Styling of the 1959-60 Chevrolets was inspired by the “Forward Look” redesign of Chrysler products in 1957, which may have caught the industry by surprise. Tailfins quickly became the all-the-rage and led Chevrolet to shift gears, causing the all-new 1958s to be scrapped after just one year. According to the seller, this 1960 Chevy was a barn find when he/she found it and brought it back to life about five years ago. It’s a good running vehicle with the bumps and bruises you would expect after 60+ years. Located in Spring, Texas, this winged wonder is available here on craigslist for $9,000. Our thanks to T.J. for bringing this Bel Air to our attention!
In three model years, Chevrolet had three designs in play. The “Tri-Five” Chevies of 1955-57 were on their way out and the 1958s would be bigger and bulkier. Yet, the 1959-60s would look more futuristic with flat wings to the rear rather than vertical fins like some of its contemporaries. The 1959 versions had “cat’s eye” taillights which gave way to double or triple round taillights in 1960. To many (including me), the 1960 editions were cleaner-looking cars, but the exercise would be over by 1961 with another styling change.
In 1960, the Bel Air would continue as the mid-level full-size Chevy (sandwiched between the Biscayne and Impala). The seller’s car is one of them, a 4-door sedan which was likely the biggest seller in that model range. This vehicle has few options, so the engine is your basic inline-6, paired with a manual transmission (“3-on-the-tree”). The mileage is said to be 59,000 which very well could be original.
We’re told the paint on this 64-year-old people-mover is original. The right side of the car has some dents and dings, but overall, the machine is solid. The interior pieces are also said to be from the day the automobile was assembled. The seller got it going again in 2019 and the result was a reliable car that he/she uses regularly to haul around the kids. If four doors aren’t too many and you like the looks of a well-used vintage car, could this Bel Air be for you?
Too many doors and not enough engine.
Unusual nowadays. It’s problem is, there are a lot of generic 4 doors in much nicer condition with more creature comforts built throughout the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s that can be bought for less. If someone doesn’t have their heart set on this specific make, model and year it makes more sense to keep looking.
Steve R
I like four doors as well as six cylinders. They don’t all have to be fast or flashy. For a better price I’d be interested in this one.
I completely agree. Why do these classics constantly get criticized for engine size, what they will or won’t do in the quarter, etc. Those conversations might have made sense when they were new. Do you really think any of these will see a track or street race? They’re just an enjoyable classic car these days. Who cares whether a survivor like this has two or four doors? Hard to find any like this anymore.
That green must have been one popular color for Chevy that year. !t seems like most low line Chevies were this color !
No Don, there was a kind of maroon color often matched with an off-white top seen on a lot of the 2-door (post) version for the guy that wanted to upscale his Biscayne or BelAire 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree, no radio ( but he did order it with a heater) model.
I can’t do anything about the crew cab, but I don’t mind 4 doors at all. The motor is easy to swap to a small block, if so inclined. A big block would be that much more interesting.
I like it too Phil! Just right for me and
my tribe. Seems solid enough to be a
decent daily driver so you could do the body and fender work while you
drive it. Does need A/C though to make it a comfortable ride here in Florida as it can get to be as hot as 115 degrees in Summertime. I’d more than likely add a period correct
AM/FM stereo system to keep us all
entertained. Other than that, it’s a
great old car I’d love to own. Two
thumbs up!
Too much for a 4 door sedan with a 6 banger, IMO. I don’t mind four doors as long as it’s a hardtop version. But she’s definitely, a survivor.
Reminds me of the old In Laws movie with Peter Falk. They go to a south American country and these cars were all over the place mostly used as taxis. And yeah it’s old, okay, but for a novelty car, it’s not worth 9 grand.
This old girl is Bare Bones, zero options. Leave it as is, just add a turbo LS 6.2 and go make some money.
Kid hauler. This car is a reminder to our parents good driving skills. We’re all lucky to have survived. I’m not a safety maven or Jalopnik but there are much better cars to shuttle kids around in.
