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Blank Canvas: 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

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Found in a barn many years after its hot rod years this ’57 Chevrolet Bel Air is lacking an interior and drivetrain. Solid enough to be a restoration candidate, or solid enough to a blank canvas for your hot rodding pleasure. Add a drivetrain, and interior of your choice, and you are on your way. Bid up to just $4,050 we think this may be a great opportunity for a Bel Air roller. Find it here on ebay out of Albany, Oregon.

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The drivetrain is missing in action, but it is speculated that it had a small block with an automatic. The engine bay is bare wearing a fair amount of mold but looks reasonably solid.

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The interior is empty aside from the red velvet headliner. The floor and tunnel have obviously been modified to allow for a larger transmission. There is plenty of surface rust, but rot looks to be a minimum. There is some rot in the passenger foot well. The floors look solid overall, but it wouldn’t hurt to double check the modified tunnel section. The trunk floor is solid, but getting crispy. The spare tire well is gone, and the metal around that area is a little jagged. The dash board has been customized with several gauges stacked into the dash itself. Also it appears that there is an S10 steering column installed. This Bel Air has been modified and likely enjoyed the ¼ mile a few times in it life. While a full on restoration would be ideal, we think this one would be better off left as a hot rod.  The paint apparently has a ghost flame paint scheme that is difficult to make out. There is rust peppering all over the body, but the paint has a neat kind of patina that we could see someone going either way with this one. The lower fenders, rockers, and quarters look nice too. So perhaps a little body work and some paint and you would have a sharp ’57. The Chrome is rough, but perhaps with some patience and elbow grease, it would shine better than its current state. We would also likely pick a different set of wheels for a more period look.

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So let’s hear what you think! This ’57 Chevy may be picked up for a reasonable price, but what should be done with this iconic classic? Restore it? Maintain it as is and add the engine of your choice? Or perhaps a partial restoration? What would you do?

Comments

  1. Avatar tmc_61

    Altered rear wheel wells???

    Like 0
  2. Avatar geezerglide85

    Look like they made rear wheel openings bigger, but a nicer looking job than most that were just cut away with a saw. The modified dash looks good too. Somebody must have put a lot into this at one time. These are getting harder to find, I wish I had all of the ones I passed up for $100. I could probably retire now.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar RicK

    I bought a “57 Bel Air 2 dr hardtop for $5 back in 1971, now like this one it had no motor or trans but it still had its complete interior. Think I ended up sending it to the junk yard. Anyhow, this one will take lots of $$$ and labor to get it into presentable condition, dont know if anyone’s noticed, but the prices of tri-fives is coming down, could buy a nice one that’s already done for the money and BS this one will take to get whipped into shape

    Like 0
    • Avatar racer99

      Agree but if you were looking for one to hotrod/restomod here’s one you could modify and not lose any sleep over whether you should have “restored” it.

      Like 1
  4. Avatar donhoff

    Someone should make it into a gasser it’s a good car for that but it’s not good for restoring it would take to much money to change back to original believe me I’m in the process of restoring one

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    • Avatar Bill

      Looks good so far.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar motoring mo

    New drive train .
    Clearcoat.
    Hoon.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Steven C

    Love the early 80’s street machine look it has going on. Needs tunnel ram or supercharger with dual 4bbls sticking out of the hood.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Rustytech Member

    This looks like a good start for a restomod. With all th modifications done, returning this to original would be an expensive proposition. I like the dual servo power brakes, third pedal is a nice touch too. Small block with rock crusher 4speed and away we go!

    Like 1
  8. Avatar 68firebird

    The altered wheel wells, though nicely done, completely destroy the those lovely Bel Air lines. Pity.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Craig

    A few custom touches and a few that weren’t done leaves me puzzled, Custom Purple with ghost flames, Sunken rear license plate, side trim chrome instead of the aluminum, door handles removed, custom grille. Dash board with the gauge pods, But the front and rear “V” ‘s are still there along with the hood airplanes. ? this car needs to be saved with one of those injected 502″ pig blocks with a automatic overdrive, and all the other necessary resto-mod accouterments, restore the purple paint job with the ghost flames. DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Johnmloghry

    Oh man, talk a place to drop a lot of money with no return. But what the heck, have fun build what you want. 57’s are losing value these days, they hit their high value point about 5 years ago. My generation loved them (I’m 71) but as we end our journeys through life a new breed of car lovers comes along. With them they bring new ideas, and some stick with what’s been established as good stuff. I bring youngsters over to show them my 64 Riviera and they love it, but most say their interests are more in the 90’s. Or maybe the 80’s, some even say they are intrigued by the muscle cars of the late 60’s early 70’s. But none of them want a 57 Chevy. Even at car shows they tend to gravitate toward later model vehicles. Life goes on-to each his own. For me it’s my 64 Riviera “Sexual battery”.

    Like 0

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