A 4-door sedan could be ordered throughout the entire time the fifth generation remained on the market, while the 4-door hardtop was exclusively included in the 1961 lineup and retired in 1962 when the GM brand introduced a new 4-door wagon.
All these changes show Chevrolet was always trying to adapt its production to the changing trends in the automotive market, especially as the star of the show in the early ‘60s was now the Impala, whose sales reached an all-time high in 1965 when it became the first model to sell over 1 million units in just one year.
The Bel Air, however, was still a car with lots of fans in the States, and the 1961 example that we have here shows exactly why. Despite not coming in its best shape, this Bel Air still boasts the refined look introduced by the fifth generation in 1961 along with an improved interior, though as you can figure out yourselves by checking out the photos, this one has seen better days as well.
The car comes with plenty of rust, and there are occasional holes in it, so however buys it would have a lot of work in this regard, especially if what they’re planning is a full restoration.
Before figuring out what needs to be replaced inside and what doesn’t, this Bel Air needs a thorough cleaning, especially as it looks like it’s been sitting in the same spot for quite some time. eBay seller sgyotter912x claims the car is mostly complete, and the good news is the 283 (4.6-liter) under the hood doesn’t seem to be locked up from sitting, as it still turns over by hand.
On the other hand, it’s not starting either, so whoever buys the car should take care of transportation as well.
The top and likely the winning bid at the time of writing is close to $5,000, so hopefully, this Bel Air would get back on the road rather sooner than later thanks to this new owner.