It is no mystery that the Chevrolet Bel Air is one of the most recognizable and iconic models in the entire classic car kingdom. A recent summary that was published on The Journal highlighted our top-viewed Bel Air stories from last year. Does this car have staying power into 2024 and beyond? I think so.
The Pick of the Day is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Bermuda Dunes, California. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Own a piece of automotive history with this stunning 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air sports coupe, meticulously maintained and in impeccable condition with a Gypsy Red and India Ivory color combination both inside and out,” the listing begins. The Continental kit at the rear is a nice touch, as are the wide-whitewall tires which convey a period-correct look and feel to the car.
What is it that makes this car so attractive in the marketplace? As we all know, the collector car hobby is largely driven by nostalgia. People want to buy vehicles that remind them of a bygone era. And the production numbers paint a very clear picture about one thing for sure: A LOT of people bought 1955 Chevrolets. In fact, there were 1.7 million 1955 Chevrolets produced. That comes out to almost 25% of the 7.1 million total new cars sold that year. Imagine a single vehicle having a one-in-four market share!
Another reason why the Bel Air was so important was for its powertrain. The “Turbo-Fire” 265cid V8 that was on the option list in 1955 was Chevrolet’s first small-block V8. It provided a significant upgrade when compared to the alternative motor (a Stovebolt inline-six). Today’s feature car has a V8 mated to an automatic transmission. The seller says the battery is new, but there isn’t a great deal of additional detail shared about other aspects of the car’s mechanical condition.
As far as Bel Airs go, the most sought-after cars tend to be the convertibles and the two-door hardtops. That being said, this red-and-white beauty has a lot going for it. The listing says that the car was thoroughly inspected by Tech-Age Automotive in Thousand Palms, California.
The asking price is $55,000 for this Bel Air. Knowing what we know about Bel Air popularity, it is probably one of the safest investments on the market today!
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com