1955 Chevy Bel Air Blog

1955 Chevy Bel Air Maintenance Tips

Written by admin on June 7, 2009 – 6:10 pm -

Keeping the classic 1955 Chevy Bel Air in operating condition requires a few basic inspection and maintenance guidelines.  I approach this topic on the concept; ” Put it  together, get it running  safe, keep it running and enjoy, the rest will follow”.

The first must in keeping your old Chevy running is “exercise”, you must start and road test occasionally to check and maintain the condition of oil/transmission seals, cooling system, fuel and carburetion, brakes and exhaust systems.  I find that “firing’ the Chevy up and taking the car for a cruise twice a month is good practice weather permitting.  Be sure you get the engine up to operating temperature to purge residual moisture out of the exhaust system, short start-ups may result in excessive moisture build up in the exhaust system, which is not good.

Fresh gasoline is another important item; I don’t keep a lot of fuel in my Chevy, but I add fresh fuel often.  I’ve been using Lucas Fuel Treatment as a fuel stabilizer and valve train / upper cylinder lubricant, the Lucas product does a good job.  As mentioned in an earlier post, the Power Pack heads on my small block engine are of the 1963 time period and were designed for leaded gasoline, the valve train needs extra lubrication not available in the current unleaded fuels offered.  As far as gasoline, I use 93 Octane; this fuel aids in keeping the engine at cooler running temperatures and allows for modest timing advance settings for good performance.  The 93 Octane fuel coupled with the 9.5 to 1 compression ratio and Dontov .097 of the 63 Chevy 283, packs a potential punch in the power area.

Another important area of maintenance is the brake system; at least annually, visually inspect brake wheel cylinders, lines and hoses for leakage and deterioration.  It is advised to “bleed” the hydraulic brake system at least every two years, to prevent excessive moisture and corrosion damage to the hydraulic brake system.  Last year I replaced the (4) brake cylinders and brake hoses on my Chevy, a good investment to keep the brakes working in top condition.  Remember my Chevy is “very” stock and has the original single stage braking Master Cylinder, so proper brake system maintenance is a must.

Other important maintenance and inspection items include:

• Tire Pressure
• Oil and coolant levels
• Lights
• Clutch adjustment
• Inspect steering and suspension parts, greasing a little at a time is better than a lot, you usually rupture the grease cups if excess grease is pumped into joints and bushings.
• Don’t forget the drive shaft; it has grease fittings also on the universal joints.
• Due to the low mileage I put on my Chevy, maybe 400 miles per year, I change oil every two years.

I hope this information, and the basic inspection tips help you keep your classic 55 running smooth and safe.

Tags: 1955 Chevy Bel Air, Chevy Maintenance
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