We got a lot of customers in our showrooms who want the look of an old car but not the hassles, and this 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door might be just the right kind of car for such a person. Get in, turn the key, and head out for the open road, this car is always up for it. It's also got features like an upgraded suspension and a great-running small block V8 with EFI so you don't have to give up performance for an old-school look. The '53 Chevrolets were handsome cars in a conservative way, and that's probably why they look so good today with a few custom tricks. This one didn't need any serious modifications, but instead they focused on emphasizing what was good and minimizing what wasn't needed and the results are pretty darned good. Up front, a '54 grille was installed but that's about it for changes from OEM. The 10-year-old black looks great on the curvy Chevy's sheetmetal and accentuates the flared rear fenders and crisp character line streaming back from the headlights. The finish is showing some age, but it's still good enough to be shown with pride at the local cruise nights but you'll never worry about approaching thunder storms or bugs on your windshield. The stainless trim was polished up and the wrap-around bumpers wear chrome that's probably better than 1953 stuff, all tied together to make a neat package that you'll look forward to driving. The interior is more substantially modified with fresh two-tone upholstery on the original bench seats. The soft, comfortable cloth was also used on the door panels and headliner for a consistent look and even the carpets were treated to the two-tone for a very finished feel throughout, and new red carpets tie it all together. For cruising comfort, there's a tilt column with a modern billet steering wheel, under-dash gauges that work with the factory dials, and an AM/FM radio right in the middle that looks very much like the original piece. Nice chrome grille work adds some eye candy to the '50s dash and the billet pedals are a nice touch. The full-sized back seat offers plenty of room for friends and family and the trunk is set up for road trips with a simple rubber mat, a matching full-sized spare, and lots of space. You can see why this is such a great cruiser under the hood: a 327 cubic inch Chevy V8. It's an easy fit in the '53 and with a few upgrades like Holley Sniper fuel injection, double-hump heads, a polished Edelbrock intake manifold, and electronic ignition, it's powerful enough to be entertaining but built to be reliable. A few aluminum dress-up parts make the engine bay sparkle and with a big aluminum radiator up front, no worries about heat in the summer. A TH350 3-speed automatic transmission feeds a 10-bolt rear so it's an easy highway cruiser and upgrades like a 1984 Monte Carlo front suspension with QA1 A-arms, power steering, and disc brakes means it's ready to drive anywhere. A sweet-sounding dual exhaust system uses glasspack-style mufflers to add to the period vibe, and even though the wheels are gigantic 18s and 20s, they look like vintage Torque Thrusts. Very cleverly built, this Chevy is a heck of a lot of car for not a lot of cash and includes everything you'd want to hit the next long-distance cruise. Call today!
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