Nice find . What kind of plans do you have for it ?
I came across this car when a co worker told me his dad had an old Chevy in his garage that he needed to get rid of. I made arrangements to see the car not knowing what year, model, or condition the mystery Chevy would be in. When Bob ( my co worker’s dad and the original owner of the car ) opened the garage door I saw my ‘54 Belair for the first time. The car had been sitting for decades but was in remarkable shape. I struck a deal for the shameful price of $700 and drug it home complete with original purchase order. Over the next year I rebuilt the mechanicals of the car but didn’t paint or pretty anything up except for the wheels and ( tape ) pin stripe flames. The car has it’s original 235” inline six with a three speed on the column, original paint, and interior. It’s a blast to drive and while it’s not the fastest or best handling car I have, it is my favorite. My dad loves it too as you can see in the picture.
Nice find . What kind of plans do you have for it ?
For right now I'm leaving it as it is and enjoying it that way. Because it's a survivor car I can't bring myself to cut it up. If that ever changes I'd like to swap in a 4.2 inline six from a Trail Blazer. Everyone has swapped a V-8 into one of these but I think an OHC inline six painted Chevy blue with "Blue Flame" on the valve cover would be cool. Of course I'd get rid of the king pin front end for something more modern and I'd freshen up the whole car. The wide whites and steelies will always be on it though.
another 54 belair! put in a vortec 4200 and overdrive 5 speed.
Wow. Nice Ride!
Those pinstripe flames are awesome.
I am diggin' those flames and the wheels. Nice score!
I am voting for the survivor! Well, maybe except for some period 6cyl mods..people forget how expensive the V8 option was back then. "Hopping up" the six for them must have been a lot like what we're doing with our cars now.
I have always thought the 4.2 Vortec would be a great swap motor for a old-school rod. Fab up a manifold for 3 Weber 42 DCOE's or a couple of Strombergs.
Very nice sir, very nice.
Nice! We 'hot rodded' the old stove bolt six in my '55 back in the day. TRW pistons to up the CR a bit, a mild Isky cam, .060" over (lots of meat in the block), Offenhauser intake with 2x1bbl Rochester carbs, Clifford Research (now just 'Clifford' I think) headers, duals, and a wide ratio Muncie 4 speed replacing the old 3 speed. No point in revving it above 4500 rpm, but it was a really sweet ride. Sounded a lot like the six in the old GMC schoolbus I used to ride in the 60's. Because - wait for it - SAME MOTOR!
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