Better Than An Electric Conversion? 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air With LS3
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- The downside of many American classics is the terrible fuel consumption.. but this car with a more modern LS3 engine in it means you can have your cake and eat it!!
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As an American, I appreciate seeing a right hand drive version of a classic Chevy. Were these sold in the UK at the time?
Nope.. it was built and sold in Australia. Hence the right hand drive!
Apart from large American cars, Australia used to also assemble Citroen DS 19 and Toyota Crowns. Interesting to say the least. Also, coming from Australia means it would be relatively rust free.
These 4 door types look great.It would be nice with manual transmission and a 427 big block with tripower carbs.
There were also some good V8 conversions of our own PA and PB Vauxhall Cresta.
Some RHD Bel Airs also made it to Ireland in the 1950s/60s. They were used by the top brass in Coras Iompair Eireann, the national transport company.
Right hand drive, air conditioning, LS3? WHAT A GEM!
It reminds me of the B52's song Love Shack. "I got me a Chrysler it's as big as a whale & I'm about to set sail!" 😂😂
Room for the whole family, and all the neighbors in the trunk!
"...the perfect antidote to an electric conversion." Beautifully stated.
This car charges OUR human battery for sure! The experience of floating the boat down the road with the big engine rumble is fantastic one and simply does make your day (silly European with contemporary Challenger V6 and 5.7 here, so I can relate...)
There is no such thing as a zero emissions vehicle in non political parlance!
Absolutely, but I think most people know we're talking about tailpipe emissions and not just CO2.
@@garyallsopp6369 When you cake cattails, which are soaking up Co2 every day, cleaning water at the same time as they love the nitrates that can be in it, then turn them into ethanol using methane to run the stills and any generators you might need, you can have a 'carbon neutral' vehicle rather easily if that concerns you. The Co2 used is already here on the surface where the plants utilize it, making methane is simple, as everything releases methane when it decomposes, might as well capture it and use it.
When you burn ethanol or methane it only releases Co2 and water. You can have your generator exhaust go into a greenhouse and the plants will grow faster, use less water, and produce more food with the increase of Co2.
Gasoline is going to emit a lot more stuff, Co, Nox, particulate carbon, all kinds of nasty bits. An EV is simply moving all of that to a power plant that is usually run on coal.
I got into making ethanol because paying $5 for 87 octane was not something I enjoyed. I like to drive muscle cars with big engines. In order to save money so I can spend it on car parts rather than energy, I looked into alternative fuels.
Methanol is lots of problems and its difficult to produce, highly toxic and detrimental to vehicles, lots of maintenance with methanol. Hydrogen is energy intensive to produce, difficult to keep contained, and it has severely reduced range and power. Methane is slightly better than hydrogen because its easy and cheap to produce, but lacks range and power.
Both hydrogen and methane are best utilized in stationary power production, like running generators. EV was hideously expensive with a very short range.
Ethanol is easy to produce from any starch or sugar, the byproducts can be used extensively to produce more food and fuel, and you can build wild engines with very high compression and run them on home made ethanol, which increases power and mileage. Literally anyone can produce ethanol and its easy to make cars run on it. If you eschew running pump gasoline entirely, you can raise the compression and get better mileage and power on ethanol than you can on gasoline... but you cannot run pump gas in an engine optimized for ethanol, it will rattle itself apart, usually flattening rod bearings or breaking pistons because of ping/knock.
I get to drive my old muscle cars for dirt cheap now, since it costs me around 40 cents to make a gallon of ethanol.
Corporate emissions are not my problem. In Australia or North America, LS swapping is a no-brainer, but in the UK there's no domestic supply for very much.
Fred Flintstone disagrees!
As a huge fan of classic American cars it made my day seeing you review 1960 Chevy Bel-Air , it looks amazing, sounds awesome and best of all has a proper engine with 430 ponies under the hood, what is not to like.
Steel cars are real cars.
Gorgeous, I love cars like this. So comfortable. Land yachts from the 50's to the 80's are such fun.
Many years ago I had a 2.9 Cosworth V6 from a Scorpio in a Mk5 Cortina, it doubled the power but also improved the mpg, with the same gearing it was about 5mpg better than the stock 2 litre Pinto and it improved more when i fitted a better rear axle.
