Vehicle Description
Before we go into the details on this spectacular 1957 Chevy Bel
Air Wagon, please take a few moments to look at the photos...
Back? Good, because you can plainly see that this is one heck of a
car. Professionally built, there's hardly a single surface or
component that hasn't been tweaked, polished, restored or replaced
in some way, delivering what might be the ultimate rod for the guy
with a family. The '57 Bel Air is arguably the best-looking of all
the shoebox Chevys, so it didn't make sense to modify the
sheetmetal in any way, but rather restore it all back to stock
specs. With that in mind, they spent the time and money on getting
everything as straight as possible, then covered it in bright red
paint top-to-bottom, using the elegant factory Bel Air trim for
contrast down the flanks. As you saw in the photos, the surfaces
are so smooth and flat that reflections show virtually zero
distortion and the brilliant shine of the urethane paint is simply
dazzling in the sunlight. It's not a perfect show car, as this
beauty was born to be driven, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a
nicer one at your local car show. The anodized panel on the
quarters adds an awesome element to the color combination, and
things like the grille and hood emblem were properly gold anodized
for a factory look. The rest of the chrome was treated to a
high-quality re-plate, the stainless was polished up to match,
while bright bumpers and iconic grille are bright as can be and
really steal the show.
There's more awesomeness inside where the combination of old and
new is so tastefully done that it's hard to find the line. The gray
and black upholstery has a very OEM look that's a respectful
upgrade of the iconic Bel Air interior from the Tri-5 era. The
front bench seat feels just like a correct piece with tilting back
rests for access to the rear seating area, and there's a removable
center console anchored in the middle. New carpets with the correct
weave and nap were installed and fresh door panels were created
using the matching patterns and modern materials from the seats. Of
course, it's got some modern conveniences like R134a A/C, a tilt
column, and even a digital back-up camera, but none of it detracts
from the fairly stock-looking dashboard. The steering wheel is an
original dual-horn piece that's perfectly at home in the '57 atop a
tilt column, and the original instrument panel is now filled a full
complement of Dakota Digital gauges. In back, there's a matching
rear seat that looks untouched along with a gorgeous cargo bay
that's just too nice to use for hauling anything, fully outfitted
with matching carpets.
It's still got Chevy power under the hood, delivered in the form of
a fuel-injected 5.3L LS V8 Vortec motor. It's a tidy package in the
'57's engine bay, and with color-matched valve covers and intake
cover, a lot of polished aluminum and a serpentine belt drive
accessory system, it looks fantastic. A lot of effort went into
hiding the wiring and plumbing, so the look is ultra-clean, yet
serviceability is quite good. Power front disc brakes, an upgraded
suspension with A-arms up front, and fat sway bars at both ends
means that it drives more like a Camaro than a station wagon, and
you can see that the chassis is as highly detailed as the rest of
the car. A 4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission powers a heavy-duty
rear end out back, and this Wagon sounds amazing thanks to
long-tube headers that feed the custom dual exhaust below. Gorgeous
17-inch REV wheels are a new twist on an old favorite and wear
225/50/17 front and 255/50/17 rear performance radials.
Every bit as amazing as it looks, this is the kind of car that
makes everyone else stop what they're doing and have a look. And
the good news is that it drives even better than it looks. Call
today!