Vehicle Description
Sleepers are a special breed of car. They're for guys who don't
care about getting all the attention but would rather put their
efforts towards hardware upgrades, which, of course, have to remain
invisible. This surprisingly nasty 1963 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door
sedan is the archetypal sleeper: a nondescript body packing serious
heat under the hood. If you don't know what you're looking at, it's
very easy for this car to slip under the radar.
I'll wager that many folks will have looked at this car in a photo
array on our website or some other advertising medium and moved
right past, as if it were nothing special. That's a shame that they
don't bother to look closer, but it's also a testament to how
effectively this one camouflages its true intentions. At least they
painted it Black Cherry, not some low-key beige, and it has a
mature, grown-up look that helps with the predator's vibe this car
gives off. The paint doesn't appear to be very old and has a good
shine out in the sun, but nothing too flashy or overtly custom,
because you don't want to give away the secret. The curb appeal is
still undeniable though, and although it's not a show car, this Bel
Air hardtop is strong driver-quality rig that practically begs you
to go show it off. The long Bel Air body has a dramatic crease
running from the front fender opening to the rear bumper, and it's
practically laser-straight, indicating that the restoration was
quite thorough and/or this was a very clean original car to begin
with. It sparkles with plenty of bright trim (it's a Bel Air, after
all), and while it's not totally in tune with the sleeper code of
ethics, they did add a set of crossed flags and a '409' emblem on
each front fenders, you know, just as a warning.
The black-and-burgundy interior features a combination of original
and modern components, working together to form one of the coolest
cabins we've featured in months on our website. Two-tone seats are
always en vouge, but these black vinyl seats with their burgundy
accents in the seatbacks are simply elegant. They're all day
comfortable and show very little wear, matched by the accompanying
door panels at the flanks, the plush black carpets below, and the
taut headliner above. The big, original dash is still place and
free from any cracks or fading, punctuated with billet accents and
a beautiful, leather-wrapped Grant steering wheel at the head of
the cockpit. Just beyond it is the original gauge bezel, but since
it only covers the basics, a trio of white-faced aftermarket units
were added below and a SunPro tachometer was strapped to the
steering column to mind the revs. Like many early muscle cars from
the era, options are scarce, although you do get a center console
that splits the front buckets, an AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit mounted in
the center of the dash, and a full set of floor mats protecting the
carpets. A tall, Hurst floor shifter with a cue-ball knob adds a
sporty vibe up front, practically begging you to cycle through the
gears, and like all Bel Airs of the period there's expansive room
in the back seat area. Out back, the trunk is absolutely massive,
featuring a full-size spare tire and a full set of replacement mats
that cover the neatly painted floors.
The weapon of choice under this hood is a 348 cubic inch V8, which
as many of our reader may know share essentially the same valve
covers and basic shape of a 409. With that being said, the
restorers decided to badge this motor as its 409 big brother to
match the fender badges outside, which is actually quite common for
the 348 V8. The whole thing is fed by dual Edelbrock 4-barrel
carburetors atop an Edelbrock aluminum intake, and the 1958 date
code motor was obviously built to be driven because it feels very
punchy and powerful when warmed up and ready to go. It does look
fairly OEM, but by the time everyone gets a look under the hood,
the time for stealth is over anyway. A few chrome pieces look
bright, a big aluminum radiator keeps things cool while long-tube
headers help it breathe, and it's quite orderly under the hood, as
it should be in a car designed for a single purpose. It's backed by
a 4-speed manual transmission that shifts very smoothly, and one
quick look at the beefy suspension with new and restored components
throughout lets everyone know this Bel Air can really handle itself
out on the road. The dual exhaust system cackles thanks to throaty
mufflers and it sits on a custom A-arm front suspension that works
with a big sway bar in the rear, all of which notably improve
handling and adds disc brakes. Shiny chrome wheels add just enough
flash and they carry beefy 235/70/15 blackwall radials, which
complete the look perfectly.
Fast but completely sane on the outside, this is a well-executed
sleeper and also a beautifully finished car that's totally sorted,
so it's fun on a budget, too. Call now!