Published in Monterey Car Week (1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible)

Editor’s Note: Thanks to RM Auctions for permitting Monterey Car Week to publish these wonderful photos and the nice article on a pristine 1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible. This car definitely brings back memories for me, as my first daily driver was a 1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible with a 265ci V-8 and a two-speed Powerglide transmission. When I bought mine from the original owner, it had just 93,000 original miles on the odometer. It wasn’t as pretty as this one, but I sure got noticed driving it around Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes Estates and other beach cities in Southern California.

1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible

Lot 161

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible

$70,000 – $80,000

180 bhp, 265 cu. in. V-8 engine with a single four-barrel carburetor, Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission, independent front with rear semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 115 in.

• Beautifully restored in Shoreline Beige and Gypsy Red; Equipped with the desirable 265-cubic inch Power Pack V-8

The Chevrolet Bel Air was all new for 1955 and featured numerous changes over the outgoing model. Rear fins and sharper angles replaced the rounder lines of the first-generation Bel Air, and the car’s new bodywork was accentuated by a large helping of chrome trim. Perhaps the most celebrated changes came under the hood, as Chevrolet added a V-8 engine option to give their buyers the necessary horsepower to go along with the Bel Air’s new looks. It was an immediate success, and the Bel Air became the best-selling American car of 1955, with nearly 771,000 examples being produced.

This 1955 Bel Air Convertible was restored in the correct Shoreline Beige and Gypsy Red, which was the same color it was produced in, according its trim tag, and it is fitted with the 180-brake horsepower, 265-cubic inch V-8. It is also outfitted with the desirable Power Pack, which adds a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts. The interior shows incredibly well and is trimmed in matching red and beige, which is also correct for this particular car. Additionally, it is important to note that the car is fitted with an AM pushbutton radio and power steering. The car’s odometer shows just a hair over 30 miles, which have all been recorded since the car’s ground-up restoration.

The 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air proved to be an icon in its own time, and it still remains highly desirable to collectors today. A well-sorted Bel Air Convertible is a requisite of any collection of American automobiles, and this example certainly fits the bill.