Restored Award Winning Bel Air Convertible 350 V8 4 Barrel TH350 Fatman PS A/C

Description

SUMMARY

2-owner car
The beneficiary of a professional body-on restoration that was completed in 2003
350 cubic inch Chevrolet Performance crate engine / 330 horsepower
Turbo-Hydramatic 350 3-speed automatic transmission
Vintage Air conditioning / Modern Pioneer audio
Power rack-and-pinion steering / Power front disc and rear drum brakes
PPG paint / White canvas top / Professionally re-plated chrome
10-bolt rear axle sourced from a 1966 Nova / 3.08 gears
Fat Man front suspension / 15-inch wheels / Dodge Lancer hub caps
Sale includes restoration photos

When you think the words "different" and "Chevrolet", what comes to mind? It's most likely NOT the acres of tri-fives, Camaros and Chevelles sitting at the local swap meet. What about when you think the words "cool" and "Chevrolet"? Well, that's pretty much all classic Chevys, so I guess I need to be more specific. What happens when you think "Chevrolet", "different" AND "cool"? Chances are something akin to this classy '54 Bel Air rolls through your mind. Being an early '50s bowtie, it's certainly different. And being a carefully restored show stopper makes it super cool. But what makes it both different AND cool is the fact that it's an award-winning, 2-owner drop-top which mixes modern GM motivation with all the grandeur of a factory-correct original. If you're looking for an awesome weekend cruiser, your classic has arrived. Sign the papers, grab three of your closest friends and head to the nearest car show!

BODYWORK/TRIM

A solid Southern Belle that currently resides with only its second owner, this super clean Chevy is the beneficiary of a professional, frame-on restoration that wrapped back in 2003. The pros behind that selective rebuild were none other than Mooresville, North Carolina's Chewning's Unlimited. And presently, the reboot presents remarkably well given its 24K miles of weekend cruising. Stirring red and white 2-stage reflects restored chrome that was professionally plated by Buffalo, New York's Keystone Corporation. And that bright flash and quality PPG pigment highlights distinctive, retro character which reminds us just how cool vintage metal can be!

Officially jumpstarting the brand's major emphasis on style, Chevrolet's first generation Bel Air found a solid audience with buyers who wanted more than just utility. For that reason, and GM's willingness to take a few chances with aesthetics, many enthusiasts cite the car as the beginning of Chevy's golden age of design. At the front of this first class classic, a broad grille hangs crystal-clear parking lamps between a detailed header emblem, chrome-capped headlights, and a polished and guarded bumper. At the sides of that grille, heavy rocker guards and salt flat-straight trim flow past guarded door handles, small fender skirts and an armored fuel filler. At the top of that profile, stainless-framed glass floats behind a sleek hood topper, finned fender toppers and New Port electric windshield wipers. Opposite those wipers, small visors and hot rod mirrors reflect tight canvas. And at the back of the car, elegant blue dot tail lamps illuminate a second crest and classy Chevrolet script over angled exhaust tips, and a second polished and guarded bumper.

ENGINE

Pop the hood and you'll find a 350 cubic inch, high-output crate engine that, according to Chevrolet Performance, twists stout 9 to 1 compression into a nice, round 330 horsepower. Revs are created when a polished and louvered air cleaner floats wind in to a coated, Lokar-controlled Holley, which feeds an aluminum GM intake. At the perimeter of that intake, 64cc Vortec heads seat stamped steel rocker arms between coated block hugger headers, polished Chevrolet valve covers, a polished Chevrolet oil cap and a polished Moroso breather. Behind that breather, a familiar HEI distributor shoots spark through bright GM plug wires with the help of a Duntov-inspired cam. That cam spins in unison with aluminum pistons, powdered connecting rods and a nodular iron crank. At the front of that crank, traditional V-belts twist billet pulleys which, along with chrome brackets, float a polished alternator, a color-keyed water pump and a chrome AC compressor above modern power steering. In front of those ancillaries, old school horns and a polished power steering reservoir center a large Walker radiator on a large electric pusher fan. And, despite being a thoroughly modern piece, the Chevy Orange mill looks right at home in the car's Satin Black engine compartment.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

Naturally, that mondern mill precedes a modernized, road-ready chassis. Everything starts with a sturdy, factory-spec frame that traces solid, undercoated floors. At the center of those bones, a dressed Turbo-Hydramatic 350 3-speed makes good use of a dressed GM 10-bolt, sourced from a 1966 Nova, that features mild, 3.08 gears. That road-ready pumpkin drives a fully rebuilt suspension, which mixes a factory rear-clip with a sturdy Fat Man front-half. Turns come courtesy of power rack-and-pinion steering. Solid stops occur when a modern booster charges braided Earl's lines, retrofitted calipers and beefy drums. Aluminized exhaust pipes funnel spent gases through throaty turbo mufflers and polished stainless tips. And all that proven hardware rolls on body-matched steelies, which spin 215/75R15 Mastercraft whitewalls around Dodge Lancer hub caps.

INTERIOR

The car's warm and welcoming interior looks straight out of boomtown, America, complete with tight vinyl, tasteful fabrics and wood-trimmed Classic Instruments telemetry. The red and white cockpit is centered on big, heavily bolstered seats that feel soft enough to take a nap on. At the sides of those seats, 2-tone door panels hang correct chrome handles between glossy frames and classy trim. At the bottom of those panels, heavy duty "Bel Air" branded floor mats protect vivid carpet. At the front of the car, a Wabbit Wood-trimmed dash centers Vintage Air climate control and a Pioneer CD player between billet foot pedals and a Guide Traffic Light Viewer. In front of the driver, a polished and half-wrapped steering wheel laps a tilting Ididit column. And behind the cockpit, a fully carpeted trunk hides a correct jack and small fire extinguisher behind a full-size spare tire.

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND ACCESSORIES

Restoration photos
An Odyssey Ultimizer battery charger
An extra pair of floor mats

If you're looking for something a little different than a run-of-the-mill Chevy, this awesome Bel Air is a fantastic choice. Distinctive, comfortable and lovingly restored, it's a lot of fun on the street OR at the show. Few cars make us want to just punch out, grab the keys and hit the Carolina backroads. This is certainly one of them!