Knew a fella who put the same Cosworth lump in a 1600 Laser Capri with 2.8I running gear, unbelievable sleeper.
@@satanssurfer5965 Saw a Mk3 Cortina on 4x4 Cosworth Sierra drivetrain & floor-pan, at a show once, hell of job - Not really a sleeper as you could tell it was "tweaked", but you certainly wouldn't be expecting that kind of performance!
Beautiful Chevy 😍 I like the smile on your face when the V8 starts to speak....
Nothing like a Chevy...!
I bought a '55 Chevy 150 two door with a 454 Chevy big block a few years ago. 4 speed manual and around 650bhp. It's a Gasser, so has solid front and rear axles, on multi links & coilovers. Ventilated discs all round. No servo. It's surprisingly good on the twisty bits for a car built to go quick in a straight line. Possibly helped by the GRP flip front, bootlid, and lack of any creature comforts inside.
That’s a proper big boy’s car!
Thanks for the Ride Along Jack. I had the 1960 Impala pillarless coupe variety with dual rear antennas and three lights out back...a real looker. Too bad it had the Inline 6 variety power plant
to move it along...but it did get about 18 MPG average for the trip. Love James's comment "Room for the whole family and the neighbors in the trunk". How true. Keep up the great choice
of cars.
Kudos to the owner for the TLC that he put into this beauty! Job well done👌
Love this one, and maximum respect Jack for giving some time to a real American classic. My era for yanks is from the 1930's through to the early 70's. These and classic Jags are where it is at for me
When this popped up in my recommendations (and yes, I subscribe but to so many that I tend to miss things) I could not believe my eyes. I live in America (NJ), and my cousin who lives in California has this EXACT model year and color in his garage. He's the second owner - his dad was the first.
His spec is:
6 cylinder
3 speed manual "on the tree" (dashboard)
The Belair model is pretty rare in America - everybody that finds one converts it into the higher spec Impala, and my when my cousin ran into the same problem with finding interior parts, he sourced the material and sewed his own headliner and constructed his own door panels.
Quite the car, and I'm so happy that you've given it a review. I'll be sending a link to here to my cousin - I suspect you may gain a new subscriber!
Well done sir!
P.S. The original spec of even the Impala would have had power drum brakes, and I saw that this one has slotted disc brakes, so definitely an upgrade there - and the whole car is beautifully done. Cheers to an excellent job by the owner!
And now for something completely different . . . and very welcome, too. At the time, most European car enthusiasts mocked American styling, but I loved it.
Yet another very entertaining and informative video, Jack. Keep up the good work.
Elctric conversion? Only barbarians do that to a classic like this!
I would love to switch out my Audi A4 Avant for one of these as a family car. I live in the States, so the size isn't an issue. I just need to convince my wife.
We had an A4 quattro avant, which I straight exchanged for a Maserati Quattroporte.
Our living and work circumstances changed, and none of us needed to commute daily by car anymore.
She wasn't really convinced until she drove it for the first time, then she almost threw the Audi keys at the dealer.
@@marcusott2973 I think that's comparing apples to oranges.
@@ghost21501I agree, but oranges do taste so much better... 😊
@ghost21501 we live in downtown Vienna, with a mother in law living I the mountains south of us.
Changing from a sensible 4wd moderately sized, fuel efficient estate car to a large, expensive to maintain, oddity of Italian engineering exuberance is similarly irresponsible as swapping a SUV for a 1960's land yacht restomod, but so much fun.
@marcusott2973 I see what you're saying, but her issue wouldn't be with practicality. It's modern creature comforts. A Maserati is impractical because it never works. An old land yacht is impractical because it's old.
Regarding the comment about the size of the steering wheel, pardon me, Jack, but you're holding it wrong. Forget all that garbage about putting your hands at 3 & 9:00 or 10 & 2:00. Wear a short-sleeve shirt. Roll up a pack of cigarettes in the outside of your left sleeve. Let your left arm rest, straight out, across the top of the bench seat. Steer the car with your right hand resting on top of the spoke on the right side of the steering wheel. You'll find that it shortens the effective radius of the steering wheel greatly and provides a much more authentic experience. Of course, here in the states, we'd swap the positions of our left and right arms to where they should be with a proper left-hand-drive vehicle.
