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I didn't want it to sit outside anymore. It was tight in my garage, but they all fit. Because it was raining that night, I just sat in that car, played the radio and was totally content for the evening. Almost like a first date, but even better.
As soon as the weather got better, I had the windshield leaks repaired, installed new tires, muffler & tailpipe, and many other upgrades. I then started to really enjoy driving The car, and even drove it twice around Mt. Rainier. It never once acted up for me. It just provided me with a lot of pleasure. Several months later, in January 1997, one of our club members, Scott Ostermeyer, started trying to talk me into selling the car to him. I guess you might say that he made me an offer that I could not refuse. Almost right away, I had sellers remorse. Scott took good care of it, and had it repainted, rechromed the bumpers, and did more upgrades. He did not drive it near as much as I did though. Meanwhile I looked at and drove a number of other '55 & '56 Chevys, but none of them did it for me in the same way.
In the fall of 1999, Scott started renting space in my garage, for the '55 that I had sold him. In March of 2000, he decided that he wanted to sell the car. He offered to sell it back to me at a price that I could not refuse. This is the first car that I have ever bought back from someone. I have never had any buyer's remorse since repurchasing it. Just like the first time I bought it, it is still giving me pleasure every time I look at it and drive it. It is hard to explain what it is about this car that excites me, it just does. Hopefully this time, I won't have any more weak moments for a long time, and sell it. The way prices are going for the '55, '56 & '57 Chevys, it is probably they only
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one that I will able to be afford, which is fine with me.
The Chev has a little over 118,000 miles on it now, and continues to do just fine. I wouldn't mind having a '55 Bel
Air Sport Coupe to go along with the sedan, if I could ever find the right one that I could afford to buy. For the time
being, it will have to be content to have my '54 Bel Air Sport Coupe and '63 Impala Sport Coupe keep it company. I was about 4 years old when the '55 Chevys were new. I was very excited
by them then, and still am.
By the way, besides having the 6 cylinder and Powerglide transmission my car also has the Deluxe Heater/Defroster, EZI tinted glass, Back-Up lamps, Electric Wipers, oil Filter Oil-
Bath Air Filter, Grille Guard, Tissue Dispenser, Dual outside Mirrors and inside Day/Night Mirror. Being a Bel Air, it also has an electric clock (which still works) and full wheel covers. Someone before me has added an AM/FM Cassette Stereo, and blue GM seat belts, that match the upholstery. Future plans are to have the upper rear fenders and trunk lid repainted to match the India Ivory paint on the roof. Several of us tried to talk Scott into having the car two toned this way when he had it repainted. But as you can see from the photos we did not succeed. I have always felt that the '55 Bel Air looks best, when it is two toned with the upper rear fenders and trunk lid are painted to match the roof color.
--John Strampher
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