1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

Description

This 1955 Chevy Bel Air is a textbook example of how to do it right. Preserving all that's great about the original design, but upgrading it with a smart-running 327, a 5-speed manual gearbox, a whole bunch of comfort and convenience options, and a beautiful interior takes it to an entirely new level. For guys who like to drive their cars, few are better than this.

The 1955 Chevy was such a game-changing machine, and is so beloved by enthusiasts today that radical modifications are almost never a good idea. The car just stands on its own as an icon, and the smart thing to do, as in this case, is to give it a top-notch restoration and add your own custom touches under the skin. The gorgeous burgundy paint job is beautifully done with enough metallic in it to make it glow under the sun and highlighting all the Bel Air's details. A few shaved bits including the hood and trunk emblems, gives it a clean look that will never go out of fashion. The workmanship is excellent, with good panel gaps and a ton of work that went into getting everything laser-straight before the paint went on. All the chrome and stainless trim remains in excellent shape and the car wears California-style 1-piece bumpers that make it look extra clean. Is it any wonder that fans consider the '55s the cleanest of the shoebox Chevys?

They went all-out on the interior, which includes gray leather buckets flanking a hand-fabricated center console. Beautifully stitched upholstery front and rear gives it a consistent look and the trick door panels are like modern sculpture. A set of beautiful cream-faced dials by Classic Instruments monitor the vitals and in racer style, there's a Monster Tach strapped to the tilt steering column. A/C was integrated into the overall design, using vents that are tucked into the kick panels and built into the center console, so it's effective as well as attractive. Cup holders are useful additions, but they're the kind of thing that you only miss once they're gone, so you know this car was built for cruising. A modern AM/FM/CD stereo system provides the entertainment for long highway cruises, something this car does extremely well thanks to the 5-speed manual transmission. Dark red carpets provide some welcome contrast to the light gray upholstery, and the theme continues into the trunk where it's nicely finished, including a custom enclosure for the stereo equipment.

Tons of chrome on a 327 cubic inch V8 means that you'll never hesitate to open the hood at shows. Everything under the hood has been either plated or polished, from the flamed air cleaner and valve covers, to the master cylinder and alternator. Extra attention was paid to the routing of plumbing and wiring, so it's very tidy in there and the burgundy paint makes a great background for all that sparkling metal. Given how awesome it looks, it would be easy to overlook how well it runs, which comes complements of a Demon carburetor, a big cam, and a set of long-tube headers dumping into Flowmaster mufflers. A 5-speed manual transmission means this Chevy is entertaining to drive just about anywhere, and the suspension is augmented with fat sway bars to keep it nailed down in the corners. Chrome Torque Thrust wheels with spinners look great and carry 205/60/15 front and 225/70/15 rear blackwall radials.

A beautiful Chevy that has been fully sorted and detailed into the ultimate show and go machine. Call today!