Except for its first model year, the Chevy Biscayne was their entry-level full-size through 1975. If you were looking for functionality and a minimum of creature comforts, this was your car. The seller has a 1960 Biscayne 2-door sedan that was purchased a couple of years ago as a restomod project, but that never got off the ground. Missing an engine and transmission, this Chevy roller is in Warwick, Rhode Island, and available through a dealer here on eBay. The take-home price is $7,400, but you can make an offer. Thanks again to “jonny” for another great tip!
The Del Ray was the Chevy price leader in 1958, but that nameplate was dropped in 1959 and the already existing Biscayne would carry the flag of austerity for another 17 years. Chevrolet didn’t publicize production numbers by series in those days, but by body style, and more than 228,000 2-door sedans were built in 1959 as either Biscaynes or Bel Airs. So, there were tons of these cars floating around when new, but today collectors are mostly interested in the high-end Impala.
We’re told the seller found this Chevy in its current state in Oklahoma and drug it back to Rhode Island, but nothing has happened with the car since. Realizing a restoration of some other project will not take place on his/her watch, someone else gets a shot at it. The powertrain is gone, so it could have had either an inline-6 or 283 V8 when new. The seller says it had an automatic transmission, so that would have been a Powerglide. Without either, the buyer can opt to go in whatever direction they want, though I can’t see it staying Plain Jane any longer.
The body seems to be in decent shape with mostly surface rust to deal with. Most of its chrome still exists, so that might help save some money. The green paint still looks green, but the interior has seen better days, at least in terms of the condition of the upholstery. Chances are you’re going to find rubber floor coverings instead of carpeting in this old budget Chevy. What would you do with this car? Restomod sleeper?
First car on the January “you’ve got to be kidding award” list.
February, Bob, 1st joke of FEBRUARY,,,I know, time to flip the calendar, besides, we saw enough foolishness in January, steam on!!
Sure its not April 1st? Come on………..I think BF posts these to annoy the sentient :)
Right you are Howard. Time goes by quickly when you sneak a look at BF in the middle of a busy day. February is much more logical in this case.
Price does not seem too out of line to me. Might wind up with it for five or six.
More memories. When I just graduated HS( ’72) a guy a little older than me, had a green ’60 Chevy 2 door like this, small block and 2×4 barrels. I don’t remember what it had for transmission, but the phrase “more( gas) must be better”, didn’t work too well. It stumbled and coughed like a poet on payday. It looked impressive to the McDonalds crowd, but just didn’t work.
This car? You know, I complain a lot, and one really can’t blame the people for trying, but obviously, unknown to them, they are missing a key ingredient here,,interest. Time after time, it not only shows the desperation, but the internet hype makes these people think they actually have something. Well, newsflash, nobody wants this anymore, and just drag it back to yonder swamp from where you got it.
Over carbing was very popular in the high school crowd back in the seventies
Nobody wants this?
Wrong.
Price is debatable, but ultimately it’s worth what someone will pay for it.
Howard, what are you talking about?
I would LOVE to have this car!
Clean it up, re-do the interior, and install a factory 6-cylinder. Manual transmission, of course.
I’d leave pretty much everything else as-is.
It’s just a good-looking vehicle.
1000% agree with you.
A boring 6cyl? Oh c’mon, let’s at least do a 283, I like some sound, and little git up and go.
put a 1960 348 tri power and keep the 3 speed and 6 cyl signs on trunk and on front grille small hub caps and only have one of the pipes showing out back
Mostly surface rust? What? The rear quarter on the pass.side is completely rotted as well as behind the door in the one pic on the passenger side I looked at where you could stick your finger thru.Folks if you want big$ for your junk at least take all the crap out of the trunk and pass. compartment & give it a quick vacume so a good look can be seen. And take decent pics.Too much $ imo for a rotted roller.
Gosh tough crowd of commenters on this 1960. Call me a fool for liking this car.
For $7400?
If you look at the steering column under the hood you can see the manual shift linkage and the clutch thing that goes from the frame to the engine
Looks like 3 on the tree shifter with clutch pedal missing. I do not see a gear indicator on the column for automatic and the brake pedal is too small for auto trans I have seen worse shape projects turned into great looking cars.
Yup, straight 6 with three on the tree. I remember if one was coming at you in second gear, you could see the shift lever through the windshield. Then look for the “V”, or better yet, V with flags
yes the v with flags the mighty
348 great engine had one it was just a baby 409
Saved me some typing,3spd for sure.
I have to wonder if other folks have the lucky I can sell, well …… for gold. I had a rather heavily optioned convertible, better in many ways, rustier in others but the interior of mine was a 100 times better as was its looks. I thought 5k for a complete, engine, trim and so on was a fair price 5 years ago. NOT! Little to no interest, lots of well….I don’t know, wish it was a 59 and so on. It became a forest car, now a well weathered hulk as the top left soon after its internment. I guess things change but seems a bit of a reach for a cheepy post sedan that was no doubt a junkyard resident, but everything seems to be insane right now. Most of this stuff doesn’t move though, it just sits waiting for a fish or a claw. Mine will get the claw at some point, this one probably should also.
You can probably get 10k for it now Chris
Although much the same, I think the 60 was a vast improvement over the 59 monstrosity. When it comes to these, I actually prefer a post over a hardtop. I wouldn’t mind having it, but that’s just too much money. She’s rusty and crusty.
Hey hey I’ve got a 59 Biscayne two door sedan and I think it’s awesome.
I loathed the 58-59 Chevy, but now they have grown on me
AMEN, my brother!!!
In 1971 I was 16, buddy of mine went to a boys technical high School. He took auto shop. An old woman donated a garage kept 1960 Biscayne. 4 door, 6 cylinder, three on the tree. It had around 30,000 miles on it. It was green with a green interior. The class repaired or replaced everything it needed. They put it up for sale to make room for a new project. I gave them $65 for it. My father wouldn’t let me keep it. Sold it for $75. The guy I sold it to use it as a field car (he totally destroyed it in a month) bought another one a few years later for $100, green on green, 6 cylinder powerglide automatic. (There were a lot of these on the road then, they were a dime a dozen)
I remember back in High school around 1980 in auto shop one of the students donated a 60 chevy 4 door running , real clean old lady’s car with just a little rust. 6 stick. The school had a sign on it 5 wacks with a 8 pound sledge for 1.00. It was for raising $ for their football team for new uniforms. Needless to say I was aghast at this as I was a car guy .Poor car ended up being destroyed by mostly jocks and it was tipped into a river when they were done with it down a small enbankment which was about 50 feet away from the car.
$1400.00 is being kind.
Should have left it where it was found
inline 6 3 on the tree. Looked closely at photos on to-pay. Asking price is like “quit doing so much LSD. Yo, you trippin’ dude.” $1500.00, would be a fair and reasonable offer for this. However, it is in New England, and that car would not be considered “rusty” compared to most of the stuff up there.
I had 3, 60 Chevys 2 two door hardtops and one convertible all 3 had 283]s auto in them.Blew the convertible up and put a 327 in,helped it a little on power.Got the convertible out of NC for 800. bucks back in 71.hardtops in 90.I would take any one of them back today.
Any classic car is a beauty no matter what condition. All these electric cars are ugly. I’d pick a classic over one of those any day of the week.
I bought it love it 348 with triples four speed borg Warner soon! Parts are here!
now that’s the way to go 348 4speed going to put the V and Cross flags on trunk and grill
I bought it love it 348 with triples four speed borg Warner soon! Parts are here! Gonna leave it looking like a six cylinder for now
Going to leave it looking like a six cylinder for now just get it and go and enjoy it