1953 Chevrolet Bel Air
Every year, just before the Super Bowl, Barrett-Jackson puts on one of the biggest auto auctions in the country. It has been several years since I have attended, primarily due to the threat posed by the COVID pandemic. There were a dozen or more huge tents to protect the majority of the vehicles to be auctioned off. Unfortunately, it was cloudy which made photography a challenge (because of low light levels) and it was quite chilly which challenged me to be selective in the choice of cars to photograph. { * * * Unique for this image * * * } Here we see a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air that was released in my pre-teen years and looked old to me even when I became a teenager and started paying attention to automobiles. If I recall correctly, my uncle had one of these and I was allowed to drive it before getting my license. I was restricted to dirt roads on the nearby farms but it was good practice, especially since it had a manual transmission. It has received a complete frame-off restoration. Inside the smoothed engine bay sits an L36 big-block 427ci V8 engine topped with twin 4-barrel Holley carburetors tucked between a color-keyed Weiand Hi-Rise and bird-catcher air intake. A billet-mounted serpentine accessory drive system supports chrome components and a Vintage Air climate control system. Power is put through a Turbo 350 automatic transmission and into a Currie 9-inch rear end. During the restoration, this Bel Air received rack & pinion steering and air-ride suspension. All four corners have had power disc brakes added. Riding on Budnik wheels, this Bel Air's interior features include all custom gauges, fine leather seats, remote entry, power windows, and an Alpine stereo system. To my surprise, this vehicle sold for $60,500. I did not expect it to be so costly.
Size: 8256px × 5504px
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Photo credit: © B. David Cathell / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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