1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

Description

If you've been watching '57 Chevy prices for the past few years, you know they're only going one direction: up. If you've decided that now is the time to pick up that perfect Bel Air that you've always wanted, allow us to recommend this gorgeous Onyx Black hardtop. Nicely restored with a bunch of thoughtful upgrades that make it an effortless, comfortable cruiser, it's the kind of car that we all wish we could own at some point in our lives. Why not now?

There's nothing like basic black on the '57 Chevy body, and I'll wager that if you ask anyone to picture a '57 Chevy in their imagination, it'll look something like this. Great looks simply never go out of style, especially when they're as well-executed as this one. We always talk about prep and alignment, but on this car it's almost redundant, because you can see how nice it is just be looking at the photos. That shine is no illusion, and the distortion-free reflections in the paint's surface are not trick photography. This car really is as nice as it looks. And while you might get the impression that it's been modified from those flashy wheels, it's quite stock and done to a very high standard. Even the chrome has all been refinished, a critical feature on any '50s car, and no Bel Air is complete without that anodized panels on the fins, which are bright and crisp.

Inside, the black and gray patterned cloth interior is beautifully restored to stock condition. The seat covers, door panels, headliner, and carpets are all correct 1957 equipment, and the funky fabric is a great blast from the past. With full-sized seating for six, this is a car that can carry the entire family in comfort, and keeps its comfort and convenience items neatly out of sight. Again, it's pretty much the way the factory intended, including bright trim sweeping across the dash and a factory AM radio right in the middle. The original gauges remain in charge of keeping the driver appraised of engine operation, and the shifter for the 4-speed is sticking out of the transmission tunnel, just as it would have in '57, although it now wears a Hurst shifter and cue ball knob. The massive trunk is also properly detailed with a reproduction rubber mat, full-sized spare, and jack assembly, and even a reproduction instruction decal.

The 283 cubic inch V8 under the hood is fed by a tried-and-true 4-barrel carburetor under the stock air cleaner. In fact, that's a stock 4-barrel intake manifold so performance feels very vintage, with a steady flow of smooth torque from the burbling small block. Proper Chevy Orange paint, a set of stamped steel valve covers, and even a correct generator keep it looking more like 1957 than you expect. The lone upgrade appears to be a modern master cylinder for safety purposes, always a smart idea. The 4-speed shifts crisply and gives the Bel Air a lively feeling out on the road and the original rear end is detailed with a red oxide center section so it looks correct. A new dual exhaust system offers a bubbly idle and a great V8 roar at speed without getting annoying on the highway and those handsome Torque Thrust style wheels will always look right on vintage iron. Fat 245/60/15 Goodyears round out the package.

You know you've been looking at cars like this for months. Here's the right car at the right price with all the hard work already done. What are you waiting for? Call today!