The best-selling American-made automobile of the 1960s was not the Ford Mustang (though it was close). That honor goes to Chevrolet’s line of 1965 full-size cars, which added up to a record 1.4 million Biscaynes, Bel Airs, Impalas, and Caprices. The seller’s ’65 2-door post Bel Air was a basic car that spent 33 years in a Valley, Alabama, pole barn before being rescued and resuscitated by the seller. Available here on eBay, you can continue the car’s evolution for $8,500.
If you were interested in owning a big car in 1965 and wanted few frills, the Chevy Bel Air was a popular choice. With only a few more perks than a Biscayne (like carpeting instead of rubber floor coverings), the Bel Air was a step below the Impala, which itself found a million buyers in 1965. The seller’s Bel Air left the factory with a 230 cubic inch inline-six and a “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission. It may have traveled just 48,000 miles before being parked in 1991 and left to the whims of Mother Nature.
As the story goes, this Chevy is a homebody. It never strayed far from the area before being cast aside. Though it sat in the dirt for more than three decades, the body has held up surprisingly well. The car is not rust-free, but what’s there isn’t terrible, at least according to the seller, who provides a thorough description of what’s there. The paint job is not original, having been redone cheaply in the 1980s.
The sparse interior has managed to hold up with no damage from furry pole barn dwellers. A new headliner is needed, but the rest seems passable. As the original engine was bad, the seller dropped in a 307 V8 he/she had on hand (from a 1969 Camaro). It runs well and comes with some bling to dress up the engine bay. Headers and “Cherry Bomb” mufflers were added (a rat rod wannabe?). The tranny shifts as it should. The seller had plans to put in a 396 with a 4-speed, but changed his/her mind. The car comes with a current Alabama registration (no titles issued on vintage cars).
One of the better looking cars of the era. A media blasting and sealing of the underside and you have a decent driver.
I truly appreciate the fact that they revived this ’65. The six was probably seized or had a cracked block. Huge respect for them having a perfectly good 307 laying around and hooking it up to the 3 speed on the column which was probably perfectly good and usable. I like it!! Great find and a great write up too Russ!!
I agree with Driveinstile comments!
I can visualize the smell of the interior from my computer screen. Looks to be a nice starting point for nice boulevard cruiser.
Nice car. Just this morning, I stopped at a 7-11 and there was a 65 Bel Air wagon parked there. It was light blue with a light blue interior, 327 with a powerglide, AM radio, no other options. The car was almost perfectly straight, had lots of surface rust but very little body rot, just a little beginning on one quarter panel. It was neat to see the car that at one time was everywhere.
There ya go! how hard is it to drag a vehicle out and clean it up before trying to sell it. Very nice!
I totally agree with you Jim. I wish everyone did it. I don’t mind a before shot or as found shot. But absolutely yes, hit it with a hose and bucket of soapy water.
We have a P30 van we run to the farmers market. Washing vehicles isn’t a priority around here but when kids started drawing smiley faces in the dirt it was time. 2 hours and 2 5gallon buckets of hot soapy water turns out the truck is white not gray!
You’re right Jim, Kudos to the seller for cleaning up the car and
dropping in a 307 to go with the
3-speed. Now that’s all well and fine but I’ve got a hankerin for an
M-22 rock crusher 4-speed instead. Cherry bombs? A bit too raucous for my taste so I’d
swap ’em out for a full dual exhaust system complete with
stock mufflers and resonators
that would be nicely tucked under
the rear bumper and would exit just ahead of it. Upgrade the brakes, master cylinder, add a decent stereo, and call it a day.
Hats off to the seller for the way
he/she installed that 307. The.dsmned thing looks like it grew there! A really nice car at a
great price! Wonder if you could
fly in and drive it 🏠 home. And if
the girls ask, I’ll tell ’em it followed me home and ask them if I could keep it!
Well this ad does my heart good seeing that I am in the process of resurrecting a 65 SS myself. My particular project is an SS 396 4speed. GOOD LUCK seller, glad to see your not hiding anything, and hope you get it all and more!
Besides the 2 to many doors and the boat anchor 307. It seems to be pretty cool old car not sure 8500 dollars worth. The 3 on the tree was always fun specifically 1 st 2 ND and hope it didn’t jam up. Btw bf add a few more annoying pop up ads please, makes the reading so much fun!!! Glwts.
How do they conceal the two extra doors so well?
It looks nice with the factory rallye wheels.
Dropping in the 307 is a piece of cake. Same bolt pattern as the 6 cylinder and even uses the same motor .mounts. (Just remove the 6 cylinder engine brackets.) And I believe that the clutch pivot ball on the 6 cylinder is the correct distance for the counter shaft on the V8. So it us truley a drop in. Up grade the brakes and suspension ans drive it! I like it!
I remember the ’65 Chevy full-size selling rings around the competiition.
My mother drove a 1965 Dodge Monaco.
What a beautiful car it was!
@ Hammer……..
A non-synchro rolling-downshift to 1st gear was no longer a problem @ GM, beginning in 1965.
When I took my driver’s test in my Mom’s ’63 Impala 327, 3 on the tree . After negotiating the first right hand corner. I had to double clutch into first gear. (Luckily it went smoothly) The “testor” said what was that? And I explained that first gear wasn’t synchronized and I had to match the RPMs in order to shift back into 1st. “Really?” “Turn around, you pass”!. So my driver’s test lasted about 1 block.
I absolutely love those 307’s! I’ve had 2 Nova’s with them, 1 with a powerglide, 1 with a 3 speed on the floor. The 3 speed was quite powerful from the dig but the one with the powerglide from a 35 roll gave those 396 cars a run for their money! I think the 307 was one of the most under rated small block ever built because they would rev like a chainsaw and pull decent all the way up with a 4 bbl and headers.
Can’t believe they couldn’t find anything better than a 307 to put under that hood. Might as well be a 283!!
Nothing wrong with a 283!
Agreed. I see used 350s every day on marketplace.
The 307 initially got a,very bad rap. as the early ones had bad camshafts. Other than that, nothing wrong with a 307. All small block stuff interchanges, so no reason not to use one. I have had hot 283s, hot 327s, hot 350s. Just never had the opertunity to play with a 307, other than to swap out a new camshaft.
Nothing wrong with a 283!
I like this car it’s simple and they were easy to work on.As far as the cherry bomb mufflers, they were my mufflers of choice I’d run straight pipe off the headers and install the mufflers to the straight pipes just before the rear axle and use the stock curved tail pipes. It wasn’t to loud it gave the car a nice power sound without sounding obnoxiously loud.
Love this car would like to see what it looks like on the underside, still confused about the comment of concealing to extra doors ,looks like a great start to something good
What’s wrong with a 283??
someone got a deal!
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry car, put a big block and go drive the wheels off it !
Hi All,I really apprecieate the write up above and the interest in the old girl.The car did not sell this past auction so it is now relisted with alot more photos including several underside shots. https://www.ebay.com/itm/336167231159 The reserve is a bargain on this car and once that is met it will sell to the highest bidder on eBay.Here is a link to the current auction.Please fully read the description,I also have a 68 refreshed muncie 4 speed and a bench seat Hurst shifter complete, that will be offered to the buyer for a little extra money if they are interested Thanks again for looking. EK