Someone clue me in about the 62's...

[Fat_Man]

Ok, so have had my 62 Bel Air for just over 6 months now. During that time, and even prior to that time as I was shopping for the car, I have come to realize something...

It seems most any year prior to, and most any year after 62 recieves MUCH better aftermarket support. Also, a quick search on e-bay and it seems 62's are much less frequently for sale, too. :dunno

What gives? The 62 is a beautiful car, and I have seen some really outstanding 62's out there. The production numbers are not that far off any other year, from what I can tell, but it just seems like 62 cars, parts, and aftermarket support just isn't as broad as other model years. :?

I am proud of my 62 :beerbang and think it is a good looking car now and think it will be a great looking car in a few years when I get done working on it, and paying thru the nose for rare parts! :doh

Is there something about the 62 I don't know? Do most folks actually not like it?

[real61ss]

I understand your frustration, try buying parts for a '61......Not one peice of sheet metal is available for a 61 unless it also fits another model.

[SS425HP]

I think you will find the 62 is a prized car, and the reason you don't see many for sale is the owners KEEP them. There are as many parts available for the 62 as the other years, it seems to me. I'm partial to the 63, but that's because that was what I bought new. I liked the 62, but didn't have the finances to buy one in 62. There is not a thing wrong with them. Keep it, enjoy it, work on it, and love it. They are all nice cars.

Fred

[Fat_Man]

Oh, I prize mine alright!

real61ss....I see what you mean. When it comes to sheetmetal replacement, you make me feel lucky....

What really gets me is the odds and ends that I can't seem to find. Hood springs? Steering column? Steering WHEEL! Oh, and the RAREST part of all, a windshield wiper motor! Even some of the upholstery kits seem really difficult to get a complete set. One company makes door panels, but not seat covers. Another makes seat covers but not door panels. For the Bel Air anyway. Everybody seems to make the interiors for the Impalas.

It's the price I have to pay, I guess, for digging the Bel Air roofline over the Impala roofline. Bubbletops are the absolute best, but that is out of my price range for sure! Same for the interior...like the Bel Air over the Impala interior. Just have to find it all...

At least I have found places that can rebuild what I cannot find aftermarket (wiper motor, steering column) sometimes cheaper than buying new, sometimes more expensive. Guess it evens out. Steering wheel, guess I better buy a restoration kit. It isn't all that bad shape, few cracks here, a lot faded, but restorable.

All that comes with the territory, I suppose, but seriously, you 63-64 guys have it GREAT... you could just about build a car from all the stuff available for it!

[biscaynewagon]

Well Fat_Man,

62 Bel Air is a great looking car :clap but like real61ss said , 61 is more difficult. Now, I have a 1961 Brookwood 9 pass, now try to find upholstery kit for that :cuss
But than again, DOES anybody make any upholstery kit for the "lowlife" Biscayne :bang or maybe I have to sell my wagons and upgrade them to Bel Air / Nomad line :scratch NOT

[Fat_Man]

Wow, you 61 guys are schooling me for sure. I thought I had it bad.

But this is some of what I am talking about. Classic industries sells a Biscayne seat kit for the 62, but not the 61. It has a Bel Air 9 pass wagon seat kit, but then go down and try to find door panels...they have a 61 Bel Air, but only panel kits for the Impala in 62...:cuss

So then you find a door kit from another supplier, but that supplier doesn't have seat kits. So do they match...:dunno...guess you just have to lay out $700 to see...

I guess we are all lucky compared to some makes and models. At least we can get some of the stuff some of the time. Some guys got to make all the stuff all the time....:eek:

[real61ss]

Fat Man,
What kind of steering wheel are you referring too? I believe I may have a pretty decent 62 Bel-Air wheel hanging in my shop. I bought it thinking it was a 61 Bel-Air.

[Fat_Man]

The stock steering wheel, red in color. I have the original, and it isn't totally shot. A restore kit would probably bring it right back. I think I may be missing some parts, though.

I am kind of looking at one of the walnut steering wheel kits, too, as I like that look. Still kind of up in the air. It is just one in a list of parts that keeps growing and growing and growing....

[Bubpster]

The '58 to ? is a great era for chevy cars. I grew up in the 60's and it was a great time for cars. I had a '62 BelAir Sports Coupe in 1969. It was only 6 yrs. old and a native California car. Boy, that car a great ride. No dents, scratches, rust, just a good looking red on red 327 (3 sp. oh well) converted to the floor. You have a great car as do all the other guys on this site. That is why they look up the site so often. They are car buffs like us. I purchased another '62 BelAir Sports Coupe Oct. '04 from Bill Scott, Medina, OH, a member of the site. Great car. I have all the sheetmetal now (from C.A.R.S., MI & CA). They have a great looking interior for the Sports Coupes.

So you see, the '62 is not necessarly overlooked, but as our member said, we KEEP UM!

