Body Off Restored Bel Air Hardtop 256 Power Pack V8 205 HP 3 Speed Manual

SUMMARY

If you follow our email blasts, you probably know all about the LS3-powered Bel Air resto-mod we featured last week for $129,900. Sure, it's nice. But what about folks who want something a bit more traditional? Fear not, RK Motors Charlotte has a car for them too! The beneficiary of a detailed, body-off restoration, this award-winning sedan is a high quality tri-five that you can invest in, drive around and win some serious trophies with. Featuring an equal emphasis on show and go, it wraps an era-correct 265/3-speed drivetrain in decidedly formal aesthetics to create one seriously cool cruiser! If you've been searching for a striking '50s showpiece, but want something that's a heck of a lot classier that some trendy hot rod, this spectacular Chevy's excellent combination of vintage style and ubiquitous performance simply can't be beat!

BODYWORK/TRIM

This exceptionally clean Bel Air is a solid classic that spent the better part of two decades protected in a variety of safe havens. Sometime in the mid '80s the car's current owner, a life-long restorer, located it in a Greensboro, North Carolina night club. Roughly five or six years later, when that club went out of business, the car was pulled out of mothball and offered up for sale. Unfortunately, an agreement couldn't be met and it was passed to a third party. Fast forward roughly 20 years, when the car's current owner happened to cross its path once more. Once again, the Bel Air had been stored inside, but this time, fully deconstructed, it was ripe for a body-off restoration. A deal was struck, and this Chevy's 2-year reboot began with its original pigment being fully stripped from its original sheetmetal. Supplemented with fresh floors and massaged into a head-turning facade, that metal was blanketed in a correct combination of Matador Red and Dune Beige 2-stage. And today, this sultry street queen mixes the visual punch of a classic Ferrari with the visual swank of a vintage Cadillac!

Naturally, this Chevy's quality pigment reflects a roster of first rate detailing that includes all-new glass and all-original stainless. At the front of the car, a guarded bumper founds an original grille and clear parking lamps beneath a fresh Chevrolet crest and chrome-trimmed headlights. At the sides of that crest, requisite 'speedline' spears float Bel Air-exclusive quarter scripts between small mirrors, guarded door handles and dent-free rocker shields. Above those handles, ornate fender toppers and a requisite jetbird hood ornament lead the eye to tight frames, which reflect electric wipers and a short antenna. And at the back of the car, a second guarded bumper splits the difference between factory taillights, polished exhaust pipes, a classy tag bracket and a second showroom-fresh Chevrolet crest.

ENGINE

In 1956, Chevrolet's 265 cubic inch Turbo Fire V8 was the most common choice for factory GM performance. It made solid power, created plenty of torque and provided excellent reliability for everyday errands. Follow this Bel Air's bright Matador shine in to its muted engine bay and you'll find a fully rebuilt small block that was professionally machined by Jamie's Automotive Machine Shop in Greensboro, North Carolina. At the top of that legendary mill, an old school single-snorkel air cleaner funnels wind in to a big 4-barrel carburetor that's sequenced to stainless fluid lines and a mechanical fuel pump. At the base of that carb, a vintage intake feeds cast iron heads, which hang hardened valve seats between a .030 overbore and silver-detailed valve covers. A hydraulic flat-tappet cam spins a traditional points distributor, which shoots spark through Standard Plus plug wires. Once the fires have been lit, a big radiator circulates coolant through "GM" branded hoses and vintage squeeze clamps. Once combustion is created, pliable V-belts spin a rebuilt generator. And, once combustion is extinguished, stock exhaust manifolds whisk spent gases in to true-dual pipes.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

Under this razor-sharp sedan, a straight and solid chassis is finished in standard Satin Black paint and, when viewed next to the car's plethora of clean suspension parts, will give you doubts about the age of its 2006 restoration. Above that skeleton, Oxide Red floorpans are spiced with a roster of stainless hardware. Behind the engine, a tough Saginaw 3-speed twists torque to a factory-spec axle. Cushy turning characteristics are provided by a manual steering rack. Confident stops come courtesy of manual drum brakes. At the center of the floor, a 2.5-inch, true-dual exhaust system pipes spent gases through baritone turbo mufflers. And power hits the pavement thanks to Matador Red steelies, which spin 215/75R15 BF Goodrich Silvertown Radial whitewalls around ornate hubcaps.

INTERIOR

Featuring conservative Red and Ivory surfacing, this tri-five's elegant interior is one of its most impressive traits. At the center of the car, firm bench seats wear a taut combination of cloth and vinyl skin that's highlighted by polished hardware and silver piping. On the doors, 2-tone panels, which almost look custom, hang chrome handles, stainless trim and sculpted armrests beneath body-matched toppers. At the floor, rugged Bel Air floor mats protect sleek Daytona carpet. At the front of that carpet, a painted dash centers ornate trim on a traditional AM radio that's updated with FM tuning. The driver carves curves with a polished and painted steering wheel. And the passengers stow essentials in a fully restored trunk that anchors a full-size spare tire beside a correct jack.

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND ACCESSORIES

From the show to the strip, this impressive Bel Air is poised to draw a crowd. It's a highly desirable tri-five that's been carefully restored with all the right stuff to be one serious head turner. If you've been dreaming of the perfect blend of classic design and old school style, wake up! It's time to claim your car.