1965 Chevrolet Bel Air Station Wagon

1965 Chevrolet Bel Air Station Wagon

The first station wagons were built around 1910 by independent manufacturers producing wooden custom bodies for the Ford Model T chassis. They were originally called "depot hacks" because they worked around train depots as hacks, (short for hackney carriage, as taxi cabs were then known).

For consignment, a 1965 Chevrolet Bel Air Station Wagon which was purchased from an elderly couple who had the car since new in 1965 and was always garage kept. At that time, it had 74,000 miles. It was used as a daily driver by our consignor and also was taken on the eastern leg of the Power Tour in 1998. The car has an actual mileage of 79,292 original miles and presents very nicely with some recent services performed. Road Trip!

ExteriorAll steel is bathed in Tuxedo Black and has well minded gaps. There is a dent on the rear quarter panel, but otherwise the car is straight, and the consignor states the body was bathed in an acid etching primer, did not need any bondo, and then painted with a base coat and a clear coating. The dual headlight grille and bumpers are pristine and very nice and shiny. Trim spears adorn each side and run the gamut, and a small rocker trimming is also on. Badging is all good as is window trimmings, mirrors and handles. Glass is all original and bringing up the rear are dual taillights one on the rear quarter and the other on the tailgate. 15-inch rally wheels are on all 4 corners.

InteriorInside red vinyl door panels are looking great at the swing of the door. There is slight wear on the arm rest trimming, but the handles and cranks are like new. The interior seating is all original utilizing red broadcloth inserts which have a ribbed stitched pattern in the centers and a smaller ribbed stitch pattern on the edges. The bolsters and sides as well as the backs of the benches are smooth red vinyl. The back bench is looking to have the same pattern as the front and is also nicely preserved. The dash is all GM original from 1965 and is bathed in red paint with a padded vinyl top with no cracks or errors. Red carpeting floods the floors and some plastic clear floor mats are in front and back to protect it. Up top is a white headliner, and it shows a few areas of previous repair. In the very back it is covered with red molded plastic for the sides and the rear bench folds down to accommodate more storage. A few scratches for this area but considering its original, it's in good condition.

DrivetrainA pop of the hood and we note an unrestored engine bay with the factory 283ci V8 engine. It is topped with a single 2-barrel carburetor, and on back is a rebuilt Powerglide transmission with less than 1K miles since the rebuild. A new aluminum water pump and high-capacity radiator is now in to keep things cool. On the back the rear axle is a 12-bolt 3.31 conventional setup. It is all original and shows some aging but it runs great due to a tune up in the last 200 miles.

UndercarriageOriginal and unrestored showing some surface rust and patina. It remains structurally sound however it will need a new tail pipe. The front end was rebuilt with new ball joints for the lowers, poly upper A frame bushings and poly bushings for the front sway bar. This is also true for the rear sway bar. New drum brakes, wheel cylinders, and a master cylinder are also on.

Drive-AbilitySo we piled in and took her for a spin and its raring to go on another road trip. Good smooth acceleration, smooth shifting from the recently rebuilt Powerglide, and solid bias free braking. All functions were working, and it is a good driver.

I remember going on road trips as a kid and my sister and I would fight for who would get to stand on the hump and watch the world go by. We'd pull over and mom and dad would have sandwiches for us and dad would pop the hood to cool her down (this was a 60's thing). Good times had and with this vehicle lots of life for more good times are in its future.

VIN DECODE156355T2291051-Chevrolet56-BelAir V835-4 Door 6 Passenger Wagon5-1965T-Tarrytown, NY Assy Plant229105-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG04D-4th Week April BuildST 65 15635-1965 BelAir 6 Passenger WagonBDY T9698-Tarrytown Body #TR 872-Red Cloth & VinylPNT AA-Tuxedo Black

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.