Custom 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air Flaunts BMW Austin Yellow Paint and Corvette Power

But that's not to say that the Bel Air models that followed the Tri-Five aren't cool. The one-year third-gen model of 1958 is definitely a valuable gem, while the fourth-generation version (1959-1960) is decidedly appealing design-wise. Yes, the Impala variant gets significantly more love nowadays, but this isn't necessarily bad news for the Bel Air.

Because many of them are rotting away in junkyards and the cars that are still in barns are in rough shape, they usually end up costing a fraction of a solid-condition Impala. This makes the Bel Air, regardless of generation, a popular option among restomodders. And the 1960 example you see here is proof that vintage Bel Airs are the perfect restomod platforms.

Designed and built by Timeless Kustoms, the two-door hardtop is a rather understated rig. Sure, the gold-like yellow paint makes it stand out, but other than that, this Bel Air is far from wild. And that's a good thing in my book because I'm a big fan of unassuming land yachts.

And the cool thing about this build is that Timeless Kustoms went with a no-chrome look by refinishing all the trim in Gunmetal and painting the massive bumpers in the same color as the body. Speaking of which, both hues were taken from the BMW color palette, which means that this lovely shade of gold is the Austin Yellow Metallic you can order on the M4 (among other models). Yes, a rather unusual choice for a classic car, but hey, I think this Bel Air looks tremendous in this color.

So what else is different save for the paint, the 19-inch wheels, and the sporty front spoiler? Well, most of the upgrades were performed under the shell. The car still rides on its stock frame, but it's been altered to include tubular control arms, a coilover conversion, sway bars, and modern brakes. The rear end is also stock, but it now features 3.73 gears and a Positraction unit.

The interior is far from fancy but in line with the exterior. The restored bench seats are wrapped in dark gray leather to match the exterior trim, while the dashboard got a Dakota Digital gauge transplant. The blacked-out steering wheel with thin spokes is a nice touch.

But how wild is this build in terms of oomph? Well, this restomod wasn't built to smoke Dodge Challenger Hellcats at the drag strip. While the original mill was swapped out for a modern LT1 V8, this Bel Air is tamed compared to most restomods. That's because the powerplant cranks out 410 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque at the wheels. And that's actually less than a stock LT1.

Introduced in 2014 in the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, the 6.2-liter V8 hit showrooms with 455 horsepower and 460 pound-feet (624 Nm) of twist in base form and 460 horses and 465 pound-feet (630 Nm) when paired to the Performance Exhaust. The same engine delivered similar ratings in the Camaro SS as of 2023.

So yeah, this restomod is more of a cruiser than a race-ready full-size and that's perfectly fine. And it's still more potent than any factory-built Bel Air from the 1960 model year anyway. Perhaps a bit of a sleeper? But no matter what you want to call it, hit the play button below for a closer look at one of the nicest Bel Air-based builds I've seen in a very long time.