Vehicle Description
The mid-50s Bel Air was the upper echelon Chevy sedan of its time,
and a true icon of street rod culture. Looking sharp and running
strong, this 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air stands by to pull all that
vintage mojo into your garage. Having gone through a thorough
rebuild about 10,000 miles back, it features a great assortment of
components and is a strong take on the Chevy classic, balancing a
reverence for the original look with some well-selected
upgrades.
The Bel Air underwent quite a transition when the '55s came out.
The already respected yet more sedentary-looking version from just
a year before was streamlined considerably, while losing none of
its appealing "shoe box" beefiness in the process. The absence of a
rear pillar gives the car a unique look while directing focus to
the cabin area, with its sloping rear roofline leading to a
wraparound rear windshield. Up front, the signature hood ornament
looks great and stands alone over a Corvette front grille piece and
the beefy front bumper, while in back all ornamentation save for
the trunk lock has been removed, adding even more uniqueness to
this iconic sedan. Its Gypsy red paint complements the Bel Air's
form nicely and the clean condition of the surrounding chrome trim
- one of the styling elements that separated the Bel Air from
Chevy's other sedan offerings at the time - adds a finished
appearance.
The black and white interior provides just the vintage feel you'd
want from a classic like this. The plush bucket and rear bench
seats, along with the steering wheel, come from another member of
boulevard royalty, the Impala, and look great in this setting,
bracketed by door panels with a matching pattern and sitting over
an expanse of new carpeting. An arm rest comes down from between
the buckets to offer a convenient place to rest an elbow while just
in front, a SunPro tach - along with a trio of other aftermarket
gauges - stands by to keep tabs on vital motoring functions. Look
around the interior of the cabin, and you'll notice right away how
the array of chrome molding on display adds to the overall look as
it stands out against the clean white headliner above. Chevy sedans
of this era featured dash areas with intricate chrome trim spanning
the entire width, and the one here is a great example, with dual
fan shapes housing very clear factory gauges and a well-restored
Bel Air script emblem, while an AM/FM cassette sits at the center.
The trunk area in back is roomy and well detailed, with the
relocated battery sitting securely in a billet container alongside
a full-size spare.
There's a lot to like under the hood. A 350 cubic inch crate engine
sits at the center of the compartment, armed with an Edelbrock Air
Gap intake manifold, a 4-barrel carb and a Comp cam for power, and
a chrome air cleaner and matching valve covers to enhance its
looks. The V8 has only logged about 10,000 miles since its rebuild,
so it's in its prime, and it fires right up, runs smooth and sounds
very healthy. A nicely sized radiator sits up front, joined by an
electric fan to keep temperatures in check. The 3-speed automatic
TH350 transmission sitting just behind it has been enhanced by a
B&M shift kit to make the most out of every rev, joining a 3.36
rear end to round out a drivetrain suited for both off the line
acceleration and comfortable highway cruising. With all new
bushings underneath, as well as some other recently replaced
suspension components, the ride is very comfortable on its 15"
American Racing wheels, wrapped with Cooper Cobra Radial GT
tires.
A tastefully executed customized exterior pairs with a
strong-running, versatile drivetrain to make this 1955 Chevrolet
Bel Air a must-see. Call today!