Vehicle Description
No question the 1958 Chevrolet is a landmark automobile, and has
rapidly eclipsed its popular Tri-Five siblings in terms of
desirability and value. This stunning 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air
hardtop resto-mod retains everything that was great about the
stunning Bel Air, and adds a bunch of horsepower to create what is
perhaps the ultimate '50s luxury/performance coupe.
The '58 Chevy never looks so good as when it's dressed in two-tone
colors: period-perfect and emphasizing the dramatic one-year-only
styling. Restored a few years ago, they were aiming to create the
ultimate '58, so the doors fit extremely well, the gaps are even,
and all that glittering trim was painstakingly aligned to give it
the look the designers dreamed of in '58. Two-stage urethane
creates an impossibly high shine that will look this good for years
and years, and this car does wear its original code 963 Tropical
Turquoise over Arctic White paint scheme. All the correct Bel Air
trim and badges were faithfully replaced when it was dry, and it's
worth noting that nothing was shaved or deleted, so the car has a
great 1950s look. A small fortune was spent on chrome, from the
massive bumpers to the delicate fins atop the front fenders, all of
it is shiny, bright, and ideal for the big hardtop. Very
impressive!
Although there's a lot of new stuff under the skin, the interior
was restored to factory specifications using code 835 Turquoise
tri-tone upholstery as original. The beautiful seats feature
patterned inserts that are comfortable as well as stylish, and
you'll note that the two-tone paint scheme even wraps into the door
jambs. The factory gauges have all been restored, and they're
joined by a trio of Auto Meter dials under the dash, along with a
monster tach. The transmission is, of course, a TH350 3-speed
automatic, but it's very cleverly hidden with the original shifter
still in place. A modern digital AM/FM/cassette stereo has been
fitted in the original slot, which powers speakers on the rear
package shelf and there's a CD changer in the trunk. And as a
full-sized cruiser, this car also includes a massive cargo bay,
which is correctly fitted with a rubber mat and vintage spare tire
assembly.
A fresh ZZ4 350 cubic inch crate motor lives under the hood, giving
this vintage Bel Air a new lease on life. It's all fresh hardware,
including the Holley 4-barrel carburetor up top, so it starts
easily, idles well, and drives like a more modern piece. It's not
over-detailed, but instead has a functional, almost OEM look that
we like, because it suggests that driving was the builder's
priority. You'll note a modern alternator, a Saginaw power steering
system, and power front disc brakes with a fresh master cylinder
and booster. Long-tube headers and a beautiful custom 2.5-inch
Flowmaster exhaust system give it an impressive sound there are new
shocks all around. The rest of the chassis is pretty much original,
but you can see that this was never a rust bucket and not many
1950s cars work better than a '58 Chevy. And for just the right
stance, 20-inch Foose mags were selected and wrapped in 245/35/20
front and giant 275/35/20 rear performance radials.
This is an extremely impressive '58 Bel Air that captures not only
the best of what was possible at the time, but everything that it
could be with just a bit of modern technology. And if you'd ever
like to take it back to original, the seller has the original 283
V8 and PowerGlide transmission available as well. Call today!
