The competition between Ford and Chevrolet reached new heights in the late ’50s, especially as the GM brand looked into new ways to regain the leading position in the United States.
The debut of the Impala as a prototype in 1956 gave hope that Chevrolet finally found the recipe to achieve its goal. Two years later, it launched the Impala in production form, creating a solid full-size lineup that propelled it to the number one spot in the home market.
Bel Air and Impala spearheaded Chevy’s sales, with the two models being part of the same family in 1958. A year later, Impala gained series status, parting ways with the Bel Air but still sharing the design, most parts, and the engine lineup.
Impala became a first-class citizen for General Motors, but Bel Air continued to have a solid customer base in the United States.
Despite coming in a rough shape, this 1959 Bel Air still flexes the original je ne sais quoi, even after decades in storage. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out this Bel Air is a project, with the owner explaining on Craigslist that the vehicle has “been stored for the last twenty or so years.”
A vehicle sitting for so long typically flexes rough metal, and this Bel Air makes no exception. The dust on the body is a testament to the long tenure in storage, but the occasional rust makes a restoration project more challenging. You’ll find the damage on the floors and in the trunk, with the body also exhibiting similar problems – albeit most of them appear only on the surface.
The owner says the vehicle is complete, and the only missing things are the wheels and the radiator. The glass is still on the car, but the windshield comes with a crack.
The engine under the hood offers mixed news. On the one hand, it’s still there, and it’s likely to be the original unit that came with the car. On the other hand, it’s a six-cylinder, and it doesn’t look healthy. The lazy straight-six, which was the base configuration on the 1959 Bel Air, is probably locked up from sitting, so I can only hope that you’ll be able to turn it by hand. Otherwise, you’ll need a new engine for this Bel Air, though this isn’t at all a deal-breaker. The six-cylinder was the worst choice on such a large vehicle, and despite service as a decent grocery-getter, the V8 would make a Bel Air more intriguing.
The rough shape and the other problems detailed above make this Bel Air fairly affordable. The owner wants just $2,800 for their Chevy, but they claim other offers would also be considered, so contact them to discuss more details.