Excerpt:

There it was —1968 Chevrolet Bel Air. Dave Heckman owned the Bel Air, and as the pressing jarring sound of the horn grew closer, it left us all with the gut-wrenching reality of the day to be.  Without awareness of the road, the car moved over the street, lights on full beam and sound of the horn blaring.

 

The Chevy careened over the hill and the ominous blaring got our attention. The few of us who had returned—discouraged, tired, and cold—were suddenly shaken back to life.

The Chevrolet Bel Air was a full-size car produced by Chevrolet for the 1950–1975 model years. Initially, only the two-door hardtops in the Chevrolet model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952. With the 1953 model year, the Bel Air name was changed from a designation for a unique body shape to a premium level of trim applied across a number of body styles. The Bel Air continued with various other trim level designations, and it went from a mid-level trim car to a budget fleet sedan when U.S. production ceased in 1975. Production continued in Canada, for its home market only, through the 1981 model year.

The Chevrolet Bel Air, especially its second generation design, has been considered an icon of the 1950s. Well-maintained and preserved examples are highly sought after by car collectors and enthusiasts.