Ok so i got this car last December 1951 Hard top. I bought it mostly for some parts that it had "rear seat and some extra trim" Take a look at the pics i posted. Do you think this car is more than a parts car? i could sell it in parts but would hate to see a bel air parted to death,then again if i sell it as a complete car i don't think i will get as much for it. Car has a 230 and power glide from a 70 nova along with a 55 Chevy rear end. car also has a clean title. As you can see the previous owner was a master at booger welding.
I think it would be a shame to part it out. It's got a "modern" engine and rear end, looks like a good project car to me. You may not get as much selling it whole than parting it out, but a lot less work and trouble than selling piece by piece.
It ain't going down in value at all and the parts will only get more scarce. Keep it til your ready to decide what is best.
Hey dlc3 you mean my other 51 chebby slowly but surely i am making progress hahaha. click the link in my sig for updates.
Catch 22. Real cool car. Not worth much. Not even in parts. The market is real soft right now. Unfortunately, odd balls aren't selling for much which makes it a real great market to buy and not sell. If you don't have to sell it, keep it. That would be your best bet. The fact that it is a genuine titled Bel Air makes it extremely rare. GM just isn't making those anymore. Great score and great car. Keep it as complete as possible and hold on to it.
Here is a video of the car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjvn7-9gCRM Bottom side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO4AgzmeTb0&feature=youtu.be
Build it or sell to someone who will build it. I know you can probably make more money if you sell off the parts. Then what are you going to do with the stuff you can't sell?
Rite now im leaning on just keeping it.i could probably fix her up lill by lil,got to clean up those patches and get some kind of primer on there before she starts to rust.
In the video you mention the radiator. Have you considered moving it in front of the stock position? Looks like enough room in front and certainly easier than new motor and trans mounts, clutch linkage if stick, plus driveshaft
Well. to some guys in good climates, that is a parts car, but to the rest of us, in areas that are not friendly to old cars, thats a builder.Over all it looks pretty straight, not sure what kind of repair was going on, at the rear, under the trunk lid, but thats all repairable.It is a hardtop, and those old chevys, do have nice lines, they make really nice mild customs.Do the world a favor and keep one more old car in tact, so hopefully it can see a rebuild and a new life, to be seen and maybe bring a smile to someones face one day, this world needs more smiles!
To me that is a real decent start on a nice little Chevy hardtop cruiser. Moving the engine and trans back would take one Saturday's worth of pretty easy work along with shortening the driveshaft a like amount. My guess is that who ever stuck the engine and trans in used the stock driveshaft and set the engine to match the driveshaft. Once the engine is set back where it belongs and the radiator is fitted and you have it to where it starts, runs and drives (but not much more) it's a running and driving 51 Chevy Hardtop with a later drivetrain and a CLEAR title that can be driven on a trailer or even driven a short distance across town to a new home. The missing glass is pretty easily bought new and just takes money. The dents are almost all easily workable and the green paint looks to be original so that means that there is little suspect work except what we see. My bet is that someone within 200 miles of you is reading this right now figuring out how he/she can have that car squared away and cruising before summer. Maybe a bit rough and ready on the outside and with a pair of Craigslist bucket seats and not much else on the inside but it could be a driver real quick even with a fresh brake job and the other safety items needed.
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