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Chevrolet Bel Air
Manufacturer	Chevrolet
Parent company	General Motors
Production	1955-1981
Class	Full-size
Layout	FR layout

The Chevrolet Bel Air was an automobile series produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1953–75. From 1950–52, hardtops in Chevrolet's premium Deluxe model range were designated with the Bel Air name, but it was not a distinct series of its own. The Bel Air continued in production in Canada through the 1981 model year.

Contents 1 History 1.1 1952–1957 1.2 1958 Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne, and Delray 1.3 1959–1965: Mid-range model 1.4 1966–1975: Low-line model 2 2002 Bel Air show car 3 Bel Airs in Popular Culture 4 References 5 External links

First generation
Production	1953-1957
Body style(s)	2-door hardtop 4-door hardtop 2-door convertible 4-door sedan 2-door coupe

In 1952 Chevrolet renamed its series and the Bel Air name was applied to the premium model range. Two lower series, the 150 and 210, also emerged. In 1955, Chevrolets gained a V8 engine option. Chevy two-door hardtops carried the designation "Sport Coupe."

In 1955, Chevrolet's full-size model received new styling that earned it the "Hot One" designation by enthusiasts. Unlike Ford and Plymouth, Chevrolet's styling was considered crisp and clean. Bel Airs came with features found on cars in the lower models ranges plus interior carpet, chrome headliner bands on hardtops, chrome spears on front fenders, chrome window moldings, and full wheel covers. Models were further distinguished by the Bel Air name script in gold lettering.

The '55, '57, and especially '56 Bel Airs are among the most recognizable American cars of all time; well-maintained examples (especially Sport Coupes and convertibles) are highly sought after by enthusiasts. Roomy, fuel-efficient, and with tastefully restrained use of tail fins and chrome, they are seen by many as vastly superior to the oversized and overdecorated full-size models that would roll out of Detroit for the next 20 years.

From 1955–57, production of the two-door Nomad station wagon was assigned to the Bel Air series, although its body and trim were unique to that model. Prior to becoming a regular production model, the Nomad first appeared as a Corvette-based concept vehicle in 1954. Chevrolet has since unveiled two concept cars bearing the Nomad name, most recently in 1999. 1956 saw the introduction of the pillarless four-door model, called Sport Sedan and available in both Bel Air and Two-Ten models.

Second generation
Production	1958-1965
Assembly	Arlington, Texas Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 4-door station wagon

For 1958, Chevrolet models were redesigned to be broader, longer and heavier than their 1957 predecessors. The Impala now became the premium Chevrolet, followed by the mid-range Bel Air. For the budget conscious, the Biscayne, (formerly the 210) and the Delray (formerly the 150) completed this model years family oriented and utility offerings.

Chevrolet's design for the year fared better than its other GM brethren, and lacked the overabundance of chrome found on Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs. Complementing Chevrolet's front design was a broad grille and quad headlights; the tail received a fan-shaped alcove on both side panels, which housed dual tail lights.

The Bel Air also gained a halo model in 1958, the Impala, available only as a hardtop coupe and convertible in its introductory year. Impala styling followed the basic lines of the other Chevrolet models but received special styling cues including a different roof line, a vent above the rear window, unique side trim, and triple tail lights housed in slightly broader alcoves.

Despite being a recession year, consumers made Chevrolet the No. 1 make of automobile (beating Ford, which held the title in 1957) and the Bel Air was at the core of Chevrolet's popularity. With its wide variety of body styles and models, Bel Airs could be optioned with almost every conceivable luxury within the Chevrolet line. The Nomad station wagon name also reappeared in 1958 when the vehicle bowed as the premium four-door Chevrolet station wagon, lacking the unique styling of the 1955-57 Nomads. Most Chevrolet station wagon models had two tail lights housed in abbreviated alcoves, which were made smaller to accommodate the rear gate. An exception was the Yeoman [1].

