1954 Chevrolet Bel Air

Description

Believe it or not, one of the best engines Chevy ever produced was the 235 inline 6. And quite truthfully, there are a lot of folks out there who feel the more rounded chrome contours of this 1954 Bel Air convertible are superior to the shoe box Chevys that would follow. A great summertime cruiser that doesn't take itself too seriously, would consider this Bel Air automotive perfection.

There's really no way to go wrong with a bright red convertible that's detailed in chrome, and while this Bel Air is no longer a show contender, it definitely remains a show stopper. Chevy designers went all-in on the '54 Bel Air, giving it more chrome, more character, and more luxury, and the result is delightful eye candy that looks fantastic. The bright red paint is just the right color red, and yes, code 550 Romany Red is this car's original color. It has a few signs of use here and there, but you'll still delight in spending your Saturday polishing it up and heading out for a cruise in the warm evening, and nothing looks better going down the road than a shiny '50s ragtop. The white insert on the quarter panel was 1954's version of two-tone paint on a convertible, and offers just enough contrast to make it look long and sleek. And as you already know, there's a sizable chunk of change wrapped up in the restoration of all that chrome, which still sparkles like jewelry and makes this Chevy look far more expensive than it is.

Did you really think that a car this stunning would have a subtle interior? No, because the two-tone red and white threads give it the perfect look. The recent upholstery has traditional pleats wrapped around the original bench seats. Custom-crafted door panels match perfectly and the carpets look almost new. Factory instrumentation is gone, replaced by trick Dakota Digital instruments hidden in the original panel, but otherwise the interior is quite stock. The two-tone steering wheel looks classy and you can relax, this car has a 3-speed manual transmission with column shifter, not a power-sapping automatic. A newer digital AM/FM/cassette stereo fits neatly in the original radio's location and sounds far better and power windows are a nice feature in a car of this vintage. It also includes a recent white power convertible top and fully upholstered trunk that looks great.

Chevy's "stovebolt" six was in its twilight years, but thanks to upgrades over the years, this is the one to own. 235 cubic inches, full-pressure oiling, and plenty of horsepower and torque to make it onto the Corvette's spec sheet mean that it's worth considering against its V8 siblings. Beautifully and correctly detailed with corporate blue paint and original oil bath air cleaner, it runs well and has a smoothness that only a six can deliver. There's an accessory oil filter and it's nice to see factory-style power steering, which makes this car eminently usable every day, if that's your thing. The chassis is simple and painted black, but the running gear is nicely detailed, there's a new single exhaust system with Flowmaster muffler, and tube shocks give it a comfortable ride. Shiny hubcaps on steel wheels are surrounded by 215/65/15 BFGoodrich Silvertown whitewall radials for just the right look.

A clean undercarriage, laser straight with a garage kept pampered life; you can have a great-looking Chevy ragtop with a lot of charm for a lot less money. Call today!