What is it really worth - '55 Bel Air 2dr Hardtop Sport Coupe

[55Maybe]

Good Morning,

I have a gentleman who would like to trade his 55 2 door hardtop for my Challenger. What is the 55 worth? Not what people ask for them, but what $ changes hands for this type of car.

Cowl Tag: 55-1037D. Trim 519 (Light blue/straw). Paint 602-Spec (India Ivory-Skyline Blue). It was a frame off restoration about four years ago and has only been driven locally since. It is clean and was a very nice stock restoration. All chrome, stainless etc was polished or replaced. New interior. The engine and engine compartment looks like it's never been started. The owner said every nut/bolt was removed during the restoration and it's as close to factory new as possible. From crawling over and under this thing, I would have to agree. My big hang up is the inline 6 under the hood.

In stock form, as it sits, what is this really worth? I have no idea if it's a $15,000 or $35,000 car.

Second question. If I pull the inline six and replace the motor and transmission (sorry purists) does that destroy the value? I can't see driving a 55 with an inline six.

Third question. If I pull the inline six, do I have any prayer of selling the engine and transmission?

Thank You in advance for your assistance. Maybe I'll become a TriFive owner.IMG_1033 2.jpg

[chevynut]

Got any more pics? I assume the car is totally stock from the pic and description. How is the interior? Any options? Do you really want an original car or are you planning to resto-mod it? Typically well-done modified cars bring more money than original ones, IMO. Few people want to drive an "old" car that feels like an "old" car. They want it to look like a classic but have a more modern feel. Also, for safety reasons some things should be upgraded, like brakes.

IMO an inline 6 isn't worth much, but there are buyers. If you change the engine, the originality of the car will be gone but that may not matter to you. Are you looking at this as an investment or buying it for fun? My car is highly modified, because that's what I want.

BTW, what is the Mopar worth as far as book value?

[55Maybe]

Aside from a pic of the cowl tag, that is all. He was leary about me shooting pictures. The interior is new. It's a non-AC car. What other options were there? Odometer is 84,000 (for what that's worth). All paint, inside and out is fresh and clean. One odd thing about the paint; the underside of the body was a primer brown color. Was that factory, or a shortcut on the restoration?

Is the 2dr Hardtop one of the better models of 55? I like the fact it's a non-post.

I do not want an original car. It would need to be modified. I would trade it for fun. Which as soon as I started driving it the "restoration" is out the window. As far as investment: I'm not looking for a money pit. If the car is worth $20,000 and I put $10,000 into it, I would want the ability to get most of my $30,000 back out of it. That's why I'm trying to figure out where it sits right now.

The Mopar is an odd bird. It's a first gen 2008 Challenger SRT8 with 105 miles. It's worth $25,000 as a driver or dealer trade in.

[NickP]

Maybe, it's difficult to ascertain value from one pic. It looks nice. Compare the VIN on the A-Pillar to the VIN on the title. If it doesn't match, walk away quickly. Realistically, there are so many things that need to be reviewed and with your 20 grand comment, I would be hesitant not to have it looked over extremely well. Is it a local car to your area? Any car clubs within the reasonable area of the car? You might find someone knowledgeable to guide you on the purchase. I think we have some members up that way but not knowing your city, I can't be specific.

[Bihili]

Ebay is the marketplace for finding the value of the 55.
I would watch Ebay for several weeks to get a feel of the marketplace.
For example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Chevrolet-Bel-Air-150-210-2-Door-Hardtop/362171722098?hash=item54531de972:g:vssAAOSw9mpaHhSm&vxp=mtr

[chevynut]

If the car is really only an 84K mile car, and it's not had major body or metalwork, that's a big plus. Check it out carefully underneath to see if the floor pans have been patched or the floor replaced. That will give you a hint about the condition of the rest of the body below the paint. If the floor is a solid original one, the car should be solid too.

I think a nice 55 HT is worth around $25-30K even with the 6-cylinder if the body is solid and the trim and chrome are nice. Have you looked at book value, or at what similar cars are SELLING for on eBay? That's a good place to get an idea of the value in the real world. I think the high end on this car might be in the $35-40K range with a few upgrades. Personally I like sedans (posts) better than HTs but most people like HTs better.

It's not hard to do a V8 swap into these cars, in fact it's easy. You can probably get a decent SBC for around $2500 or less depending on what you're looking for. What is the transmission, and would you want to change it out too?

[55Maybe]

NCW, I'm in Omaha, and the 55 is a couple towns away. There are two car clubs out here and the 55 owner is in one and his brother is in the other. The VIN and numbers match. No concerns there. I didn't check the block. But the inline six doesn't have much value to me.

I think you answered my question. If I need to go over the car with a fine tooth comb to confirm the 55 could be worth $20,000 then it's not a good deal for me.

[BamaNomad]

In the fifties, Chevy left the underside of the cars in 'red-oxide' primer (may appear brownish under the car) so the car you are considering was 'restored' properly in that area. Generally when these cars are restored (for the past 10-20 yrs?) the restorer would first paint the bottom side with an epoxy then cover that with the red-oxide primer, OR just paint the bottom side in a 'flattened' epoxy in the color of the red-oxide primer (which is what I've done most recently).

The BelAir hardtop body style is one of the most popular/valuable of the TriFive styles, ranking close to convertible and nomads in popularity and value. The six cylinder engine brings down the value slightly. Which transmission is installed in the car? Depending on the 'quality' of the restoration and parts used, this B/A hardtop could still be worth more than your 2008 SRT; the quality of the restoration would need to be evaluated by an expert to determine that.

I tried to check Hagerty's valuation guide, but they've changed their site and I was unable to get a 1-5 valuation for the car, .. but IMO if the restoration is a quality one, then the car should be worth MORE than $25K even with the 6cyl...

[chevynut]

I think the car is EASILY worth $20K just from one picture, unless there's some hidden "nasties". Heck, even 4-door sedans are bringing $15K or so, and 2-doors are worth a lot more than that. A nice solid bodied project 55 BA HT car is worth almost $10K without a drivetrain.

Instead of a trade, what does the guy want for the car outright?

[55Maybe]

Haggerty shows $34,160 (#1) or $26,160 (#2). Ebay is all over ($24,900-$52,900). The inline six has the powerglide (2 speed). It would need to go. No AC. No power brakes. Correct colors.

I crawled over and under the car. I could only find one spot of rust on the bottom of one control arm. No other bubbling paint or anything rough. The body lines and gaps are smooth and even. If there is something hidden, it's hidden well. He said they used good replacement parts, and I did see the Danchuk logo on a couple parts. The fact the cowl tag wasn't hosed over with paint tells me something.

We've played chicken discussing cash. He knows what I'm "asking" for my Challenger ($40,000). He said he wanted to sell the 55 outright and didn't have any luck. I get the impression he paid too much for the newly restored 55 four years ago and can't get the $ back out. My Challenger is something he wants. Maybe he thinks my car is worth less than the 55, or maybe he's made peace with taking a loss to get the Challenger. Or my asking price could equal what he originally paid. And I really do not anticipate getting my full asking price. Trades are a strange animal.

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[55Maybe]

I wanted to thank everyone for the advice today. It was very much appreciated! I do not anticipate become a '55 owner with this deal. But it's great to know there is a great forum with helpful people if I somehow end up on the 5-6-7 road.

Thank You !
Eric