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 4door Sedan	Bel Air headlamp	1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door rear view	1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door hard top
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door Sedan	Bel Air 57 Headlamp	1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door rear view	1957 Head on

In 1959, Chevrolet elevated the Impala to top-line status, making the Bel Air the mid-level model. The Biscayne replaced the discontinued Delray as the least expensive full-size Chevrolet model.

From 1960, Bel Airs and Biscaynes could easily be identified by their use of two taillights per side; the Impalas had three taillights per side. Also, the Bel Air had more interior and exterior brightwork than the Biscayne. Many of the same options and accessories that were available on the Impala were also available on the Bel Air.

Third generation
Production	1966-1969
Assembly	Arlington, Texas Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 4-door station wagon 2-door coupe
Platform	B-body
Related	Chevrolet Impala Buick LeSabre Pontiac Parisienne Pontiac Catalina/Laurentian Pontiac Bonneville Chevrolet Caprice

By the late 1960s (with the introduction of the Caprice), the Bel Air and its Biscayne stablemate were primarily marketed to automotive fleet customers. However, the Bel Air remained available to private customers who sought a basic, no-frills full-sized car that was slightly better trimmed than the low-line Biscayne.

Fourth generation
Production	1970-1976
Assembly	Arlington, Texas Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 4-door station wagon 2-door coupe
Platform	B-body
Transmission(s)	3-spped manual
Related	Chevrolet Impala Buick LeSabre Pontiac Parisienne Pontiac Catalina/Laurentian Pontiac Bonneville Chevrolet Caprice

A six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission remained standard equipment through the 1973 model year; the automatic transmission had been the sole transmission choice on V-8-powered Bel Airs since the spring of 1971. Only about 1,400 cars were built with the inline six in 1973, and the engine and the outdated stick shift transmission were shelved by the end of the model year. All Bel Airs built in 1974 and 1975 listed a 350 two-barrel V8 engine and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission as standard. US-market Bel Airs were all four-door sedans and stations wagons from 1970-75, but an attractive Bel Air Sport Coupe was sold in Canada from 1970-74.

When the Biscayne was discontinued after 1972, the Bel Air was demoted to the low-level model. The last Bel Airs for the United States were manufactured for 1975.

Fifth generation
Production	1977-1981
Assembly	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Body style(s)	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Platform	B-body
Wheelbase	116 in (2946 mm)
Related	Chevrolet Caprice Chevrolet Impala Pontiac Safari Pontiac Bonneville Pontiac Parisienne Pontiac Catalina/Laurentian Oldsmobile 88 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Buick LeSabre Buick Estate Cadillac Fleetwood Cadillac Brougham

Chevrolet's Canadian affiliate continued the Bel Air as its lowest-priced full-size car through the 1981 model year.

In 2002, a concept Bel Air convertible was shown at the North American International Auto Show. It featured many styling and design cues from the legendary 1955–57 models, and had tail lights very similar to the Ford Thunderbird. So far, General Motors has shown no interest in producing such a car.

Chevrolet Bel Airs have been featured prominently in several films. These include American Graffiti (1973), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Thunder and Lightning (1977) and A Perfect World (1993).

Alternative-country group Old 97's have a song called "Bel Air", found on their album Wreck Your Life.

In the Wideload game, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, several hovercars seen throughout the game resemble Chevrolet Bel Airs.

In the S Club 7 series Miami 7 (known in America as S-Club 7 in Miami) their boss Howard Borlotti in the series owned two 1957 Chevrolet Bel Airs a blue one and a red one which he gives to the group. They keep the car until LA 7 (known in America as S-Club 7 in LA) which they sell for another car.

• Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-096-3. 
• Biel, John (2005), "A Glass Half Full: The Story of the 1958 Chevrolet", Collectible Automobile 21 (6): 8-23, <http://auto.consumerguide.com/product/collectible/index.cfm>.

Also can be seen in Dirty Dancing

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