And regarding the turning radius, you can adjust that with your right foot.
Thanks for bringing us yet another easily appreciated car. It is a beauty, and does appear to be very well done.
So crazy to see one right hand drive. And amber directionals is VERY odd as well!
I had a '60 2dr. sdn. That 4dr. 6-Window sdn isn't the best bodystyle. The 4dr. 'flattop' Sport Sedans are way cool though. Bummer he hadda use those gauges. It really waters down the look of that mind-blowing dash! Looks like the steering wheel is from a '59 Impala. Bitchin!
These Impala's along with Pontiac's were imported as RHD & available through Holden dealers in Australia through the late 50's to the early 70's.
Whilst they didn't sell millions of then they were a fairly common site on Aussie roads at the time. I believe they came out of New York & Canada in a SKF to be assembled here.
@@farnthboy 👍
ANY internal combustion engine swap is better than an EV conversion! A 1.1L out of a Yugo GV would be better than an electric conversion.
No it wouldn't. I'd rather have a V8 than electric, but if rather have electric than a wheezy old 4 pot like that
@@drzoidbergmd3200 It's called Internet hyperbole.
Have you ever driven an electric car?
£15k conversion doubles the mpg, mmn, you can do 27,000 miles at 12MPG for £15k...
how many miles does he do a year...
nice, tidy conversion, but an original will probably be worth more
keep it up young man
I agree that a modern engine in a classic car is pure perfection, keep a beauty on the road and keep the emissions and such reasonable. And not sure if that year had the police package as an option for patrol cars, but that provided a stronger engine and better brakes and beefier suspension, as I understand it. And Dan Gurney brought over an early '60s Chevy to race your saloon cars and it is in the hands of a collector in England, with a video about it here on TH-cam.
Electric conversions on lead sleds kill the soul of those cars. To see that carbin the U.K., with the wheel on the wrong side absolutely tickles me! I love you mixing up the types of cars you drive with way out stuff like this. She's a classic beauty that i didn't even know crossed the pond, so i learned something new, which I'm also quite fond of.
Ah, the joy of driving a terrifying car! Pretty sure the original did not have disc brakes, but with that LS3 they're basically a must-have. The early 60's were a sweet spot in American car design.
They did not, mine had non-boosted drum brakes that were pretty inadequate. No power steering either, which is why the steering wheel is so large. Not a practical (or safe) car for a high school kid, in hindsight I'm kind of surprised my parents let me buy it. Had a lot of great memories in it though, modern cars just don't have that kind of style.
The 60 Impala Chevy I have is a: 4-door hardtop with the flat roof extension. It has 70,000 ish original miles. Mine is an Impala with a 283 powerglide all original down to the hubcaps. The car is untouched including the original paint, upholstery, and so forth, from the factory.
To complete my comment: This car that this man is driving, of course most of us would agree, it would not handle the same as what I just described. But it was a real pleasure to watch the excitement on this man's face, as he drove this modified 1960 Chevy. That blue 60 Chevy would definitely be an upgrade in many ways. There's the answer to this gentleman's question. If he happens to read this.
👍🇦🇺 As a Chevrolet Belair Owner, I give it a thumbs up.
Had the pleasure a long time ago of being a passenger in a 1963 Pontiac with a 389cu/in and manual 3 on the tree and at 55mph you hardly even heard the windnoise. Then had a ride in a brand new Lexus SUV where you heard the very tiresome sound from the tyres/tires at the same speed, probably at any speed and it wasnt offroad tires!
Bet the Pontiac is still around and the Lexus is turned into a washingmachine, or worse: a Tesla 😮 😢
Absolutely lovely. Needs steelies with oe hub caps and a digital dash that replicates the original dials but otherwise beautiful. Maybe a little suspension/steering work but maybe speed should be scary in such an enormous barge......😱!
