Was there a better way to “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” than in a 1955 Bel Air? Apparently, 800,000 buyers thought not did because that’s how many rolled off the assembly line in the first of what would later become known as the Tri-Five Chevies. This 1955 2-tone 2-door sedan looks like a nice survivor but is actually a restoration that’s only just begun. Located in Rochester, New York but wearing Florida plates, this ’55 Bel Air is available here on craigslist for $34,500, which includes $12,000 worth of uninstalled parts. Thanks for the Bow-Tie tip, Pat L.!
This 1955 Bel Air is largely an original car, though the India Ivory/Regal Turquoise paint combination was reapplied in the 1970s. We’re told that it wears the same sheet metal it left the factory with, and no filler is present. The mileage is a real 32,000 and the car was acquired from its original owner with plans to be restored. This Chevy is well-preserved from having been kept in the seller’s heated garage for the past 10 years.
It’s not a running automobile as the numbers-matching 265 cubic inch V8 has been partly disassembled for cleaning and head work to run unleaded gas. But the “short block” is still in the vehicle. It has two-barrel carburetion and a “three-on-the-tree” manual transmission. No photos are provided of the mechanical bits and pieces that have been removed.
The seller was serious about turning this into a show car, but poor health prevents him/her from accomplishing that goal. We’re told that a small fortune in new parts is still in boxes waiting for someone else to carry the load. They include new chrome, radio, bumpers, brakes, seals, grille, door handles, mirrors, gas tank/sending unit, and various other items. The only thing missing to complete the work is a partial interior kit.
This is certainly one of the nicest project cars we’ve come across and it can be quite valuable when finished, although a hardtop would fetch more dinero than a sedan. The seller will provide a transferrable registration as New York State didn’t start issuing titles until 1973. At the seller’s asking price, he/she is taking a $10,000 bath on the overall investment to date.
Funny how the 55 and 56 still look good in a sedan yet the 57 the sedan look just doesn’t work.
@Rbig18, I guess that’s a matter of opinion as far as the look of a 57 post car. You’ve got yours and I’ve with a boat load of others have theirs 🤣. I prefer the post over the hardtop for a couple of reasons. One being they don’t have wind noise because of the weather strip issue between the front and rear glass on the hardtop. And they are just cooler when and if you make a gasser out of them. Not my style as a gasser but just saying.😂
57 is the best looking year of the tri five, with 56 and 55 being second and third.
I had a 57 2dr post in High School. and as far as what are the best looking of the 3 Id have to say that the 55 is 1 then the 57 and 56 3rd. Just my opinion.
A two owner project means, two guys failed to resurrect it.
I had a 55 Bel Air HT in high school and I loved it. I have always wanted another one ,but it just hasn’t happened. If it was going to happen, I would like it to be this car. If the seller is being honest, this car could be very good buy. With all the extras he has ,it wouldn’t involve spending more money on parts. The completion would just be labor and I still have some of that ,and it’s free. As for the comment about Hard Tops being more valuable, that may not be true. A good friend of mine ,who is in the tri-five parts business , says that recently 2-oor posts are exceeding Hart tops in price and desirability.
That car looks nice like it is. If I were to buy it I would probably put the engine back together and drive it like it is if the engine was OK. I’d store away the extra new parts to keep if I ever needed them. This car is more interesting to look at at a show than the over restored ones that arrive on a trailer.