Photo: eBay seller tripan72
1958 was a turning point for the Bel Air lineup. Chevrolet launched the Impala as the top-of-the-range configuration of the Bel Air, and given the overnight success the new nameplate recorded, it promoted it to a stand-alone series a few months later.
The Bel Air and the Impala, therefore, embraced different paths beginning in 1959, though the latter was Chevrolet’s new cool kid on the block.
The Bel Air more or less became a second-class citizen in the GM brand’s lineup, despite still sharing most of the parts, engines, and looks with the Impala.
However, the classic Bel Air continues to be a very desirable model, especially in the world of collectors, where examples in tip-top shape typically sell for big bucks.
The 1959 Bel Air that eBay seller tripan72 has recently posted online is more of a rough diamond, as the car comes in the form of a project requiring plenty of fixes before returning to the mint condition collectors would be drooling over.
As you can see in the pics, the Bel Air is generally solid, but there are parts, such as the floors and the trunk, that still require some attention. As for the engine under the hood, the unit in charge of putting the wheels in motion today is a 350 (5.7-liter) V8. The engine was rebuilt in the ‘90s, and since then, it added just 50 miles on the clock.
Needless to say, the rebuilt engine starts and runs properly, but on the other hand, if you’re particularly interested in the original magic of the Bel Air, the factory 283 (4.7-liter) is still around. In other words, you can easily return to the original specifications if you want to keep the Bel Air as stock as possible.
Turning this Bel Air into a perfect-10 isn’t going to be an easy business, but given the auction comes without a reserve, there’s a chance the car would still find a new home sooner rather than later. The top bid at the time of writing is $3,500.
The Bel Air more or less became a second-class citizen in the GM brand’s lineup, despite still sharing most of the parts, engines, and looks with the Impala.
However, the classic Bel Air continues to be a very desirable model, especially in the world of collectors, where examples in tip-top shape typically sell for big bucks.
The 1959 Bel Air that eBay seller tripan72 has recently posted online is more of a rough diamond, as the car comes in the form of a project requiring plenty of fixes before returning to the mint condition collectors would be drooling over.
As you can see in the pics, the Bel Air is generally solid, but there are parts, such as the floors and the trunk, that still require some attention. As for the engine under the hood, the unit in charge of putting the wheels in motion today is a 350 (5.7-liter) V8. The engine was rebuilt in the ‘90s, and since then, it added just 50 miles on the clock.
Needless to say, the rebuilt engine starts and runs properly, but on the other hand, if you’re particularly interested in the original magic of the Bel Air, the factory 283 (4.7-liter) is still around. In other words, you can easily return to the original specifications if you want to keep the Bel Air as stock as possible.
Turning this Bel Air into a perfect-10 isn’t going to be an easy business, but given the auction comes without a reserve, there’s a chance the car would still find a new home sooner rather than later. The top bid at the time of writing is $3,500.
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