The fuselage is designed to meet the then current aeronautical lines and the pilot/owner knows that when the afterburners are ignited maximum thrust and smooth handling are apparent from in the cockpit. The right amount of aileron combined with a touch of rudder is built into the yoke for a cushioned, even floating navigation thru all turns. Not a yacht, this craft is a man's achievement and reward with only a driving license required to become an owner and pilot. Find a quarter mile to fully accelerate and then another quarter mile to decelerate a magnificent Bel Air to your own garage. Grew up when these machines were state of the art.
An absolute stunner!!
Greetings from the Netherlands
Brakes are definitely upgraded. You can see through the front wheel it has a slotted disc - from the factory I believe these were drums all around. Firm pedal might be because of insufficient (or non-existent) vacuum boosting.
Yes the LS doesn't pull as much vacuum as a smallblock with most cams.
Americans who watch this must note an English gallon is 4,546 litres while the American gallon is 3,785 litres so the brits get more miles out of a gallon of fuel 😉
Those LS3’s are absolutely tried and proven, great conversion for almost any car as long as you can fit one in and you’d be surprised what cars clever and capable mechanics/engineers have managed to squeeze one into, a lot smaller engine bays than you’d honestly think possible
We forget how thirsty those Land Yachts could be . Around 1963 in Durban S.Africa I was refuelling my little Austin Somerset at the pumps . A Johannesburg registered 56 Packard on the other side was just finishing up . The driver had his notebook out and calculated . " EIGHT miles to the gallon he announced ! "
"Wow !", I replied ,'That's awful !"
"No no !" he said , " That's GOOD ! I've only been getting between 4 and 6 up to now ...."
A friend of mine had a '60 Bel Air, one night he let me drive it , and we were on a gravel back road , when all of a sudden I saw in the headlights a rather deep depression on the side of the road , and it was too late to steer around it , I knew from experience with normal cars , that there was going to be one hell of a thud , and that he could be a little upset, but honestly the suspension soaked it up, and it was like "what big hole in the road" ? , we didn't feel a thing , amazing.
Thank you for this video. This sort of conversion would have many purist classic car enthusiasts howling even more than an electric conversion. However, a modern gas engine works well in this Impala given that this car has been associated with various forms of modifications and customisations in hot rod culture for decades. Considering this, it is innovative and fresh. Now when will someone put a WRX motor in a Corvair?
Being from Iowa I was surprised to see a familiar car on your channel. We had a 60 Chevy in the mid-60s with a straight six and 3 on the tree. I always loved the 58 and now have one, again the 235 and 3 speed, but I get as much as 13 mpg!! Thanks for doing what you do.
I am forever grateful that I was able to go to first go to America in the 90's when you could hear V8's everywhere. Now everyone is driving a 4 cylinder other than pickups. Although the latter is most of the traffic in some states.
60 Chevs were available new in the UK through a London dealer Lendrum & Hartman Ltd, the very last RHD car sold in the world was a 69 Impala Sport Sedan RHD Canadian export, Which I believe still exists!
Green Woodpecker calling in the background of the first drive by clip!.. wonderful car, must be kept ice...and V8!
Beautiful sound, beautiful car. Great video, cheers Alistair 👍
Its friday morning here, ive grabbed breakfast, made a coffee and have just sat down to watch my favorite car show and its a yank tank! Lol. I havent started to watch and i said to myself “this is going to be good”
Hi Jack, this is one from my younger days. In Australia we got a lot of big American cars. This one has some work done to it. The roof lining in blue is great, the door caps have been recreated as they were a source of wear. The front suspension has a disk brake conversion and there is some work done to the suspension because no 1960 Bel Air went around a corner that flat. The chrome work has been done and that looks like a new paint job too. Thanks Jack, what a score drive.
The 1950/60s Chevs and Pontiacs were assembled in Australia from Canadian CKDs and sold in Holden dealerships. 1968 was the final year for the Australian assembled Chev/Pontiacs - the year that coincided with the introduction of the Holden Brougham.
Brilliant! I used to live next door to a guy who had one of these in the early 80's... he also had 3 Cadillac F/B's... Stunning car.
tbh, I find it hard to believe that it gets nearly 30mpg!
