1951 Chevrolet Bel Air

1951 Chevrolet Bel Air for sale in our Houston Showroom. This car is powered by its numbers matching original 235 CID inline 6 cylinder engine and 3 speed manual transmission and is a blast from the past to drive. The car has had one repaint about 5 years ago and shows very well. Options include hub caps, bias ply tires, and a vinyl interior, just as it came from the factory in 1951. The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size automobile produced by Chevrolet for the 1950–1981 model years. Initially only the two door hardtops in the Chevrolet model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952, as distinct from the Styleline and Fleetline models for the remainder of the range. With the 1953 model year the Bel Air name was changed from a designation for a unique body shape to a premium level of trim applied across a number of body styles. The Bel Air continued with various other trim level designations until US production ceased in 1975; production continued in Canada for its home market only through the 1981 model year. For 1950, Chevrolet came up with a revolutionary style that would set a pattern for decades. The Bel Air Hardtop was styled as a convertible with a non-detachable solid roof. Models like this had been around since the 1920s, including early Chevrolets, with no degree of success. But the newly revised idea, sweeping the GM line from Chevrolet to Cadillac, had finally found its era. First year production reached only 76,662 as buyers cautiously tested the revised concept. The car cost $1,741 and weighed 3,225 lb (1,463 kg).  Front suspension was independent, named "knee-action". The first Bel Airs of this era shared only their front sheet metal ahead of the A pillar with the rest of the range. The windshield, doors, glass, and trunk were common with the Styline DeLuxe Convertible Coupe, however the roof, rear quarters and rear windows (3) were unique. The chassis and mechanicals were common with the rest of the passenger car range, and the overall appearance was the same as the rest of the range, except that the roof line was lower and the unique three piece rear window gave it a longer and more balanced look. The first Bel Airs were only available with the "DeLuxe" premium trim level and specification. This beauty is located at our Houston location showroom and can be seen at www.GatewayClassicCars.com, call (832)243-6220 or email for additional information.