Killer Hot Rods Creates a Killer Custom 1950 Chevy Bel Air
Congratulations to Dave Neill for being named a Finalist for the Vintage Air Custom Rod of the Year with his 1950 Chevy Bel Air built by Killer Hot Rods!
Dave Neill’s first ride was a 1949 Chevy club coupe, not exactly the coolest car in the high school parking lot but not bad at the time. It got the job done, he says.
“I drove that car in high school and had a lot of fun in it and great memories,” he says. Several years ago, when opportunity knocked and Dave answered, he found a solid 1950 Chevy Bel Air in California and brought it back to his home in Burleson, Texas, with the idea of transforming it into a much cooler version of that high school Chevy.
Chevrolet introduced two milestone options in 1950 – the two-door hardtop and the Bel Air trim level. Dave’s new ride had both options. It was in good condition, but with a dated 283c.i. small block, Mustang II front suspension, gray primer paint and – as Dave reports – a truly ugly interior.
That needed to change, and Dave turned to the team at Killer Hot Rods to completely reimagine the car. The original frame was discarded and replaced with an Art Morrison chassis that includes a modern independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, a 9-inch rearend with 3.50 gears, Wilwood 13-inch disc brakes with six-piston calipers, and Foose Memphis wheels (18×9-inch in front, 18×11 in back) wrapped in Mickey Thompson Street Comp tires.
Power, and plenty of it, comes from a 376c.i. Chevy LS V8 from Don Hardy Race Cars with a Whipple supercharger that helps it crank out a stunning 814 horsepower. Hooker headers guide exhaust gases through Flowmaster mufflers, while a Griffin radiator keeps the engine cool. A Bowler-built 4L80E automatic is controlled by a Clayton Machine Works shifter. An American Autowire system connects the electrical components.
After numerous subtle body modifications and refinements, the car was painted in PPG Starfire Metallic and white. Upgrades include a one-piece windshield conversion, custom under-hood sheet metal and smoothed firewall, tucked and smoothed bumpers, and aftermarket mirrors.
In the interior, the original dash is gone, and a custom-fabricated piece is in its place. It houses a ’54 Chevy gauge cluster that is filled with Dakota Digital RTX gauges. Centered above the console is a video screen that features a custom trim engraved with the Bel Air script. TMI power seats and other interior pieces were trimmed in Ultra Leather by Delgado’s Upholstery in Mansfield, Texas. The custom console houses the shifter, a cup holder, and the power window controls, while the brake and gas pedal assemblies came from Clayton Machine Works.
As for his new 1950 Chevy Bel Air? “Now it’s the car I always wanted – and more,” Dave says.
Photos by John Jackson, Damon Lee
