Talk about originality—this 1961 Chevrolet BelAir four-door sedan is in fabulous 1961 condition! The amazing thing is that it’s not an Impala, just an ordinary, low-content BelAir four-door sedan, and it has survived the test of time – unaltered, unmodified, and not damaged. T.J. gets the nod for this Visalia, California discovery, and Facebook Marketplace is where you’ll find it. It’s looking good at a price of $15,500.
Everyone always wants the big-engined, two-door hardtop (or convertible) SS equipped examples – those are the ones that can still be easily found and, of course, priced accordingly. A down-trim four-door sedan? Fuggetaboutit! I’d say that it’s a miracle this 92K-mile BelAir is still with us. These were the cars that were bought, used, sold a few times over, thoroughly worn out, and then discarded. Interestingly, the Impala and BelAir weren’t that far apart in ’61. The BelAir had less trim and one fewer taillight adorning either side of its toned-down (compared to ’60) rear end. But beyond that, both trim levels offered two-door hardtops and sedans (’61 being the only year that an Impala two-door sedan made the scene) as well as four-door sedans and hardtops. The Impala was blessed with a convertible, but that’s about it for differences in body styles. Ditto in station wagon guise – the Impala four-door hauler wore the “Nomad” moniker, its last year of use before resurfacing on a stripper Chevelle wagon in ’69, while the BelAir made due with the “Parkwood” designation – ’60 was the last year for a two-door wagon variant.
This Chevy’s turquoise finish is still fair, showing normal signs of lacquer fade and best of all – no rust! The seller states that the passenger-side fender was repainted, but beyond that, this BelAir still looks like 1961. The chrome plating is strong and the stainless trim is bright while all still being attached. There is a small dent in the bottom of the passenger side quarter, just behind the wheel opening, but it’s minor. One deviation from stock may be the wheelcovers – they look like those employed by the Impala.
Not surprisingly, this BelAir rolls with the guidance provided by a standard 135 gross HP, 235 CI in-line, six-cylinder engine, making the connection to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission (three-on-the-tree). The seller claims, “The 6cyl and 3-speed transmission drive great.”
Inside is a typical bright patterned cloth and vinyl upholstery that shows signs of wear. The driver seat is stained, and the cardboard (or similar material) kick panels have been kicked one too many times, but it all still shows surprisingly well. Owing to this car’s low option content, there is no radio (or power steering, power brakes, A/C, clock, etc.).
This BelAir is likely not at the top of everyone’s collectible list – it’s probably not even in the top ten – but what a find! In my book, this old Chevy should be saved and enjoyed as is. It’s every bit as significant as a more exalted model for the simple reason that these were not saved – try to find another, much less in this condition. Let’s talk price. What’s your thought, at $15,500, priced right or not quite?
Ship Ahoy! – no power nothing!
Party on the left (full wheel covers on the driver’s side), business on the right (poverty caps on the passenger’s side).
The shot of the interior has me marveling at the visibility through the windshield. Cars from this era definitely have it in spades, but the comparison to post 2000 vehicles just really struck me in that one.
I would not change a thing. What a great car. It would cost very little to just maintain this.
Another fun sight, my grandpa Sam, bought a teal 1961 Impala 4 door after he totaled the Packard. He was one of almost half a million that did so that year. With almost 300K Corvairs, the rest of Chevys 1.2 million cars were just like this. Think about that for a sec, Chevy consistently sold over a million cars for many years, what happened to them all? This is very similar to the ’58 Delray, you could actually buy cars like this, much to the salespersons dismay, I’m sure. Dealers made a ton of money on options, and not here. Someone walked into a dealer, and with Delray gone, I think this was the cheapest 4 door sedan Chevy made at just under $2500 bucks. Pops got a couple options, oil filter, arm rests, fender mirrors( added later) maybe a heater, stuff we take for granted, but it worked for them.
Again, the stick schtick. At $15 grand, a), anyone that can shift it isn’t going to spend their kidney money on one, and b) I just don’t see my daughter,(38) who like many others, love the gee gaws of her BMW, wouldn’t be seen in a car like this, except maybe for a photo shoot in some early 60s movie they are working on. This car is just like me, we don’t fit in today. Seems a lot of these types of cars surfacing lately. People are living longer, into their 90s, and could have easily bought these types of cars new. Well, I’m finding out time marches on, and here you go. Unbelievable find, as none were ever kept.
