When I first spied this 1958 Chevrolet BelAir two-door sedan, I initially thought it looked like the victim of a mob hit with its door blown off and the hood all askew. Well, that’s not exactly what happened (I think); it’s just an old, forlorn, titleless Chevy that likely has little future possibilities. Or does it? Don’t know, let’s check it out and decide. Mitchell G. found the listing for this notable model; it’s located in Springfield, Missouri, and is available here on craigslist for $900.

I refer to this BelAir as “notable” because the ’58 edition of Chevrolet’s full-size passenger car was so radically different than its ’57 predecessor. And, unlike the ’57s, the ’58s, for the longest time, were shunned as collectibles. That’s hardly the case nowadays, but it’s the top-dog BelAir Impala (or simply the Impala if you prefer) that steals most of the attention as the BelAir received a demotion in ’58. Still, the BelAir was offered in multiple body styles, including two and four-door sedans as well as two different two-door hardtops, and it remained popular as the range-topping Impala was only available in two-door hardtop or convertible form.

The seller tells us, “WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES IS ALL THERE IS TO THIS CAR.” What I see is lookin’ shaky. The body, actually, appears to be fairly solid, but it’s the portions that you can’t see (the frame, etc) that are concerning. The lack of a windshield and rear side windows probably hasn’t helped the floor pans any. Other parts, like the trim and taillights, have gone missing, and the clutter in the trunk is obscuring the pan. The surface rust is obvious, but some, in the valance beneath the trunk lid and in the bottom of the passenger door, for example, may be more invasive.

The engine room reveals the bulk of a 145 gross HP, 235 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine, but as with this car’s exterior, it, too, is missing some important stuff. It appears as if someone started to dismantle it, but the image isn’t clear enough to discern its total condition. Looking inside, a clutch pedal is noted, meaning that this is a three-on-the-tree Chevy.

Speaking of inside, it’s a wreck. The instrument panel, parts of the dash, and the steering wheel have been removed, the seats are destroyed, and the floor has that Fred Flintstone thing going on. The wreckage continues with the door and upholstery panels, as well as the headliner.

The verdict? I’d say this one’s a goner. Anything is fixable if you throw enough $$$ at it, but to what point, and why? That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it – how about you?