After years of looking here and there. Looking thru the ads here and cars at the swap meets, one of my best friends called me on a saturday morning because of another buddy passed on a tip of a car for sale. I had put many miles on the truck making a trip to here and there over the last couple of years. This one was 2 miles from the shop we use for our projects. So here is the scoop on the car: 1953 BelAir Hardtop with title, 53,000 miles, ONE owner, been in the garage for MANY years, changed locations now and then, THE CAR IS COMPLETE and VERY SOLID. Got it home and we thought the motor was froze but it was just the water pump. We cut the belt, hooked up a battery and she ranked over, little gas down the carb and it started and ran smooth. The bottom line is it cost me $3,000.00. Hope the photos loaded.
BTW... Do an intro before they tear you apart. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18
Very good score mister! And $3200 will take it home? Straight up, do an proper intro out of common courtesy.
Thanks for the advise, did the intro. Plans: Drop it with air and a chop, I like the grille opening but change the teeth to 58-59 Corvette, drop the side chrome trim down to the rear wheel openings, may extend the rear quarter panel a few inches so the rear end isn't so stubby, french the headlights and the rear tail lights. One thing I would like to do is drop the bottom of the rear fender behind the wheel opening. The car looks great with skirts but the front bottom edge of the opening is lower than the rear. Bring the rear down to match will make the skirt look cleaner instead of an odd filler on the skirt. Just a few things on the list to start it all off.
Awesome. Good for you. Looks great. One suggestion, if you don't mind. You've looked for years for a good one. You might seriously consider NOT taking it apart right away. Get 'er runnin' and drive it for a while. I can see doing the less major body mods as you drive it. Maybe even a drivetrain swap. But doing the chop is gonna keep 'er off the road for a while...maybe a long while...maybe forever!...lol. I might be underestimating your abilities or the depth of your pocketbook though. But if I ever considered chopping a car, I'd plan on it being a looooong term project. Much luck to you.
Grats ,on you car find , I had a 53 back in 58. Cashmere blue with ivory top Belair,. Yours seems rare hard top and not a Belair. Mine was a 3 on the tree , yours?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=601913&highlight=just+want+to+cruise Check this thread out but don't mock it, Just make yours nice.
Whatever you do, DO NOT CHOP IT, CUT IT ETC.........ETC...........because it would be a real shame to butcher that car.
Just because you chop a car doesn't mean your butchering it.... Look at my build...it was butchered before I got it....the chopping and sectioning fixed it... Chop that sonofabitch....and post the pictures....
I agree. It's a survivor, and a fairly rare model. Do a drivetrain swap. Paint. Restore the trim. Rebuild the front suspension and brakes. Interior maybe. Nothing fancy or modern or gimicky. KEEP IT SIMPLE. You'll be happier.
On the other hand, I just took a look at your profile. I think I did in-fact underestimate your capabilities. I was just concerned that you might be like so many others...biting off more than you can chew, and maybe ruin a good car. Chew away...lol.
I searched some sales of your type car , 1953 Chevy 210 ,very nice green and yellow ,all stock restored ,Barret -Jackson sold for $24,200.That was 5 years ago. Chop the top and put a V-8 in it my not get half of that. I believe you dictate the river of fate through your own actions. : Boyd Crowder
After reading your profile I am confident you posses the talent to chop the car,,just because you can doesn't mean you should. That car is pretty bitching with a stock profile,,and think about it,, a couple of chops and a couple of divorces,,is there a pattern? HRP
I expect you'll be swapping out the splash oiler (if it's a stick), but you're welcome to check in at the link in my signature, anyway.
There is nothing wrong with a splash/dipper oiler. As long as the oil level requirement is kept up. Chevy and Hudson ran the dipper oil system and it worked well for many years. Can it be improved ? Every thing can be, but the oiling system should not be a major concern. Same thing with the brake system. Unless your going to race the car, the 1953 chevy had great brakes. Not so good..... I guess you can figure for every custom improvement you make on the car, you can deduct $100.oo plus the cost of doing it.But restoring it to true condition will increase the value. hmmm so it seems, ''Time will tell.''
Nice score on the rare 210 sport coupe! Only 12% of HT's in 1953 were 210's. You might wanna reconsider the chop. I'm including a link to one that sold last Oct for $26k. http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1052674
Thanks for ALL your posts, and your points give great food for thought. When the car presented itself and the deal was completed you go back to all that stuff you have been wanting to do to that car. But now that it's sitting here and time to look it over you take a step back. The body is straight, never been hit, some rust behind the rear tires and the rear bumper apron, but thats about it. (Oh, the radio doesn't work, Damn) I have the chevy Z28 motor and 700R4 trany already out of my Z28 and the rear axle. The motor ran really strong and the trany has alreay had a rebuild by one of the local shops so I know that is done. (The body went circle tracking) I know the body will be coming off the frame for suspension mods (going to air ride and dropped) so thats my first steps. I am going to think about the body changes and let that simmer for some time. I didn't know the Hardtop 210 was that rare. I do know of 2 other 53 Belairs that can be bought but not in near as nice shape. So now the shop has a 50 and a 53 Belair to work on as soon as we finsh the 64 Bentley that is in the paint buffing stage. Sorry for not repling sooner, been out in the garage
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243821 I-pod to car no radio, This is the setup the in-the-know are using and it's almost costless. Just a few parts from say RadioShak.
seems everyone has a different idea for your build...so here's mine.. you might want to reconsider the Corvette teeth as they are quite a bit smaller and daintier than the 53 teeth and may not look proportionate. Hard to beat the 53 grille full of teeth..JMO
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