Chevrolet Bel Air

Chevrolet Bel Air at a glance

Development and production history

The first Bel Air of 1950 was offered only as a two-door hardtop, marketed as the Sport Coupe. In its first year 76,662 were built, at US$1,741 (1950) and a weight of 1,463 kg (3,225 lb), with the 216.5 cu in "Thriftmaster" six of 69 kW (92 hp).

In 1953 the name became Chevrolet's top trim level and spread to the convertible, the hardtop, the sedans and, from 1954, the Beauville wagon. The 235.5 cu in "Blue Flame" six was rated at 81–93 kW (108–125 hp), the higher figure with the Powerglide automatic. In 1955 Chevrolet introduced its first V8, the 265 cu in small-block, and advertised the car as "the Hot One". The Tri-Five cars of 1955–1957 included the two-door Nomad wagon, assigned to the Bel Air series; 7,886 were built in 1956. The 1957 model offered the 283 cu in V8 with Ramjet fuel injection, rated at 211 kW (283 hp).

For 1958 the Bel Air moved to the new, longer, lower and heavier B-body, with a 348 cu in V8 option, and Chevrolet added the Impala above it as the new halo model. In 1959 the Bel Air reached 447,100 cars, but the Impala outsold it by about 20,000. From then on the Bel Air steadily moved down the range: by 1963 it had only two sedans, and in 1970 the US range consisted of a single four-door sedan.

After the Biscayne was dropped at the end of 1972, the Bel Air became the cheapest full-size Chevrolet, sold mostly to fleets, with the 350 V8 and the Turbo Hydramatic as standard. The last US Bel Airs were built for 1975; in Canada the name continued on downsized cars until 1981.

Design and engineering

The Bel Air is an American full-size car with a front engine and rear-wheel drive. The 1955 car weighed 1,568 kg (3,456 lb) and was about 4.9 m (16 ft) long, with 11-inch drum brakes and 43.1 in of front legroom. The 1959–1960 generation, with its tailfins, was much larger: 119 in (3,023 mm) of wheelbase and 211 in (5,359 mm) of length. From 1965 the Bel Air was distinguished by stainless belt mouldings and rear fender signatures.

Engines and drivetrain

The 211 kW (283 hp) of the 1957 injected engine equals one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. Our power converter translates the US horsepower figures into kW and PS.

Chevrolet Bel Air specifications (1955)

Generations and variants

Prices also show how the model was positioned. In 1956 the cheapest Bel Air, the two-door sedan, cost US$2,025 (1956), and the Nomad US$2,608 (1956). In 1975 Consumer Reports placed the Bel Air second in a test of full-size cars and recommended the Impala for its better sound insulation and comfort.

The Bel Air in numbers

The figures in English Wikipedia show how quickly the car grew. From 76,662 hardtops in 1950 to 447,100 cars in 1959, Bel Air production rose almost six times, and even then the new Impala sold about 20,000 more. Power rose even faster: from 69 kW (92 hp) for the 1950 six to 211 kW (283 hp) for the 1957 fuel-injected V8, an increase of about three times in seven model years. The weight went up only from 1,463 kg in 1950 to 1,568 kg in 1955. The 1955 V8 car therefore had about 13 kg per kilowatt, against about 21 kg for the 1950 six.

Prices moved more slowly. The 1950 Sport Coupe cost US$1,741 (1950), the 1956 two-door sedan US$2,025 (1956), and the 1956 Nomad, at US$2,608 (1956), about 29% more than the cheapest Bel Air of that year. Our power-to-weight calculator applies the same kind of comparison to any modern car.

Legacy

The Tri-Five Bel Air, and the 1957 car in particular, is one of the best-known American cars of the 1950s and is highly sought after by collectors. English Wikipedia also mentions a Pikes Peak record run by a 1956 four-door hardtop. The car's maker is covered in our history of Chevrolet, its parent in the history of General Motors, and the model that took over the top position in the Chevrolet Impala SS article.

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