1955 Chevrolet Belair - Another Easter Egg

Wowza. Here's another Facebook Marketplace Easter egg with the same asking price, $28,000, as that bucket of bolts of a '56 "Two-Ten. Post" I dented not long ago. The big difference here is that this is a hardtop and not a "post"; I forget how nice these are and I take back most of anything indifferent I may have said over the years towards Tri-Five Chevrolet's. I'm not sure if it's the color scheme and the Cragers helping to make this car even better looking but this thing is awesome. Just shy of thirty-grand sure is a lot for a toy but that appears to be the price of admission for these things these days. And this is in far from showroom condition too. 

The term "Tri-Five Chevrolet" refers to 1955-1957 Chevrolet's that many claim ushered in the modern age of automobile design and, to some degree, engineering. 

These cars came in three trim levels and seven body styles. My indifference towards them borne mostly out of a lack of context since I have little recollection of them when I was young. However, as my quasi-car enthusiast twenty-four year old son points out, there is something to these cars regardless of whether or not you remember them from when you were a kid or not. He likes them all but I, again, love the hardtops which in my opinion trascend whether or not you have any personal connection to them. They're just cool. All other Chevy's of this ilk, through my goggles, might as well be dishwashers. 

Our '55 here is, again, far from perfect. The interior, an older custom job that is pretty worn but still achingly fabulous, could use some sprucing up; cracked leather rocks, ripped does not. The ad claim it comes with a new interior but there are no details as to whether it's a match for this '50's Malt Shop decor. 

The seminal 265 cubic-inch Chevrolet V-8 this was probably born with is long gone having been replaced with this rebuilt "350". There are no other details about this mill other than it just being "rebuilt" but judging by the size of that honker of an intake manifold this thing looks like it has some serious poke. Frankly, I can't remember the last time I saw a "Tri-Five" that was driver that had its original engine so I wouldn't be too concerned about "numbers matching". 

That $28,000 asking price also includes nice upgrades like front discs although no power assist, "modern A-arms" up front and a four-speed manual that replaced the factory floor-mounted three-speed with what was referred to as "Touch-down Overdrive". And of course, the legendary if not iconic although period incorrect Crager S/S rims. For the record, the S/S rims debuted in 1964. The raised white letter tires are completely wrong but if you appreciate such things they work quite well here. Especially with the Cragers. 

Ad claims the car was painted this black and white scheme back in the 1960's and could use a respray. I'd leave everything as is, even the steering wheel, although I might spring for a vacuum booster for the brakes and power steering pump for the steering if it doesn't have one already. Which is doubtful. Pricey upgrades but this stuff comes in kits for "easy" install. Ha. As if. 

Use it as a driver, which is what it should be used as, make the slight mods and flip it in a year or so making a couple of bucks off it as the next person to own her does whatever they want to it. Hopefully they'd feel the same as I do and leave it as is.