As far as 1950s cars from America are concerned, few embody that era as well as the Bel Air. Chevrolet launched the second gen in 1954 for the 1955 model year, and production ran until '57 on the A-body platform.
Described as “The Hot One” in the automaker’s advertising campaign, the full-size luxobarge was offered with a choice of inline-six and small-block V8 options ranging from 3.5 to 4.6 liters. This fellow here, however, hides the 7.0-liter LS7 from the sixth generation of the Corvette in Z06 specification.
The hand-built blunderbuss with a dry-sump oiling system and titanium-alloy connection rods still is available as a crate motor for the princely price of $14,837. Out of the box, the largest small-block V8 from Chevy cranks out 505 horsepower (512 PS) and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque. Given that the lightest Bel Air is comparable in terms of curb weight to the C7, there’s no denying this engine swap is a thrilling proposition for an open-top cruiser.
In this particular application, the LS7 twists 501 horsepower and 478 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels. That translates to 508 PS and 648 Nm in the metric system, which is more than adequate for the powder-coated chassis from Art Morrison. But wait, there’s a lot more to like about this Bel Air!
Offered for sale by RK Motors Charlotte at $229,900 (!!!), the one-of-a-kind restomod also features pro-touring upgrades that include adjustable coil-over-shocks inside tubular control arms and a four-link rear end. The Nitto Invos rubber boots further confirm that the Bel Air in the photo gallery handles a lot better than the original, measuring 18 and 20 inches.
Braided brake lines are connected to Wilwood brake calipers, shifting is the duty of a Tremec six-speed manual driving the Ford 9.0-inch rear axle, and the large-diameter exhaust features a pair of mufflers from Magnaflow.
The red paintwork over red upholstery comes full circle with the red convertible top, combining with a lot of chrome garnish on the sides, wheels, bumpers, headlight bezels, and hood. As RK Motors Charlotte puts is, the Bel Air in this specification is “a heavy dose of storied Americana.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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