Vehicle Description
This 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe Hardtop is a beautifully
restored, well-optioned Mopar that is sure to turn heads! Making
its official debut as a standalone model, the Plymouth Belvedere
replaced the Cranbrook atop Plymouth's model hierarchy. Prior to
1954, the Belvedere nameplate was actually used by Plymouth but not
as a model; rather, the Belvedere was the name for Plymouth's
pillar-less hardtop models (similar to Oldsmobile's "Holiday"
hardtop or even Ford's "Victoria"). As the mid-50s shifted into the
late-50s, Chrysler products transformed from sleepy people movers
into innovative, futuristic-looking cars of the future in large
part thanks to famed automotive designer Virgil Exner. Exner's
"Forward Look" program was famous for its space and aviation
inspired designs, as well as the implementation of newer
technologies. It was said that the design, development, and
implementation of Exner's Forward Look program cost Chrysler a
whopping $300 million; however, these unheard of costs paid off
handily for the Big Three automaker. Whereas most American
automakers sales were flat in 1957, Chrysler's sales grew by over
40% from the previous year. Being that Plymouth was a Chrysler
marque, its products were also completely redesigned into Forward
Look masterpieces in 1957. Up front, the '57 Plymouths sported a
more modern looking quad headlight setup with each pair of
headlights being shaded by a "fender brow." Additionally, the 1957
Plymouth had a new curvier bumper that made way for the
aviation-inspired air-intake grille design. The side profile is by
far the most obvious example of Exner's Forward Look design motif
with space-age trim that ran nose to tail and perhaps most
famously, the addition of large tail fins on the rear quarter
panels. Bringing up the rear, the 1957 Plymouth taillights were
also completely re-styled and capped off the exterior look. The
1957 Plymouth interiors, and especially the top-of-the-line
Belvederes also underwent extensive redesigns further pushing them
into the Forward Look style. The steering wheels looked almost
space age in 1957. The instrument clusters were also outfitted with
fantastic, futuristic-looking trim and almost look like they came
out of a racecar or airplane. Like the entire Chrysler lineup,
Plymouths sold particularly well in 1957 with the marque re-taking
third place among the largest auto producers. The Belvedere
hardtops also sold very well in 1957 with Plymouth producing 67,268
hardtops. This particular '57 Belvedere comes to us from a
southern-based collector who proudly served as this car's steward
for over 10 years. Under the hood on this '57 Belvedere is a 299.6
cubic inch "301" V8 engine fed by a single 4 barrel carburetor that
together were said to have created 235 horsepower when new. The 301
V8 is backed by an Automatic Transmission that is shifted using
Chrysler's famous Push-Button shifter that was quite novel for 1957
and far ahead of its time. Exhaust exits this Plymouth's 301
powerplant via dual exhaust setup that generates a terrific throaty
sound out of the rear tail pipes. This Plymouth Belvedere comes
loaded with superb options! Power brakes are a welcome addition on
any classic car from the 1950s since it makes bringing this nearly
3,500 pound cruiser to a complete stop much easier. With power
steering, you'll have no trouble squeezing in and out of a tight
parking space at the local car show or ice cream shop since turning
the steering wheel is easily accomplished with just a few fingers.
Further helping with parking efforts is a pair of dual outside
chrome mirrors that provide a better view of the sides of this
Belvedere Sports Coupe. This Plymouth rides on a set of wide
whitewall tires, with each accented with a full chrome wheelcover,
further elevating the beautiful exterior appearance of an already
stunning automobile. The body of this 50s mopar has been refinished
in a beautiful two-tone paint scheme consisting of Desert Gold and
Sand Dune White, completing the exterior look of this beauty. The
interior of this 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sports Coupe is equally
breathtaking! The front and rear bench seats have been
reupholstered in white vinyl with beautiful gold and black
patterned cloth inserts. The gold and white door panels, gold
carpeting, two-tone steering wheel, and gold painted dash are all
in fantastic shape as well and all appear to retain a terrific
stock look. The instrument cluster is trimmed with embossed
patterned aluminum and it is equipped with a 120 MPH speedometer,
temperature gauge, and gasoline gauge, as well as a clock and
indicator lights for oil pressure, amperage, and the turn signals.
The dash on this Belvedere is finished off with a push-button AM
radio, slide-out ash tray, glovebox and various other controls.
Whether you're a Forward Look fanatic or you're buying your very
first classic car, this 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sports Coupe
Hardtop would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingson's a call
today at 763-428-7337!
*299.6 Cu. In. "301" V8
*Single 4 Barrel Carburetor
*Push-Button Torqueflite Automatic Transmission
*Dual Exhaust
*Power Brakes
*Power Steering
*Desert Gold/Sand Dune White Exterior
*White Vinyl w/ Gold Pattern Cloth Bench Seats
*Dual Chrome Outside Mirrors
*Wide Whitewall Tires w/ Full Wheelcovers
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 4,078 Miles