If I am extremely careful I can only just achieve 30mpg in my 4.4L naturally aspirated V8. Granted it's a lot lighter but it's also way more powerful.
I had a '62 Bel Air wagon in the UK. 283 V8 auto.I could get 20/25 mpg.As you say,you just floated around! Superb job and no,electric conversion? Absolutely not.V8s are the soundtrack.
Loved how it just went silent for 6 or 7 seconds when you were comingbup to the S's 😂
Really is a lovely looking car. Seems sacrilegious to put an electric motor in it. It's meant to sound the way it sounds. It's likely the kind of car that'll do 2k miles a year max, why would you electrify it!? Headscratcher for me, for anyone who thinks that way.....£60k to do so too!!!
It's not an unbalanced car, it functions very well at cruising around. But when you have the space to floor it...
You’ll be disappointed
What a superb video, Jack you really summarise what makes these 'Old American Gals' such a lot of fun to drive. And full marks to the builder/owner, excellent work, not overdone, still looks stock except for the tasteful mags, no silly jumping castle airbags, 22" fake wire wheels or the like. I takes me 'at off to you both.
I REALLY enjoyed this video Jack!!! To see an American classic, turned into a restomod AND right hand drive is wild.
I don't understand anyone who converts there classic to electric. To me the whole essens of a classic is the noise the smells and the tinkering. This is the perfect conversion.
I would like to know how come it's right hand drive?
The 1950/60s Chevs and Pontiacs were assembled in Australia from Canadian CKDs and sold in Holden dealerships - and of course they were RHD fitted with amber rear indicators to meet Australian compliance requirements. 1968 was the final year for the Australian assembled RHD Chev/Pontiacs.
Good conversion. I always liked the styling. Our parents had a black '60 283, power glide 60 years ago. It sounded good and gas was less than .30 a U.S gallon. I could remember many a time riding in that car. The steering wheel was on the other side so seeing it this way is rather interesting.
I own a Holden (GM Australian) with LS1 V8 (5.7 litre) with 6-speed manual. I can confirm that the fuel efficiency for such a large engine is outstanding - more so on highway driving. Consequently, it's no surprise that the Chev achieves far better economy with the 6.2 litre LS3.
I'd expect that the Chev's driving experience could be enhanced by improving the suspension package - i.e. springs, dampers and bushes - and the fitment of a lower ('quicker') ratio steering rack.
LOL- I have a '76 Valiant V8 sedan. Bergman Auto Craft steering & suspension, US Car Tool chassis stiffening kit (subframe connectors, torque boxes, A-pillar/inner fender bracing, and the core support kit), 4WDB, manual gearbox with overdrive, 8.75" rear end with 3.23 sure-grip, and a 318 running modern heads, 340 forged steel crankshaft, forged I-beam rods, 9.45-1 compression with Keith Black lighter weight pistons. The colors are very '70's...Harvest Gold with a painted white roof, interior is mink with gold. It'll pull about 21 MPG cruising between 80-90 MPH
This an affordable proposition in the US - junkyard LS engines are available for $425 from LKQ (breakers). ECU $90.
For disc brake conversion, I have read that spindles (and matching ball joints) from the 1970 - 1990 cars will fit drum brake cars from 1955.
That is pretty sweet! This was my first car, pretty much identical only turquoise with the straight 6 and 3 in the tree. The only car I ever owned that I waxed the dash on. It never ran like this one and the guy I sold it to in the early '90s ended up totaling it because the drum brakes were pretty inadequate.
Lovely car and a conversion that makes sense. My guess is the speedo works on GPS as there are no compatibility issues. The dials don't look out of place though. At least it put a big smile on your face Jack, great video. 👍👍
Dakota Digital gauge pack takes speedo signal from transmission controller. Easy to calibrate for an exact speed.
LS is always the answer.
Another thoroughly enjoyable and interesting review on something a little different. As a kid I would drool over American cars from this period (my dentist always had a stack of American car mags in his waiting room in the 60’s) so really nice hearing the same enthusiasm from Jack that I had and still have for this mad period of American automobile design.
I absolutely love it! 😍Can you imagine letting the guys at RetroPower loose on on of those.
