It takes a very fortunate convergence of events to leave a classic like this 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air with a scant 81,000 miles logged during its lifetime. After all, that's only about 7 years' worth of driving by today's standards on a car that's been around a full nine times longer than that. As luck would have it, it stood dormant but sheltered for 22 years before being extensively restored, and has been lightly driven ever since.
One nearly universally accepted automotive truth is that certain cars just look their best decked out in color schemes that appear to be created just for them, and such is the case with the two-tone yellow and white paint job on this '55 an aesthetic home run for this car that looks both fresh and yet very era appropriate at the same time. Chevys of the mid'50s would come widely admired for their styling, and that infatuation actually began in earnest the very year this one came out, heralding the arrival of the second generation of Bel Airs. It's easy to see why Chevy chose the title "The Hot One" for its sales campaign. It's got all the styling attributes you'd look for in a model from this era - an aggressive front grille that gives the appearance of scowling when viewed from the front, sturdy front and rear bumpers and long, straight stretches of chrome running the length of its sides. Having spent so much of its life sheltered but dormant also minimized the possibility of collisions, another bit of good fortune that's borne out by flush-fitting body panels indicating this Chevy's alignment is still on point.
You'll find a clean and well-appointed white vinyl interior waiting inside, with plushly-padded bench seats in front and back that beckon you and your crew to climb in and hit the road. The Bel Airs of this time had some seriously inspired dash areas with plenty of visual attractions - the matching fan shapes of the instrument cluster and the passenger side panel that looms over the clock mounted below, the width of textured chrome trim that spans the width of the cabin and the distinctive curvature of the dash pad being just a few of them. The original gauges in the cluster are joined by assembly of aftermarket counterparts and a column-mounted tach to monitor your motoring functions. There are also some welcome comfort features onboard that include air conditioning, a chrome Ididit tilt column, cruise control and an AM/FM stereo sitting at center in the dash area with a CD changer under the passenger seat and dual speakers mounted in the rear package shelf which also houses a third brake light. Everything looks to be in good order in the trunk area. Its floor is lined with protective rubber and a full-size spare sits securely moored inside. The straight and unblemished interior fender walls show no perforations nor damage from shifting cargo.
Lift the hood, and you'll find that this Bel Air is configured for streetable yet dependable power. There's a 327 cubic inch V8 sitting under the hood that's been bored .060 over and carries an Edelbrock intake and Carter AFB carb to up its game even further. The powerplant is bolted to an automatic 4-speed 700r4 transmission with a B&M shifter followed by a 10 bolt with 3.02 gears. Hooker headers and Turbo Masters stainless exhaust make all the sounds you want to hear and the 26 gallon aluminum fuel tank allows for some real long distance cruising. Power steering and power front disc brakes combine with front/rear sway bars and traction bars to make this Chevy a real pleasure to drive. This very well-equipped classic sits on a set of 15" Centerline wheels that are outfitted with Hankook Optima tires.
It's pretty rare to encounter such a lightly used vintage ride that also carries such a great combination of nostalgic impact and premium components. This 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air hard top has it. Call today!