Bel Air Finishing recently hosted a group of attendees from our recent Mass Finishing seminar for an outing to the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth, RI—a unique venue filled with beautifully restored classics and high-performance legends. Among the highlights? A pristine 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible, polished to perfection and impossible to miss.
The sight of that car meant something special to us. In the 1960s, Bel Air Finishing founder Ralph Alviti owned this exact make and model—and yes, it’s part of how our company got its name. It’s said that one of Ralph’s early partners lived on a street in Rhode Island named Bel Air Ave, further influencing the company’s name. While we’re focused today on cutting-edge finishing technologies, seeing that classic up close was a vivid reminder of where we came from—and how far manufacturing, materials, and surface finishing have come.
Thanks to the Newport Car Museum for providing such a great setting—and to our attendees for joining us for some great conversation and a shared appreciation for iconic design.
We always enjoy sharing the story behind Bel Air. What’s your origin story?
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