For some reason that even I can’t explain; cars like this are becoming increasingly more interesting to me. Not so long ago I wouldn’t have given this a second look. Four doors and a six cylinder? Ho Hum. But this was an example of the everyday driver that I remember plying the streets as newer cars when I was a young teenager. You know, the car your friend’s old man drove you to somewhere in. My Dad was driving a 1958 two door Belair with a 283 and three speed manual. So we were a cut above in the who’s dad drove what competition, lol. Interesting enough I see that the old six banger is still using an oil bath air cleaner and remote oil filter in its nod to its heritage from the forties and fifties. Left to my own devices I would take this under my wing and tinker with it but I wouldn’t do a whole lot so as to keep it in survivor form. It looks like the heater is disconnected. Probably a bad core. But at least you have reasonable access to replace it. Good luck with that in today’s vehicles. Maybe that’s what I really like most; the basic simplicity. The asking price is a higher than what I would offer. But if I could get this delivered to my driveway here in the mid costal Atlantic for 5-6K; I would be willing to give this old gal a new home. GLWTS.
Carbob
I’m thinking the same way. My increasing desire is due to getting a little older and achier. To answer the more door issue, if I am older and achier the people riding with me are older and achier, and climbing into the back seat of a two-door is hard on us older and achier folks. I’m a little too far from Houston to volunteer to inspect it for you, good luck maybe you can talk them down…
I’ve heard from multiple sources that you could remove the keys from the ignition switch on these cars when the car was running. Was that “feature” on all GMs in this era? Anyone know when they changed to a switch that didn’t permit that?
There is a “Lock” position. if left in off you could take your keys, and a Valet or shop could still start the car.
I believe the switches were changed in ’65.
I could do that on my 71 Caprice classic, but just assumed it was because it was worn out.
Not a feature from the factory, but a feature you earn with usage. When the ignition switch gets old and worn you can enjoy your new feature…
It was a “Factory” feature, read sales brochures for Chevrolet for ’59, or other G.M. products.
My 1993 Chevy K1500 retains this feature.
Yes, this is true as long as it wasn’t in the lock position. It was printed LOCK ,OFF, ON, START and it was raised so you could turn it with fingers.
Wow! Awesome find at a decent price. With 60k showing on the odometer, there’s quite a few more years of service ahead with the proper upkeep. In my younger years I had a friend who was a member of the BWI union and was working in the substructure building of the Limerick Nuclear Generating Station here in PA. I actually have lived all my life within 3 miles of the plant. Anyway, he had this exact car and used to carry 4×8 sheets of plywood inside – completely inside the car. He would open the left rear door and slide the sheets of plywood through to the right front door which was open & the window rolled down. In that fashion, he was able to carry a flat load, of about 10″-12″ stacked, of plywood. Depending on the thickness, that’s quite a few sheets of plywood stacked completely inside and still have room to drive.
Reliable as an anvil and nearly as fast. Cars like this could be bought for $50-$100 when I got my driver’s license in 1974. Not only cheap to own, operate and insure they were a fantastic resource to learn how things work. My high school’s parking lot was full of old iron, mostly Chevys that were bought cheap and now existed in varying states of disrepair.
Claw hammer dent removal, rattle-can paint jobs, baling wire engineering. Form-a-gasket, Stop-leak, Motor Honey. And if you managed to kill it through ignorance it was simple enough to go get another one. Even a teenage dishwasher could come up with $100 bucks by cutting back on the partying for a couple weekends.
Problem today is that 20 somethings, let alone teens, have no time to “wash dishes”, looking at their phones all waking hours – even stayin away from malls.
& that $100 is now $10,000 for a junk ugly clearcoat peeling modern 4 door with a ck eng lite on & a lot of hidden fault codes!
Home delivery & hitchin a ride with an elder is now the thing.
Amen, good times indeed.
Dual brake master cyl upgrade is a plus here.
A late ’60s next gen chev 250 straight 6 would have more hp & weigh an incredible 190 lbs less! Not to mention having a factory added pcv valve.
Had this exact car back in the late ‘80’s, 4 dr, 6 cyl, 3 spd. Great car. Actually found anther one, same set up, on a hill in Pa with a rebuilt motor to replace the one in mine after I blew it up. Easy to work on, big bench seats to fit lots of friends, what a cruiser. I loved the simplicity.
This one is a great find and will serve a new owner well. I wouldn’t think twice about it if I was in the market.
I would daily that and not change a thing…