[Old School]

Hey! Just be patient... I can rememeber when you could not give away a big old 58 Impala... Everyone wanted the 57. Now you can't buy a nice one for less than $50 grand. ..... I think the 62 is a great car value to buy now.


Ok, so have had my 62 Bel Air for just over 6 months now. During that time, and even prior to that time as I was shopping for the car, I have come to realize something...

It seems most any year prior to, and most any year after 62 recieves MUCH better aftermarket support. Also, a quick search on e-bay and it seems 62's are much less frequently for sale, too. :dunno

What gives? The 62 is a beautiful car, and I have seen some really outstanding 62's out there. The production numbers are not that far off any other year, from what I can tell, but it just seems like 62 cars, parts, and aftermarket support just isn't as broad as other model years. :?

I am proud of my 62 :beerbang and think it is a good looking car now and think it will be a great looking car in a few years when I get done working on it, and paying thru the nose for rare parts! :doh

Is there something about the 62 I don't know? Do most folks actually not like it?

[bobs409]

We did a poll a while back and if I recall correctly, 1962 was the favorite. (or was it '63?) Dang memory! :bang

[wrench]

We did a poll a while back and if I recall correctly, 1962 was the favorite. (or was it '63?) Dang memory! :bang

My Gallery page for the 62 gets more viewing hits than any other.

Cheers,

[dq409]

My Gallery page for the 62 gets more viewing hits than any other.

Cheers,

Thats because it`s the most beautiful car GM ever produced !!!!! dq

[Fat_Man]

Thats because it`s the most beautiful car GM ever produced !!!!! dq

Couldn't agree more!

Now as far as NFL teams go, I think we may be on different sides of the fence, there!

Go Steelers!!!!

[rstreet]

Take a look at several of the suppliers catalogs then I think all will agree that us 61 convertible owners have the least "buying power" BUT 62's are right behind. The reason is in the build numbers 'cause our 61's didn't sell as well. I think Ford even outsold us in 61

[models916]

Ford outsold Chevrolet in 1957. Doesn' t seem to affect the tri-5 market for parts

[Tom Kochtanek]

Regardless of who out sold who, there were a lot of 1962 Chevrolets made by GM. Probably a million plus. Half were probably 4 doors, but there were tons of Impala sport coupes, and plenty of SS cars. Quite a bit fewer in that first year, 1961, however (for the SS option, that is).

It does seem that collectors and hobbyists, and owners in general, are quite passionate when it comes down to choice and selection. Most of us are lucky to be able to have just one prize in their collection, and the 1962 is a solid choice. Great front clip, fairly nice body lines, new formal roof line for '62 (Impala sport coupes) and good overall affordability. It does seem that the 61s and 62s are becoming more valued, at least in terms of what they are selling for on Ebay (maybe not the best source, but it's out there). I track 1961 and 1962 cars on Ebay, been doing it for years, and it seems to me that prices are going up these past 2 years. That says something about their popularity. And demand. And I guess, supply.

All in all it's a great body style, a solidly built car (given the era of it's construction) and readily available, although at a price. The '62 will be around in the hearts and minds of hobbyists and collectors for some time. The appearance of a "W" between the rails lifts that excitement ever further.

Enjoy your 1962 Bel Air. We certainly do! And when you are done, you have something that is personal and all yours, a work of art if you will. And you get to drive it!

Enjoy!

TomK

[threeimpalas]

Take a look at several of the suppliers catalogs then I think all will agree that us 61 convertible owners have the least "buying power" BUT 62's are right behind.

I think us wagon guys have you "beat" in that department, regardless of the model year. :(

[Fat_Man]

Well, all I know is at the rate I am going, the aftermarket will probably catch up with me before I am done with this car...

I find myself assigning my wish list by years. I will buy this, this and this part THIS year, this and this part NEXT year....and this, this and this part THE YEAR AFTER....:rofl

Maybe, if I am lucky, I can have it finished for it's 50th. :beerbang

[dq409]

On a positive note,,,

Think back a few short years, there weren`t any aftermarket parts for any of these cars !!!
It`s only been the last ten, fifteen years that the aftermarket parts supplies has really taken off !!

Yes you could find some parts but every year more and more parts become available.
Gezzzz now a days you can buy a complete 69 Camaro !!!, dq

[bobs409]

Gezzzz now a days you can buy a complete 69 Camaro !!!, dq

Yeh but who can afford to? :dunno :D

Judging by the quality of most repro parts, I'm not sure I would want a whole repro car! :eek: :stooges

[dq409]

Yeh but who can afford to? :dunno :D

Judging by the quality of most repro parts, I'm not sure I would want a whole repro car! :eek: :stooges


The point is,,, That you can if you want to,, the parts are available,,

The hotest cars now are the late sixties muscle cars which have the most availible aftermarket parts due to the demand. As the demand rises so do the parts availible for any car model ,, dq