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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Burnt to a Crisp Still Runs and Drives, Does Burnouts Too

I've always thought that saving a classic that's been sitting for decades in a field is the most touching car-related thing out there. That changed today. Taking a car that burned to a crisp for a drive without restoring it is even better. Especially if the vehicle in question is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck 9 photos
Photo: Auto Auction Rebuilds/YouTube
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck1955 Chevrolet Bel Air fire wreck
This four-door Chevy Tri-Five may look like a rusty barn find, but it used to be a well-maintained classic. Unfortunately, the 1955 Bel Air caught fire, and everything but the body, chassis, and engine burned to a crip. The interior is all ashes now, while the original tires melted into the blaze. Quite the sad fate for such a beautiful car, right?

Well, the folks over at Auto Auction Rebuilds thought the same and decided to give the Chevy a second chance. Sort of. They bought it for just $1,000 and got its V8 engine running again. They also replaced the wheels and tires and took it out for a spin. As is, without an interior and most of the parts lost in the fire.

Sure, it's far from the restoration such a classic deserves, but hey, it's a better fate than being taken to the car graveyard to meet the crusher.

And the 1955 Bel Air runs surprisingly well for a burnt wreck. The original V8 recaptured its glorious roar and it's still powerful enough to spin the rear wheels into a burnout. You can check out all of that in the videos below.

The guys at the shop also documented how they revived the V8. Both videos are lengthy, but they're totally worth it if you like getting your hands dirty under the hood.

If you're not into that, just hit the 23-minute mark of the first video for high-revving, rubber-burning action.

In case you're wondering what will happen to this Bel Air, it seems that its frame, which appears to be in good condition, will get a restored body to become a Concours-condition Tri-Five.

The burnt body will be moved on another Tri-Five frame and will remain as is, but it will get lights, an engine hood, and windows. That's everything it needs to be able to hit the street without the police asking questions.

But that's enough talk for today, hit the play buttons below to meet "Hell Air."

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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