The Bel Air spearheaded Chevrolet’s sales in the ’50s, but the debut of the Impala in 1958 overhauled the company’s full-size strategy in a way that not even the company expected.
The Impala was a hit from the early days on the market. It debuted as a Bel Air version, but thanks to its overnight success, it quickly gained series status. The Impala and Bel Air embraced separate paths in 1959, but the two continued to share most parts and engine lineup.
However, the Impala was the new cool kid on the block, while the Bel Air was relegated to a second-class citizen. It continued to command a solid market share in the US, but the Impala received the most love.
A 1959 Bel Air was listed on Craigslist earlier this week, looking for a new owner approximately 30 years after receiving a second chance. The owner says they bought the Bel Air three decades ago when the car was still running, but the vehicle has been downgraded from a working classic to a project car.
Unfortunately, this Bel Air is no longer the all-original icon a collector would be ready to pay big bucks for. The rear wheel wells have already been cut for another restoration, the transmission is no longer there, the windshield is cracked, and the radiator has made its way to another Chevy.
The good news is the Bel Air still has an engine. The 283 under the hood was originally paired with a 2-speed Powerglide transmission. The drivetrain was working when the owner bought the car three decades ago, but it now requires a full overhaul (and a new transmission, too).
The 283 was the base V8 on the 1959 Bel Air, while the 348 was the big-block option that everybody was drooling over. The 283 offered a decent amount of power on both the Impala and the Bel Air, so it eventually became the most popular choice in several model years.
The owner says this Bel Air sells with plenty of extra parts, as they keep collected goodies to bring the vehicle and two 1959 El Caminos they also owned to the road.
Restoring this Bel Air is certainly a difficult job, especially for someone who wants to bring the vehicle back to a factory condition. Building a restomod is probably the better option, especially because many original parts are probably missing, and going for replacements from other Chevy models or years is more convenient.
The car comes at a fair price, as the owner expects to get $6,500 for the Bel Air and the extra parts they have collected through the years. If you want to see this Bel Air in person (and you should, considering it could become a massive project), you must drive your trailer to Prescott, close to Phoenix.