a custom, full-length console founds a short
Lokar shifter between hidden cupholders, small power window
switches and Kenwood touchscreen audio. Beneath that console, slick
Daytona Carpet floats color-keyed floor mats under billet foot
pedals and polished bowtie sills. At the sides of that carpet,
custom door panels center stylish trim and polished handles under
mirrored toppers. In front of the driver, a polished, tilting
column spins a polished, half-wrapped wheel. And behind the
passengers, a power-operated decklid reveals a custom-upholstered
trunk.
You really can't ask for a cooler classic than this classy Chevy,
especially when it comes to value. Wrapping great looks and proven
performance in a quality restoration, it's the perfect car for any
enthusiast who wants top-notch metal that'll turn heads for years
to come. So, what are you waiting for? Call your friends at RK
Motors Charlotte and enjoy a heavy dose of storied Americana!