Vehicle Description
We sell dozens of mid-fifties Chevrolets every year, but few are as
honest and traditional as this 1955 Bel Air sedan. Only recently
have 4-door Tri-5s been gaining attention, but they drive just as
well as their 2-door counterparts, have the same awesome good
looks, and they're a lot more affordable. If you think that owning
a Shoebox Chevy was out of reach, guess again, because this is a
really nice car.
Finished in a correct India Ivory over Regal Turquoise combination,
you almost have to look twice to spot the extra doors on this
Chevy. The wonderful Bel Air detailing cleverly hides the rear door
inside the split, and the neat little dip is in the same place it
is on the coupes. But that's kind of selling this car short,
because someone has spent a lifetime caring for this survivor-grade
car, so all four doors fit well and it has a very pleasing period
look. Those long spears along the flanks emphasize the long, low
profile of the '55 Chevys, and, of course, the top-of-the-line Bel
Air has plenty of jewelry to make it stand apart. It has not been
customized or modified, which is always refreshing with these cars,
and they've resisted the urge to over-accessorize the car, which
seems to be an epidemic among Tri-Five Chevy owners. All the chrome
is neatly preserved, the emblems on the hood and deck lid are
bright, and the stainless side trim really pops against the
driver-grade paint. The car looks great!
The handsome two-tone interior has a great 1950s sensibility and
with room for six, this really is the most practical hobby car you
can buy. The upholstery is in good condition following an older
restoration, and the entire cabin is a lovely combination of new
and old that really works well inside. Dramatic door panels look as
good in the 4-door as they do in the other '55 Chevys and the dash
is identical, right down to the gauge bezel and stylish steering
wheel with horn ring. For cruising comfort, this one has been
fitted with an aftermarket tachometer and an array of auxiliary
gauges that fit neatly under the dash and almost out of sight,
which preserves the original look of the dash. It also has an
original steering column that doesn't call attention to itself,
plush green carpets below, and nice white headliner above. The rear
seat hasn't seen too many miles and looks great today, while out
back the trunk is bare bones - showing off just how solid the
original pans really are.
The 327 cubic inch V8 under the hood almost looks like what could
have been there in 1955, although it's dressed for show with lots
of chrome. Chevy Orange on the block helps with the OEM vibe and a
set of polished valve covers and matching air cleaner help things
pop. Long-tube headers dump into a bubbly dual exhaust system with
chambered mufflers, so it sounds suitably racy. A TH350 3-speed
manual transmission is a nice replacement for the original
PowerGlide, making this sedan very easy to drive. The chassis is
solid and in good order, although not detailed for show, and it has
a very comfortable ride complements of 225/70/15 Dunlop radials
wrapped around a set of flashy Cragar S/S that really pop against
the stock set-up of this sedan.
With all the emphasis on performance these days, it's kind of nice
to see a car like this that doesn't go overboard with the
modifications and still feels like a trip to the past. Call
today!