If an old car like that isn't numbers matched, a good resto-modding is what I'd do. I've always thought about a resto-mod Buick Riviera from about 1970 or so. That was sort of America's 'Jaguar.' The V8 could be kept but updated with modeling EFI. The steering box updated, maybe a modified 700R4 trans. And some chassis stiffening, Koni shocks, 4 wheel disc brake kit, tires, etc. I drove something similar and it was extremely impressive. Tremendous classic looks with a lot of modern handling and stopping. That's what this Impala reminds me of...
One of the more popular upgrades to cars of this era is a replacement chassis. There are several companies in the states that produce what are essentially bolt-in replacements requiring little if any modification. They also typically come with improved suspensions. A boxed chassis makes these cars feel much stiffer.
Wow Jack what a gem of a car. L.S power, right hand drive, big bench seat in the front, what more could a guy ask for??? If ever the owner would like to sell I will pay more than anyone else guaranteed!!!
It's sweet looking, and very early pre-programming noted with the airliner on the side with chrome chemtrail. Thank you for sharing. Strength! GODspeed!
did i miss it ? you seem to be sitting on the right side of the road so i take it the gentleman who swapped the LS3 also did the RHD conversion. Great job.
Might have been built in Canada 🇨🇦 for the European market, I had a 61 Ford Galaxy town sedan that was built in Canada as a RHD vehicle .
No, it was always RHD. Assembled in Australia for Asian Market. Parts were made at Tarrytown, NY.
@@johnchurch4705 Many assembled in Canada in RHD for South African and Australian markets. Overwhelmingly in 4-day guise like this one.
The 1950/60s Chevs and Pontiacs were assembled in Australia from Canadian CKDs and sold in Holden dealerships - and of course they were RHD fitted with amber rear indicators to meet Australian compliance requirements. 1968 was the final year for the Australian assembled RHD Chev/Pontiacs.
Thank you for a very enjoyable video. An electric conversion would have ripped the soul out of this car.
I bet this video hits way different for the UK viewers. In the US this is just every fifth car at any car show. The LS swaps make a lot of sense for logistical reasons here, but it gets old that every time a classic car needs new spark plugs the owner LS swaps it instead.
Oh wow! Now we're talking - what a beauty. Never knew they did a RHD version. Perhaps a early 80's Chevrolet Caprice (the one with the Corvette engine) that the police used next..?
Great idea for a video, this car. Had a good chuckle at your reactions. You clearly like this car and obviously you're not alone. To own this car with the LS3 and suspension upgrades would make an awesome daily driver and this video is giving me ideas about what to do next. Thank you, good video, 2 thumbs up.
Absolutely fantastic, RHD too. I'd love something similar if I had the facilities. Hats off the Rob.
In Australia these were sold with a little tiny drop tank under each rear wing with another light in the back of it to make them legal in the market.
Nice car. I love the dashboard. It's amazing that it's under 1700kg. That's a real surprise.
I too, have just started to appreciate american 50, 60s and 70 car design as ive gotten older. They really were given free rein and ultimately some styling queues were adopted in the uk cars at the time
Love it memories of my youth, when cars didn't all look the same, but today where i live in the country in the South of France, driving my Fiesta; makes me feel its to big on on some of our narrow roads🙄
Very cool restomod, it not only goes better and gets much better fuel economy than the original motor but also with the disk brakes stops a lot better than the original drums The blue colour really suits it. In the States engine swap is pretty much a synonym of LS swap. Even 911 type Porsches have had their boxers in the back replaced by the LS.
Back in 1959 did they have right hand drive cars from the US to the UK
The 1950/60s Chevs and Pontiacs were assembled in Australia from Canadian CKDs and sold in Holden dealerships - and of course they were RHD fitted with amber rear indicators to meet Australian compliance requirements. 1968 was the final year for the Australian assembled RHD Chev/Pontiacs.
Where I live (New Zealand) old US cars are the most popular classics. Muscle cars are really popular but Chevs like the one tested were common family cars like the contempary Fords, De Sotos, Plymouths and Dodges They were sold new here and were mainstream through to the early `60`s. My first few cars were US cars until I discovered Italian cars. For straight line performance goes though nothing beats cubic inches and they do provide a nice lopy relaxed cruise....Ah the memories. Thank you Jack.