“What Happened To Them ” I hate to say it, but most ended up in Junk yards where every part. was salvaged, right down to the lug nuts . Unfortunately in the 90s Big Corperations bought out the old timers, instead of selling salvage, they started crushing cars for Cash . I once seen a 69 Cuda in a junk yard, I wanted to buy it to restore ( Although the motor/Tranny were gone ) went back 2 weeks later traveling 200 miles with a trailer, when I got there the guy running things said oh it was crushed 2 days ago ( even though I had rold another guy there I wanted it ) I learned a lesson to always carry enough xash for a deposit after thar,but never found a Gem like it ever again !
Up north by the time a car was junked, anything that hadn’t originally been a bolted-on mechanical part (and a lot of things that were) was well and truly rusted out.
He starts it in the video. It rolls over for about 1/4 of a second and goes to a very quiet idle. I’d be changing out the upper radiator hose right away though. Flexi-hoses put stress on the radiator inlet, enough to crack it. Its interesting to see the tail fins continue to diminish from the ’59, ’60, and down to merely applied chrome strips on a small spoiler.
Just add some tunes and I’ll be a happy camper. My SIL, not so much
as she would have to drive it and yours truly will have to wait a bit longer for a driverless model before I
can slide behind the wheel though. I nearly bought a ’61 Biscayne 4-door
like this one while I lived in Winter Haven Florida at a dirt cheap price of
ONLY $800. Oh sure, the body was sun baked and rough, but it ran like a swiss watch. And therein lies the beauty of a basic car like this one. It’s
well built, very simple to repair, and if treated right, it will last you well over
200K miles BEFORE the engine will need a total overhaul. I can’t, for any
reason, understand why someone would look down their nose at a car like this one. I certainly wouldn’t.
I always find it interesting that a radio delete car makes it this long without someone along the line adding one.
Your youth is showing. When this car was built, there was no such thing as ‘radio delete’. Radios were optional accessories, like heaters and mirrors and whitewall tires, all available for an extra charge. Each.
Had one. Many fine memories.
This and a 66′ is my favorite Impala year (57′ for Belair) and the color of the dash is KILLING me. It’s what I want for the lower part of my dash. Rims, a swath of color around the back of the cab and the GMC label on my tailgate of my 57 GMC. The rims I’m getting are Neptune Green from a 1960 Chevy color and will have to do.
There is no way I would have driven this car when I was young. Today, maybe I would. This would be a good 1st car for a teenager. It would not have been cool in the 70s though.
The Nomad definitely appeared as a stripped-down Chevelle wagon in ’68 (we had one) with/235/3sp manual, no power ANYTHING. I’ll even go so far as suggest the monikker actually reappered in ’64 when the Chevelle was introduced.
Your’s wasn’t equipped with a 235, that engine was discontinued at the end of the ’62 model year (at least for passenger car use). It would have been a 230 or a 250. You’re right about the Nomad name reappearing in ’68, not ’69, but it was no earlier than that.
https://www.ahgautoservice.com/what-years-did-chevrolet-make-the-nomad/
JO
I had a 235 6 cylinder in my 1962 Impala Sports Coupe. I remember that I had to pull the top off of the oil filter, pull the old filter out and then pump the old oil out of it. I still have the pump that I used 50 years ago.
My Uncle Steve bought a new ’61 Impala 4-door. All black and probably a black & white interior, don’t remember that part.
Also don’t remember the drive train but I’m sure it had a 283 and Powerglide.
Looks like my first car, except maybe a little darker color. Bought it while I was in the army for $350 in 1968 with 48,000 miles. Sold it for $350 in 1970 with 75,000 miles. Gentleman who bought it for his grandfather told me several years later it was still going strong with no problems.
I remember a neighbor across the street from us bought a new teal ’61 Chevy 4 dr sedan. The car was an Impala though, with a 283 auto. For some reason that car always intrigued me as a ‘car crazy’ kid. (Two door hardtops were always my favorite style.) They owned that car for at least 10 years. Even after I moved out of town, and would come back to visit my parents, it would be parked in their driveway. It always looked the same to me. I never saw any rust on it.
That color, six cylinder, four doors. Before there were mommy wagons we had these. So many of these. Reminds me of grade school.
Plain and basic as can be leave it the way it is!!!
Beautiful “what people actually drove” car in a great color. I always liked the ’61 Chevys and the post sedans’ wraparound rear window only adds to it.