Chevrolet Bel Air 2nd Generation (1955–1957) Price Guide

The 1955–1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is the most collected American car of any era. The Tri-Five generation that combined Harley Earl’s new V8 design language with the two-speed Powerglide or three-speed manual in a body that has never gone out of fashion. The 1957 is the most famous, but the 1955 introduced the small-block V8 and the 1956 refined the formula.

The Car

The 1955 Bel Air introduced the new 265ci small-block V8 producing 162bhp (the engine that would power Chevrolet for the next five decades) in a completely new body styled under Harley Earl. The 1956 received revised styling and the 265 was bored to 283ci. The 1957,the iconic year, offered the Rochester mechanical fuel injection on the 283ci V8 producing one horsepower per cubic inch (283bhp) for the first time in a mass-production American car. The convertible, Sport Coupe hardtop, and four-door sedan were the body styles.

Buying

The 1957 fuel-injected convertible is the pinnacle; values for documented original examples have reached six figures. The 1955 two-door hardtop at the start of the V8 era offers the essential experience at lower cost. Rust and body filler are the universal concerns.