Vehicle Description
Chevrolet has long been considered a 'working man's brand'. The
interesting thing is, despite those humble origins, Chevy
consistently peddles enough content-laden trucks to also be
considered one of the best-selling luxury marques in the world. No
doubt, a big part of the firm's upscale appeal comes from the
Corvette. From 1950s optimism to 21st century moxie, the Chevrolet
Corvette has always represented everything aspirational about the
automotive experience. Of course, another part of that appeal is
the franchise's long history of creating many of the world's most
iconic vehicles. And that unique axiom is exactly where you'll find
this stellar Bel Air drop-top: self-assuredly rumbling at the
crossroads of Chevrolet's timeless style and Team Corvette's
world-class athleticism. Timeless, of course, because it's a 1957
Bel Air that's been lovingly massaged through a nut-and-bolt
rotisserie restoration. And a world-class stoplight slayer because,
during that restoration, it was fitted with a solid seven liters of
fiery Corvette small block! Ready to see why the bowtie brand is
affectionately called USA-1?
AMERICANA RESTORED
The product of a nut-and-bolt rotisserie restoration, this bold Bel
Air resto-mod does an excellent job of wrapping vintage style
around modern technology. An all-American cherry that was ripe for
customization, the car was subjected to a systematic,
no-expense-spared build that began with all its panels being
stripped and straightened. After that thorough massage, those
surfaces were carefully layered in bright red two-stage paint.
Every inch of that dynamic pigment was lovingly buffed to near
perfection. And this sweet Chevy stormed the scene as a lights-out
custom that mixes classic good looks with world-beating
performance!
This Bel Air is rolling proof that more doesn't necessarily mean
better. The car continuously turns heads by simply doing what it
does best: being one of the finest collectibles on the planet. No
heavy add-ons or overwrought fabrication, just great proportions
and tasteful aesthetics. Up front, a smoothed, one-piece bumper
traces an official Bel Air grille, clear parking lamps and modern,
chrome-trimmed headlights. At the top of that grille, a
Chevrolet-branded hood floats customized Speer Bullet Spoons in
front of stainless-trimmed glass that's traced in vivid cloth and
cleared by polished blades. At the base of that glass, flush door
handles join sixth-generation Corvette fender flags to shade epic
Bel Air Speed Spears and polished rocker guards. And at the back of
the car, a wide bumper props bright LED taillights at the edges of
a Chevrolet-branded decklid.
AMERICANA REDEFINED
Twisting 505 SAE-certified horsepower into 470 lb./ft. of torque,
the lightweight LS7 V8 rumbling between this classic's sinuous
fenders is a 21st century testament to the bowtie division's
enduring small block. Founded in GM's very successful C6 racing
program, the brutal mill utilizes a forged crank, titanium rods and
hypereutectic pistons to flat out whip pretty much anything with
four wheels. At the front of the block, a polished air tube funnels
a perfect amount of oxygen between a front-mount Spectre filter
element and a GM-supplied throttle body. That wind mixes with fuel
in a composite intake, on its way to CNC-ported cylinder heads that
are finished with lightweight titanium valves. Those valves get
bumped by a GM hydraulic roller cam that, thanks to quality AC
Delco plug wires, helps create stout 11 to 1 compression.
Immediately following combustion, spent gases roar through
polished, long-tube headers. Charge comes courtesy of a polished
alternator that, along with a polished AC compressor, spins a
polished serpentine drive. A polished PRC radiator joins dual SPAL
puller fans to decorate an aftermarket support. Details are on
point, with items like billet hinges, braided fluid lines, trick
dipsticks and Wilwood brake components supplementing function with
form. And the custom-painted mill looks fantastic between a
smoothed firewall, custom closeout panels and a silver-detailed
cowl.
ATHLETICISM CONFIRMED
Park this custom on a lift and you'll find a spotless undercarriage
that's prepped, primed and ready to roar. A fresh 4L65 overdrive
transmission turns a narrowed and braced Strange Engineering 9-inch
rear axle that's finished with a limited-slip differential and 3.73
gears. That proven driveline is an integral part of a full Art
Morrison chassis that, in addition to being fully boxed and custom
braced, has been lovingly finished to match the car's show-worthy
floors. That chassis gets shoved by a 4-link rear-clip, which seats
tubular control arms inside modern coil-overs and a beefy sway bar.
That clip gets led by an independent front-half, which cages power
rack-and-pinion steering amid a second sway bar, more tubular
control arms and more modern coil-overs. Quick stops are a cinch
thanks to big Wilwood calipers, which utilize 6-pistons up front
and 4-pistons out back to squeeze drilled and slotted rotors. A
custom exhaust system routes spent gases through aggressive
Magnaflow mufflers. And at the corners, satin Schott wheels throw
torque through 235/40ZR18 Nitto NT555s and 275/30ZR20 Nitto
NT555s.
ARTISTRY CONFIRMED
Open the doors and you'll find a one-off cockpit that takes plenty
of aesthetic cues from custom car culture. Top dead center, a
body-matched dash frames clean Classic Instruments telemetry in
glossy billet trim. Plush seats, manifesting as buckets for all the
car's passengers, wear tight, two-tone leather. Between those
passengers, a custom, full-length console balances a short Lokar
shifter between touchscreen audio, Vintage Air climate control and
toggles for both the power top and power windows. The driver spins
a polished and half-wrapped wheel around a polished, tilting
column. And custom side panels crawl toward a custom-upholstered
trunk that presently houses the car's battery.
Owning a lights-out classic is cool. Owning a lights-out classic
that's been tastefully customized is something few are lucky enough
to experience. Owning a tastefully customized, lights-out classic
that's propelled by one of the hottest powerplants ever created is
the stuff most gearheads dream about. Don't miss your chance to
enjoy this incredible Bel Air!
HIGHLIGHTS
Stunning Bel Air pro-tourer that's the product of a nut-and-bolt
rotisserie restoration
7.0 liter GM LS7 V8 with 505 horsepower
GM 4L65E 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission
9-inch rear axle from Stange Engineering with a limited-slip
differential and 3.73 gears
Full Art Morrison chassis
Modern air conditioning
Power rack-and-pinion steering
Wilwood 4-wheel power disc brakes, 6-piston calipers front
Custom leather interior with power windows and modern audio
Cloth, power-operated top
18 and 20-inch Schott wheels
Restoration photos
All RK Motors vehicles receive a comprehensive, multi-point
inspection
We can arrange shipment of your purchase anywhere in the world
