1955 Chevy Bel Air History
The Bel Air’s story began in 1953 when it became the new name for Chevrolet’s premium line of automobiles. It was on these early models that the unique features of the car body appeared. They received a chrome trim strip, with a paint strip that coordinated with the body color. The interiors were also outfitted with a fair amount of chrome trim. It was installed in the lower dash region of the car and also formed the horn ring on the Bel Air’s premium steering wheel.
In 1954, the Chevy Bel Air was updated with new grille and taillight designs, and also came with two different engine options. The type of engine the car had depended on the transmission. If your model was stick shift, a 115-hp straight-six would have been providing the power, and those with Powerglide would have the same as the inline-six, but with 125 hp. The Powerglide transmission was a two-speed automatic transmission designed by General Motors. It was found primarily in Chevrolet models from the 1950s through the early 1970s. ’54 Chevys were available in convertible, hardtop coupe, or 2- and 4-door sedan models.
It was in 1955 that the Chevy Bel Air was fitted with a V8 engine and earned a reputation as “The Hot One” among car enthusiasts. The high-compression, short-stroke design of the 265-cubic-inch V8 worked so well that it remained in production for many years. The V-8 engine produced 180 hp, which was considered quite a bit of power at the time. The styling of the ’55 Chevy was also considered far superior to any Ford or Plymouth available at the time. The Bel Air had interior carpeting, chrome roof bands, fender flares with chrome spears, and chrome window trim, just to name a few. The gold Bel Air script that was present on ’55 also helped set it apart from the others. This classic and refined look sets it apart from any of its competitors.
The ’55 Chevy Bel Air’s perfect blend of power and style is what makes it one of today’s most sought-after classic cars. It’s also one of the most recognizable cars to ever come out of an American factory. The ’55 Chevy’s combination of spacious interior, tasteful design and power is what makes it so popular with enthusiasts. Chevy Bel Airs produced between 1955 and 1957 are considered to be the trifivedue to its superiority in design and performance over models released in the following years of production, which were often considered too large and decorated.