Vehicle Description
Great car, great colors, with a bit of a sting that's more Camaro
than '50s plush cruiser, that's this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
hardtop. With a potent 350 under the hood, a smooth-shifting
automatic transmission, and that fantastic Bel Air look, this is
one of the coolest '57s we've seen in a long, long time.
When most folks picture a '57 Chevy, I'll bet a car just like this
India Ivory over Surf Green hardtop is what they imagine.
Beautifully restored to a high driver-grade quality, the bodywork
is quite good with a lot of extra effort spent blocking and sanding
the panels, so everything is straight and shines brilliantly. Sure,
it's about fifty times slicker than any original 1957 paint, but
it's not perfect, so you'll never be afraid to pull it out of the
garage to show off at a car show you drove to. There's no point in
being bashful, especially when it's so vividly colored. Much of the
chrome is new, including the Bel Air anodized side panels, fresh
bumpers, and the gold anodized grille. Front and rear windshields
are clear, there's fresh weather-stripping throughout the car, and
the builder wisely resisted the urge to shave, chop, or otherwise
significantly modify the timeless design. Factory Rally wheels with
bright beauty rings and Chevrolet center caps wheels are
period-correct yet still provide plenty of flash, finishing off
this hardtop beautifully.
Inside, that beautiful vintage theme continues with fresh white
vinyl upholstery, plush pile gray carpet, and matching door panels
plus custom kick panels that mimic the upholstery on theseats. The
entire Surf Green dash has been refinished with stock instruments
and trim fully restored and it's been augmented by a set of
white-face SunPro auxiliary gauges tucked underneath. It might be
easier to say what isn't new than to list everything that has been
recently replaced, but this car was built to drive so comfortable
seats feel fantastic even after hundreds of miles on the open road.
That big, ornate steering wheel is stock spec, was refurbished to
match the paint scheme of this Tri-5 and provides easy navigation
thanks to its large diameter. Even the trunk was treated to a full
restoration, with a correct rubber mat and even a spare tire and
complete jack assembly that appears to have never been used.
The whole point of an update like this is to give a beautiful old
car a modern soul, and that's exactly what has happened here. It
includes a strong-running 350 V8 fortified with a Holley carburetor
4-barrel, a stock-style intake that's been painted Chevy orange
just like the tidy block, and an HEI distributor and modern
alternator, so it's powerful and quick to rev. There's a big fan
and thick radiator up front to keep it cool plus new accessories
like the chrome Chevrolet valve covers and open-element air cleaner
are everywhere you look, so it runs superbly. Ram's horn exhaust
headers are stock spec, and exhale into a great-sounding dual
exhaust system that's subtle but authoritative with a nice, deep
rumble. The aforementioned 3-speed automatic transmission feeds the
stock '57 rear end, which rides on a very comfortable suspension
and gives the car a great rake. Flashy Rally wheels are a
traditional look and carry fat 215/65/15 blackwall radials for
improved handling.
This Bel Air is everything you'd hope your next '57 Chevy would be.
Fast, fun, and downright gorgeous, there are no disappointments
here. Call today!
