1962 Chevrolet Bel Air Is the Ultimate "Bubble Top" Restomod, Packs 700 HP

I'm particularly fond of the latter because that's when GM also introduced the 409-cubic-inch (6.7-liter) V8 rated at either 380 or 409 horsepower. This mill and the "bubble top" layout make for a perfect full-size Chevy, regardless of whether it's a Bel Air or an Impala. But do you what makes a 1962 Chevrolet even better? A good ol' LS swap, a lowered suspension, and a flashy paint job.

Yup, as much as I like classic cars of the numbers-matching variety, I'm a sucker for nice restomods. And the 1962 Bel Air you see here definitely fits the bill. Finished in a spectacular Candy Brandy Wine paint and dropped on shiny five-spoke wheels wrapped in low-profile tires, this Bel Air is the definition of a cool restomod in my book. It's also somewhat of a sleeper. Sure, the slightly flashy appearance makes it anything but unassuming, but you'll never guess how monstrous it really is until the V8 fires up.

Purchased by the current owner as a bare shell, the Bel Air was fitted with an LS3 upon completion. A popular crate engine nowadays, the LS3 dates back to 2008 when Chevrolet introduced it on the C6-generation Corvette. The powerplant also made it into the Camaro SS in 2010 and the limited-edition SS sedan in 2014. The 6.2-liter V8 generated 430 horsepower and 425 pound-feet (575 Nm) of twist in the Corvette and that's exactly how much it delivers in crate engine form.

That's plenty of oomph for an old-school Bel Air but it wasn't enough for Daniel, who had it stroked to 427 cubic inches (7.0 liters) and fitted with a few upgrades. Believe it or not, the mill now delivers a whopping 700 horsepower, which puts it into modern supercar territory. Not only that, but it employs a side-exiting exhaust system with cutout valves, which make it sound like a factory-built Super Stock racer from the 1960s. It has 1963 Impala Z11 written all over it as far as the exhaust note (or should I say noise?) goes.

And while it's not an unassuming sleeper on the outside, it definitely is on the inside, where the owner kept almost everything stock. Ignore the Dakota Digital gauges and the changes he made to the center stack and this Bel Air is pretty much identical to its factory-stock siblings.

Speaking of which, 1962 Bel Air "bubble top" coupes are quite rare with only a couple of thousand units produced. And while I'm all for restoring rare cars to their original specifications, I'm glad to see a bare shell morph into a cool restomod. Check it out in the video below and don't forget to crank up the volume for an amazing V8 experience.