Bagged 1955 Chevy Bel Air Still Looks Classy, Hides Corvette Surprise Under the Hood

Sure, it's fitted with large, modern wheels wrapped in low-profile tires and it rides lower than a 1950s rig, but it still looks surprisingly classy. It probably has something to do with the color combo too, since Chevy actually offered the 1955 Bel Air in two-tone black and white. Purists might know it as India Ivory over Onyx Black.

On top of that, this rig retains its original interior with a very fetching combination of red and light beige. I've never been a fan of black/ivory Tri-Fives, but it all changes when the interior is red. It's a combo that screams "1950s" just as much as turquoise over white.

But things get even more interesting under the hood. This build isn't just about fancy wheels and an adjustable suspension. This Bel Air packs a modern mill in the form of an LS7 V8. Yup, I'm talking about the 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) engine that debuted in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 in 2006.

It was the largest-displacement small-block ever produced back then and it also found its way in the Corvette 427 Convertible in 2013. In 2014, GM transferred the LS7 into the track-ready Camaro Z/28. The mill was originally rated at 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque.

But this doesn't mean the engine was sourced from a Corvette (despite the identical cover). Albeit discontinued, the LS7 was available as a crate engine via Chevrolet Performance Parts for many years. And it's probably been upgraded too. All told, this is one fine build. Almost of the sleeper variety. Check it out in the video below.