The Barn Find 1955 Bel Air

[flatwins]

What a great find! I understand your desire to keep it stock, but it would be an easy decision to drop a 350 in the engine compartment with some mods.

Definitely not opposed to that. IF I can get this 283 back to life we’ll play around with that for awhile and get some updated brakes on it. LS is a real possibility. Also thought of a 350 painted orange to look old school and a Holley Sniper setup.

 

[dennishoddy]

Definitely not opposed to that. IF I can get this 283 back to life we’ll play around with that for awhile and get some updated brakes on it. LS is a real possibility. Also thought of a 350 painted orange to look old school and a Holley Sniper setup.

Y…E…S!!! Sleeper at the stop lights.

 

[O4L]

What a great find! I understand your desire to keep it stock, but it would be an easy decision to drop a 350 in the engine compartment with some mods.

LS swap baby!

 

[Mr.Glock]

@flatwins You get it started up yet?

 

[flatwins]

@flatwins You get it started up yet?

I wish. Still have the cylinders full of ATF and have a pry bar on the crank pulley with some tension via a ratchet tie down. Still not budging but it may take several more days.

 

[OkieMoe]

Hello OSA-

I've been away from the forum for quite some time but my brother dlbleak suggested I start a thread on a project the we happened into recently. Our dad passed away earlier this month and my wife and I were in my hometown checking in on mom. A friend of mom's stopped by the house and mentioned that a friend they have in common had sold her house but had an old car she needed to get out of a lean-to behind the house. When she told us what the car was and the amount the owner was looking to get out of we were quite interested. An hour before that we were definitely NOT looking for a project car.

This will be pic heavy and the photos are large.

So this is the car. The last time it was inspected and tagged was 1973.
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The interior has held up surprisingly well and the original hubcaps are the in the rear seat. Floorpans are solid and the trunk is not rusted out.View attachment 474260
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Dlbleak, myself, and my wife dug the car out, put it on some 90s Camaro-ish wheels and tires just to get it pulled out of its decades old cocoon.
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Loaded it up on the trailer with the welcomed assistance of a winch. If you haven't used U-Haul's auto transport trailer before they have some handy features.
View attachment 474262

America!

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Thanks to some of my favorite YouTubers (especially Vice Grip Garage), we got after the car with SOS pads, CLR, Scotch Brite, rubbing compound, polishing compound, and wax. Not 100% sure what we'll do yet but we'll most likely clear coat the car. We don't plan to paint it but rather preserve the existing paint including dings, scratches, etc.

Here's some comparison photos that have transpired in the past week or so. The bottom photo was taken around 36 hours after the top photo.
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More on the next post.

This is pretty much the same condition as the 1958 Impala I have in the family shop/barn. All ive done is put the same skates under it and shove it out of the way for now. Mine was last inspected in the early 70's with 60k miles at the moment. thats a nice find!

 

[Lucky]

This is pretty much the same condition as the 1958 Impala I have in the family shop/barn. All ive done is put the same skates under it and shove it out of the way for now. Mine was last inspected in the early 70's with 60k miles at the moment. thats a nice find!
Okiemoe need pics

 

[Mr.Glock]

I like the 58 Impala! Especially the White with Red Interior!

The 58 and 64 are my favs! I had a 64 2 door non SS.

 

[swampratt]

Fun to try and get the old engine running and see if that old transmission will work most likely it will.

My all original 70,000 mile 283 and glide in the 57 ran and drove but leaked and ticked.
Not something I would drive more than a mile away from home.

I had to update it with 350" and TH350 and then the old rearend broke some spider gears after a few months of my lead foot.
Have a 9" Ford in it now.

If you plan on driving any distance I say plan now on some kind of swap.

I am not into the injection stuff.
Love my carburetors and simple distributors and NON computer controlled transmissions.

We all like what we like though.

57 chevy 4 door carbs and single point distributor more than 250 HP LESS than this computerized 2015 supercharged Mustang. Old school for the win.

 

[enuf]

nice score!