Oddly the Bel Air, 1953 model, not this one, reminds me of my childhood. After a trip to America on a family holiday in 1991, I brought back a metal advertisement poster of the Bel Air 1953 back for my bedroom wall.
Rob forgot the #1 rule for a resto-mod: to up the attitude you have to lower the altitude 😎.
Very nice, perversely I would like an LS swapped Volvo 245. Scary how in my lifetime European cars have become so heavy, my current car weighs MORE than the Belair. So much more appealing in RHD, presumably an Australian import?
Just do it please, and let's see the result, I'm sure it would be a magic combination.
@@robertjones7695 a lot of people have already done similar conversions. Years ago friends and I did do engine transplants but we lost our MoJo over the years. The LS is a good swap for European cars, in some cases it is lighter than the engines it replaces.
I grew up in the US driving cars of that era, we had a 60 Ford, but I never knew of LS swapping a 60 Chevy and having the motor mounts fit. It is just an amazing way to re-experience a bygone era with modern tech. Yes they handled very poorly but way better than early 50 s Buicks I drove. The original had drum brakes btw and the disc upgrade is excellent given the increased power. I’m as agnostic as you are on EVs conversions. Suitable for some cars, not others.
Hats off to the person who threw that much quid into a Chevy four-door pillard sedan. Must have been a family heirloom.
Jack, I love your channel for so many reasons. Usually it's your passion for Italian cars from the 60s. But as an American (yet Global car lover), it warms my heart to see you enjoy an early 60s Bel-Air. I wonder if Rob sourced the LS from a Camaro? Would love to know how he sourced his pieces. Keep up the great videos and loving classics from every continent!
What a BEAUTY!! Just for a second there, looking at the rear, I saw Ford Consul. Which on their own are cool! :)
I don't think I've ever seen a car where everything is blue...
huge american roads huge distances to travel etc etc not the bel air i like id prefer the impala ! but the primer grey big block chevy 55 from 2 lane blacktop ........yes please !!! good video jack !
It must have aftermarket anti roll bars, and I imagine discs.
I think those disc brakes and alloy wheels are modern too.
That is epic. No idea who Rob is but he is a lucky man !
Stick with the internal combustion engine in beef more friendly to the environment. Keep it well-tuned. The horrors that the mining of the lithium and other items needed for electric vehicles are just stupendous. I spelled out it really screws up mother Earth the way they mine lithium and the other products for the EV.
Id enjoy seeing you review an ls powered sporty car.
Oh, Jack, you worry me greatly. I come from a city near Detroit, in Michigan/usa, and grew up with these monstrosities. They were always over-styled, over-chromed, and handled like a hog on ice. Perhaps it's the time and distance that renders them a classic in your eyes? I get that. But for those of us who grew up with them, being able to sit four across was not a plus. I remember them so well that this show was hard to watch. And yes, I'm 75.
Awesome video! Very impressed that you found a 60 Belair! And a right hand drive. Holy crap!
It is a1960
@@alanblanes2876 my bad, 60
Love these. I'd actually quite like one - How much do these (or similar) land yachts cost in the UK?
Fabulous... absolutely well done to the owner. Great vid Jack. 👍
I have always liked this model with the flat wings
There is a very interesting crash test between one of these and a 2009 chev Malibu and after watching that I said I will never own an old car again
As always spot on, especially with the Citroen DS... Wonderful car with a rubbish engine. Would not go the EV route, would rather like a more modern petrol engine in it!
Excellent idea 💡 I like it the right side steering wheel 🛞. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas on the 1960 Chevy bel air model.
This model is beloved here in Denmark, for starring in most of the cult movies Olsen Banden. "Ski-ide godt Egon".
Having followed you from the beginning this episode came as something of shock. And with all due respect, despite your comment to the contrary, this vehicle is most certainly a "hot rod" by any definition. It's a lovely car to be sure. Everything about the aesthetics suggests the original car. So why not keep the original hubcaps 'look' and firm up the suspension so the handling is a better match with that superb engine? Minor quibbles to be sure... Either way, another great episode!