This solid 1964 Chevrolet Bel Air was pulled out of a barn last week after a 25 year nap. At one time, this was one hot machine, with a serious surprise under that hood. It is for sale here on eBay for $8,500 in Diamond, Ohio.
The heart of this former race car is a 454 V8 adorned with chrome valve covers and breathing through Hooker headers. Power is sent to the rear end via an automatic transmission. The inspection sticker indicates that the car was last driven in 1982.
This 2 door post represents the 5th generation body for the Bel Air. It was available in both 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder configurations. The largest factory motor in 1964 was a 409 cubic inch motor. Obviously, the powertrain has been transplanted with a 454 V8 and Holley 4 barrel carburetor.
The interior is stock and dusty from its hibernation. The seller states the car was originally white and is rot free. The body panels appear to have some nonstick creases!
The bulging hood looks good on this 2 door post with 6 inch wheels upfront and 8 inch wheels in the back. The seller has not tried to start the car. Are you looking for a race car project? This one is sure to make your heart beat fast!
It could be a nice project, but it’s not a race car. There is no mention in the sellers description or the pictures that would indicate it ever spent time at the track. No roll bar, after market gauges or safety harness, light weight wheels, battery in the trunk, nothing. It looks like a typical modified street car, it even has heater hoses.
For the asking price there should be more information about the drivetrain, at present it should be considered a roller. Someone might be able to strike a deal since he’s open to offers.
Steve R
Nice setup never the less and would probably be a blast to drive that boat with such a good power plant under the hood!!! Me personally would rather have that hog leg on the floor and the third pedal but that’s just me!!!
Definitely no race car, but ditch that ugly hood and put some sticky rubber in the wheelwells, and it would make a great Q ship on the street.
Bob
I like the concept, want to believe all the good about this car, but alarms are going off in my mind, just like the other comments. Auto trans… ok, which one? I want a lot of money for this cool car… but I haven’t tried to start it. It has minimal rust, but I hope the gas tank is enough proof, to back up that claim.
If this were a Craigslist ad, and the buyer was local, they could obviously go look before buying. But trying to sell it to anywhere else in the U.S., the ad needs better info, and more pictures.
I hope it is represented truthfully, and somebody gets a fun car, that can be a driver soon.
Fairly mild looking 454 for a drag car, the few noticeable aftermarket parts and floor shifter are neat nonetheless. I like the hood scoop and overall street rat image of the car,,, which is all it is to me. A street machine.
Those single reservoir master cylinders scare me . I found out….
Ha ha! Yes, you find how good a driver you really are very quickly!
Let me tell you from experience that dual master cylinder brakes aren’t any better.
Three years ago the right front brake line on my 2001 Dodge Ram succumbed to the fracking fluid PennDot used to deice roads. I came within inches of rear ending a car! While fixing it I took note of how many major items on the frame had serious corrosion…things like the rear spring mounts to the frame, the crossmember, the shock mounts, and traded it in.
Dual circuit brakes give a false illusion of safety.
With a ‘single’ any leak will have your entire system fail . A ‘dual’ will leave you with some brakes in an emergency . If the dual system is not any better ,it would not be widely adopted by the industry . At least ,you are here to tell your story….
Norm, ever hear “Wolf Creek Pass”? There was a split seconds worth of resistance before the pedal went to the floor! I used the e-brake to nurse it a block to a gas station. I was happy that the dealer took it off my hands. It was so rusty ( how rusty was it?) that the exhaust manifolds looked like they would fail at any time!
The irony is that I was part of an accident in May and the brakes worked fine.
Anything coming from western Pennsylvania needs a serious rust inspection. There have been more than a few brake failures due to corroded lines on cars less than 20 years old in the last several years.
You can take comfort in being right , Dave….
Did you have any breaks at all? You should have still had your rear brakes.
Bruce,
You’re the only one who says “race car.” The eBay ad doesn’t claim that.
Maybe headers and a motor UP GRADE constitute a race car to some
Bruce has not said once that it’s a race car. Learn the English language people!
“The heart of this former race car is a 454 V8 adorned with chrome valve covers and breathing through Hooker headers”.
Learn to read, Pug, or how to apologize…
I like it!
@ John. You got me so I apologize, I only saw this line: “Are you looking for a race car project” and not the one above.
So, I will learn to read.
Thanks, Pugsy. You’re a man of character.
The biggest danger is where this car is located. The rustbucket State of Ohio. Another Midwest challenge to the integrity of any automobile. Just because it looks reasonable from the top down is no reason to believe that if you put a floor jack under the frame, it won’t crumble like a box of crackers. Proceed with extreme caution.
Rough around the edges but at least the edges are still there. This car could be fun. Dave… dual circuits are better than no circuits.
Best brake system I’ve ever owned was the dual diagonal system on my 82 Rabbit. I always made sure that the rear drum pistons on everything I drove were free.
This car I believe has an “X” frame. Not sure if it has an inline support bearing for the drive shift. Perhaps someone could weigh in on the feasibility of putting some serious horsepower in this car. Frame strength, torsional rigidity, etc. not to mention damage from salty winters could become an issue.
They did have a ‘hanger bearing’ ,two-piece drive-shaft . I had a ’63 Biscayne .
There used to be a guy at my local race track (Thunderbird Raceway, in Muskegon, Michigan) who ran a pretty ragged ’64 with a 406 underhood. That was a small-block and this is a big-block, obviously, but the well-worn ’64 with the hot later Chevy V-8 gives me a similar vibe. Way cool.
Car is legal to go 11.50 seconds………..If it could hook!
Where are you getting that daydream from ?
He didn’t say it will run 11.50. He said that it can run as quick as 11.50 without a 6pt roll bar, based on the NHRA rules, that’s what is meant by “legal”.
Steve R
sorry, excuse me please. I need to pay better attention. When I respond. Ya know my ’69 Road Runner coulda ran 12s if it could have gotten out of the 13.1s & .2s .
Midwest cars are a “beware of RUST” in general. Not all, but many served on salty winter roads when they were “just everyday cars”… The X-frame becomes an issue & can be a major concern. However these ’58/64 GMs are cool big ‘ol cars. I had a ’64 Impala SS that I put a 454, M-22 4-speed trans and a 3.08 posi rear end in. That car was a ton (or 2) of fun! With L-60 15s on the back, it could easily bury the speedometer. I drove it from Braintree, Mass. to Portland Oregon the summer of ’75… epic journey!
Hasn’t tried to start it up? I’m calling BS on that one. How do you not at least throw a battery in it, pour some gas down its throat and turn the key? Humanly impossible.
Get rid of hood for an original one.
If no rust could make a nice sleeper
Put a built 409 in it and run 8s in a 1l4 mile. Shock and aw everyone.
When did they stop that we could add pictures to our comments?
I’ve seen a couple comments about this not being a race car…no roll bar, etc. Anyone who put a 454 in one of these an no other safety equipment was making a street racer for beer money. I took a look at the pics in the BF write up and never bothered to look at the ad. Way too much “patina”…RUST, not safe for braking from high speeds…etc. This car will have to go to someone with really deep pockets. Best of lick to everyone. I usually like the ’64’s but, not this one. it really leaves a lot to be desired.
Buy the car, sell the engine/tranny. Put a fuel injected LS/Tramec 5 speed, dual master cylinder w/booster in it and clean/paint it, fix the interior and drive it. Not worthy of racing unless much money is put into the frame, suspension and brakes.
a Florida car will not have rust issues unless kept at the beach.
but it’s current location in Ohio makes a personal inspection mandatory…..