Vehicle Description
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-Door Hardtop
The Antique Automobile Club of America, (AACA), was founded in 1935
at a location in Philadelphia about 50 miles from the now Hallowed
Halls of Classic Auto Mall. Along the way, they've grown with
regional representation all over the country and thousands of
members dedicated to preserving old cars. And they developed a
stringent award system that carefully evaluates cars for
originality and lack of flaws, among other things. To win even one
award from the AACA is considered an esteemed accomplishment and if
you've stewarded a car to multiple wins, it's something quite
special.
For consignment, a highly decorated, multi-award-winning 1955 Bel
Air. In the classic car world and indeed here at the mall we say,
"there's no such thing as a perfect car". Well, some come close and
this one fits the bill. The car has won numerous AACA Junior and
Senior awards and as well as an AACA Preservation awards along with
a multitude of other awards that are far too many to list here.
Exterior
The car was born with Regal Turquoise and India Ivory and nearly 70
years later it wears the original colors in classic Bel Air two
tone configuration. The chrome bumpers, grille and headlight rings
are impeccable. The bird hood emblem leans forward with gleaming
intent. The polished trim of the window is sharp and we notice some
minor wear on the door handle, be still our hearts! The exterior
trim on the other hand, is flawless. And we could not find flaws in
the paint, not without a microscope. The hubcaps and white wall
tires are about as clean as a wheel could be.
Interior
The design of the door cards, also two-tone turquoise and ivory,
mirror the sharp angles of the exterior trim and have both smooth
and textured surfaces along with window cranks for the main window
and the vent window. The turquoise vinyl of the seats meet midway
down the back with ivory cloth which continues over the length of
the bench, which is split on top, solid on bottom. The back bench
with its wraparound design continues the pattern of turquoise top
and ivory bottom. A shiny turquoise steering wheel with silver horn
ring is thinner than contemporary wheels but has finger grooves for
easy grip. The glossy dash with bowtie embossed detail, is in
showroom condition. The shell shaped dash surround, one housing the
speedometer, the other the clock and Bel Air emblem, is such an
amazingly bold design feature. The thin turquoise floor covering,
hemmed in vinyl piping, is clean and the metal-braced headliner in
ivory is fantastic. The trunk contains a fitted rubber mat and a
vintage style spare wheel and tire...looking right at home
Drivetrain
The original 235.5ci inline six cylinder engine is in place and has
a 1-barrel carburetor. Naturally, the original transmission is here
too and it's a 3-speed manual sending rotation to the rear wheels
and 3.70 gears. Drum brakes would be standard in '55, so they're
here too. As far as condition, the engine bay appears as if it is
one hour old. It's literally spotless and original and presents
with a vintage style battery. We see our share of greasy engines,
this one takes your breath away.
Undercarriage
In line with the rest of the car, the underside is food safe, you
could practically eat off the surfaces it's that clean. We note
some surface rust on some washers of the U-bolts but that probably
occurred on day 2 of this car's life. The single exhaust is
gleaming as is the stock muffler. Independent coil springs up front
and leaf springs in back and again, clean as can be.
Drive-Ability
A short lap just to confirm a running car, and run it did! Quiet,
smooth, and rattle free, this is a trip right back to 1955. The car
runs as good as it looks, and the brakes are fine but we did notice
it pulls to the right upon braking. Also noted, the heater blower
is inoperable, but everything else worked as it should.
Here's a car for the discerning collector, museum or anyone who
wants to start with a turn key show winner. If this car was a pure
bred dog, it would be the national champion and repeat winner at
Westminster, if it was allowed to return. This is a rolling piece
of automotive history that captures in great detail what a new car
looked like 70 years ago. We don't make sales predictions at the
mall, but we're confident this one will not last long.
C55B132428
C-2400 Series Bel Air
55-1955
B-Baltimore, MD Assy Plant
132428-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
STYLE 55 1037D-1955 Bel Air 2 Door Hardtop
BODY M14150-Baltimore Body #
TRIM 522-Beige & Turquoise Cloth & Vinyl
PAINT 612-India Ivory & Regal Turquoise
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!