Vehicle Description
Beautifully restored and finished to show-quality standards, this
1957 Chevy Bel Air hardtop is ready for a summer of cruise nights,
Sunday afternoon shows, and a lifetime of creating memories. And
with only 6600 miles on the build of the this beauty, it's going to
be turning heads on Main Street for a long, long time.
One of the most recognized cars of all time, the '57 Chevy is an
icon of car culture, and no matter how you equip it, it's hard to
make a mistake. Fortunately, the craftsmen who put this car
together stayed with the original recipe-Tropical Turquoise paint,
an Imperial Ivory top, those gorgeous Bel Air aluminum inserts on
the rear quarters, and a period-perfect continental kit out back.
Bodywork is laser straight, panel gaps are great, and the crispness
of details like the wheel well lips suggest that great care was
used in crafting this car. Chrome and stainless-and there is a lot
of it on a '57 Chevy-has all been fully restored, including the big
'ol bumpers fore and aft. The body trim and window surrounds have
been polished and smoothed, along with the long trim pieces along
the tops of the tailfins. Accessories like the hood rockets, fender
skirts, and dual antennas reinforce the '50s nostalgia look. Man,
what a great looking car!
1957 Chevys received ten new interior fabric choices, and the
top-of-the-line Bel Air was the only series to get the cool black
and turquoise patterned fabric found in this hardtop. Beautifully
restored to original specs, the front and rear bench seats feature
new seat covers in authentic materials that are both stylish and
all-day comfortable. The matching steering wheel is beautifully
finished too, and the bright machined metal trim that stretches
from one side to the other is a nice connection to the anodized
panels on the exterior. For the first time, all Bel Airs received
full carpeting as standard equipment, and this one also features
color-matched reproduction floor mats. The radio hasn't been
replaced with a modern unit, which is a pleasant surprise (although
it does need some service), and the list of options includes an
underdash A/C system, seatbelts front and rear, and an extra set of
auxiliary gauges that augment the factory units in the dash. Out
back, the trunk is finished just as nicely, including a full-sized
spare covered with custom upholstery, a rubber mat, and a relocated
battery inside a custom box.
The engine powering this beauty is a 350 cubic inch Chevy V8, which
is a natural choice for any '57 Bel Air. Dressed to impress in
plenty of chrome, the engine bay blings with chrome Chevrolet valve
covers, a matching air cleaner, and loads of polished components
that really pop up against the light blue firewall and inner
fenders. A big aluminum radiator lives up front and as you can see,
all the major components are upgraded to modern equipment,
including a polished alternator, power steering and brakes, and a
serpentine system that drive them all. The TH350 3-speed gearbox
channels torque back to the original-style rear end and the recent
dual exhaust system has a nice purr to it that doesn't get
obnoxious when you get on the throttle. The underside was clearly
built to drive and includes newer shocks and undercoating to
control noise and heat, but nothing terribly radical. Painted steel
wheels adorned with correct Bel Air hubcaps have a cool retro look
to them but carry thoroughly modern 215/75/14 rubber to improve
handling.
Take the time to look at the photos-this car is extremely well
detailed and fully sorted and can compete for the big trophies at
just about any venue. Values on '57 Chevys are skyrocketing, and
next to convertibles, Bel Air hardtops are the ones to own. Call us
today and get your piece of yesterday.
