Customs 1959 Bel Air 2 door hardtop build.

I know I know; "there was never any 2 door hardtop BelAirs." Well,,, not in the USA.

Up here in Canada, land of the free, home of the cheap, we had 1031 Bel Air 2 door hardtops made. Basically a Impala with Bel Air trim. Body style #1537.

Mine started life in Manitoba in late 1958 and it's still here today.
Originally bought by a nice lady near Brandon, Elanor as I recall, and used as a daily driver for her and her family on their rural farm till 1974.
"car developed a knock" and smoked a bit" I was told as it was winched onto my trailer. "So dad parked it on the yard to fix later". WAY later as it turns out as it sat there for the next 42 years.

Took my "new" car home as it's 2nd owner.
Slid the car into my shop to access the condition.
Paint; original.
Accident damage; NONE.
Pieces missing; ZERO full set of hub caps AND poverty dishes {in trunk}
So far so good. Car was originally a 235/PG {yawn} so I pulled it to look and there I saw "the knock" that was mention on pick up; Hole in the oil pan, destroyed piston/connecting rod. Car was driven last on only 5 cylinders. Hell of a knock!
Ignition wiring was also very fried explaining the smoke mentioned.

Originally planed on a "patina" ride BUT although it's OE paint and never hit, Mother Nature bitch whipped it over the 42 years on the yard. Inner and outer rockers gone. New full floor pans from tow board to tail lights. Rear valance and licence plate bucket had pin holes {not terrible but bucket had to come out}. Lower quarter patches. Worst of all the rear window channel.
Doors were mint! front clip was mint! Count my blessings I guess.
Most painful of all this was that there was a farm implement shed {one car deep but 10 cars wide} a mere 100-150 feet away from where that car was parked. I would have pushed it there for no other reason than to make mowing easier.

Alas, it is what it is. That is what welders are for!
Body was braced, floor removed. I had an industrial blaster come to my yard to clean up the exposed rust.
Floors and truck are straight forward, fabricated inner and outer rockers. Found a 1960 Caddy coupe de vill in the salvage yard {WTF right!} and cut out the rear window channel parts I needed. All 59-60 GM "bubble tops" are the same chevy, Cadillac and BOP.


Once the body was structurally sound it was popped on my rotisserie. I made the rotisserie some years ago


I'll have to dig up more pictures

Cheers!

 

Nice, keep it going!

 

Good job, nice work!

 

My nephew just sold his.

 

Just another 59 {yawn} lol. Jk nice project.

 

Very nice!

 

Cool, It looks like you have been seriously busy since you got it home. Love those 59's My best friend had a blue impala with a 348, tri power 4 speed when I was 18.

 

Nice find! It’s a fantastic start! ... just curious if there were any other pieces in good condition on that 1960 Cadillac coupe in the salvage yard?


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Great back story, liked the way you presented it, love the car! Now, let’s rock and roll on it. Thanks for sharing.

 

Very nice looking car. I like the TPI engine. They were always a good looking intake.
Did he build it or purchase as is?

 

The Caddy was completely screwed. Roof caved in, completely stripped. Only good part was a drivers door shell. I didn't even feel bad cutting it up it was so bad,

 

Coming from a guy with a tri 5,,, LOL just kidding too. My father owned a 56 HT in 1961 so I have a soft spot for em. cheers!

 

Funny story about 59's and being young. I hated them, know I love them.

 

Trunk, doors, hood, small parts were all in FANTASTIC shape so they were stripped, body worked, sealed, primed and blocked to 400.

Main body here. Lower quarters were patched front and rear. All butt welded. Inner structure and inner wheel wells were done as well {minor}.

 

Roof was jumped on after this picture was taken.

 

Don't let my wife see that car! She was born in 59 and has been snooping around for one! Great job! Gonna be a nice one. Lippy

 

Body was rolled over to the paint booth. Sealed primed and under coated with Raptor canalized bed liner. This was a factory/dealer under coat car AND I plan to drive it so it was a no brainer.




I decided to just "jam" paint the car which will allow me to put it together first THEN paint it as a whole.
I have done too many cars where they are painted in pieces and things happen upon reassemble. Something needs tweeking, body is bolted down and something flexes or cracks, scratches when bolting shit on, scratches from stuff around the car or leaning on it to work. Alot can go wrong with a pile of painted pieces.




Color is stock,,,ish. Far more pearl, metallic then stock obviously.

 

Cool project!


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Using my stock column and wheel because they seem to fit the car perfectly like they were made for it....

 

Hello,

Nice project on the 59 Chevy. That original photo has a couple of Moose clearing horns on top that would probably knock down a giant Moose standing on the highway. Nice accessory add-on item. Another photo was of the center hubcap on the old Chevy rim. It made me step back and remember my search for something for my 1958 Impala, instead of chrome reversed rims.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/pics-of-58-chevies.951592/page-24#post-13490151
1959 Chevy small center hubcap

My rims were 14 inch stock Chevy and I could not get the look I wanted with what money was there, so I opted for just the center hubcaps from Chevy. Then I was able to get the beauty trim rings for a full chrome style wheel look. Since there was no money for actual chrome reversed wheels, this took its place.

Your project is going nicely and that body style is just classic. Keep it up and hopefully, we will all see it finished in a few months from now.

Jnaki

Here is a favorite film of mine. This was a fun ½ time intermission activity with the local drag racers. Besides having relay tag events with the top drag racing teams, there was the Lions Dragstrip version of the famous leman race in France. That 1959 Impala had a 335 hp/348 motor while being the consistent class winner and it was the factory 4 speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY0N8clWemY

 

Really like that color. Moving along nicely.

 

Coooool!!

 

Moose horn were never affixed to the car. LOL They were just set on top for some reason. I did not get them with the car.

 

Awesome build!! Love this!!

 

Nice it was complete.....1959's aren't easy.....lots of 1958's parts which is surprising and the 1960's Chevy's seam to be a lot of down here.....I have a 1959 sedan delivery that went to the paint shop and it's parts seemed to disappear.

 

I always wanted a 58-59.
Painted that medium Blue or Plum. In the rear I'd have reversed 15 x 8 black steel wheels with chrome lug nuts and 5" of back space. Up front chrome wheels.. I would change the front control arms or move the mounting boss at the frame to give me 6 degrees of positive caster. I would try to use all stock parts except for Howe ball joints and Delrin bushings. I would also use a big front sway bar maybe a Hellwig but paint it black so's not to stick out..

I would use a stock 454 with trips and a Turbo 400 with some nice streetable 2:87/3:08 rear end gears.. A pair of Porter mufflers on a full rear end would make it sound nice..

 

What will the drivetrain be? I see a hole in the tranny tunnel; three pedal car?

 

I think I have seen this car on HAMB before. Owner said he wanted a tri 5 convertible instead?? Was mentioned on another HAMB thread concerning 59 Bel Air HTs.