Vehicle Description
Beautiful body-off restoration in original colors. Correct Power
Pack V8 with PowerGlide automatic. Power top, power steering, power
brakes. Nicely detailed engine and chassis. A gorgeous '57 Bel Air
ragtop that's ready to enjoy.If you're going to own a 1957 Chevy,
it may as well be a top-of-the-line Bel Air convertible. And as
long as you're doing top-of-the-line, how about a stunning '50s
pastel color combination? Better yet code 799 Tropical Turquoise
over code 680 Ivory and Turquoise vinyl is the car's original
combination, so it hasn't been re-made to be someone else's idea of
greatness, it was great from the very beginning. Thanks to a
frame-off, rotisserie restoration that was completed in a few years
ago, this Chevy is in fantastic condition. The lovely turquoise
paint is wonderfully deep and bright, with no distortions in the
final finish, a result that only comes from a professional color
sand and buff, and the gaps are very good throughout the car. All
the original Bel Air trim was either restored or replaced, with one
or two exceptions that show just a bit of age?notable only because
of how nice everything else is. The big anodized billboards on the
quarters are excellent, the gold grille and Chevrolet emblems are
vivid, and the massive bumpers show better chrome than they were
putting on the cars in 1957. The car has been driven and enjoyed
since it was finished (which was the whole point of the
restoration) but it remains in very, very good condition overall.
And it's kind of nice to see a '57 Chevy convertible that isn't
over-dressed with accessories?this one is just clean and as the
designers intended.As I mentioned, the code 680 Ivory and Turquoise
vinyl interior is also how this car was originally ordered, and it
has been exactly reproduced for this ragtop. The '57 Chevy
interiors were arguably the most artistic of all of GM's offerings
in 1957, with a blend of colors and textures that led the industry.
The interior remains in like-new condition with hardly any signs of
use beyond some extremely minor stretching of the lower cushion
upholstery. Matching door panels are as dramatic as the exterior
trim and the big steering wheel with horn ring is so iconic that
there are billet reproductions made for hot rods. Simple gauges are
all fully operational and they've thankfully chosen not to add
extra dials on or under the dash, so it looks clean and OEM. The
bright trim is excellent, the steering wheel is beautifully
restored, and when you settle in behind the wheel, it's hard not to
feel like a million bucks. The only notable deviations from stock
are a set of seat belts and the digital AM/FM radio slotted into
the dash, but if you're doing it right, the radio won't be an
issue?this car is about the drive! Overhead, there's a crisp white
power convertible top that folds easily and stows under a contrast
white boot and the trunk is correctly finished with a rubber mat,
full-sized spare tire, and a correct jack assembly with instruction
card.While they built plenty of 6-cylinder 1957 Chevrolets, this
wasn't one of them. Under the hood, you'll find a correct 283 cubic
inch V8 with the 4-barrel/dual exhaust 'Power Pack' option,
including the correct heads. Chevy wasn't doing 'matching numbers'
in the traditional sense, but this is the right motor for this car
and it was fully rebuilt when the car was restored a few years ago.
Turn the key and it fires easily and idles well, and you'll be
surprised by the performance if delivers on the open road.
Obviously it was fully detailed before it was dropped back into the
glossy black engine bay, with correct stamped valve covers with
'Chevrolet' script, a heavy-duty air cleaner, and, of course, Chevy
Orange paint. Little things like the GM-stamped hoses and correct
wire clamps, a reproduction battery topper, and proper Delco
generator help with the very authentic look. Under the big air
cleaner there's a correct Carter WCFB 4-barrel carburetor and a new
wiring harness ensures reliability. In fact, just about everything
under the hood is new and it presents zero issues for the new owner
who wants to drive his '57 Chevy, because that's exactly what this
car was restored to do. The 2-speed PowerGlide automatic
transmission shifts properly and should be virtually indestructible
and with 3.23 gears in the rear end, it's a comfortable highway
cruiser that'll go anywhere without complaint. The floors show
correct red oxide primer and just the right amount of overspray,
while the front end was fully rebuilt with new bushings, tie rods,
and ball joints. A reproduction exhaust system gives it a nice V8
burble and you'll note it even has correct spiral shocks, a nice
detail. It sits on correct 14-inch steel wheels with spinner
hubcaps, as well as a set of authentic-looking 7.50-14 Goodyear
wide whites that are just about ideal for a car like this.We know
there are a lot of '57 Chevys out there, but you will not find many
restored to this level with this attention to detail. It's fully
sorted and built to drive, which is really what you should be doing
with any vintage car. Few will attract the attention of this '57
and almost everyone who sees it will not only have a great memory,
but they'll envy the person behind the wheel. This is a flat-out
awesome car. Call today!Harwood Motors always recommends and
welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our
inventory prior to purchase.
