Of all the “Tri Five” Chevies that were built between 1955-57, the Bel Air 2-door sport coupe is probably the most popular today. The styling is considered iconic, and they’re instantly recognized. This ‘57 was parked out in the yard when it was only eight years-old and the brush consumed it over the years. Pulled through the mud, it will need just about everything if your goal is to restore it. Or perhaps there are some parts to exhume instead. This Chevy can be found in Wahoo, Nebraska (I’d love to know how that town got its name) and is available here on eBay where bidding has been brisk at $8,000 so far.
Despite multiple body styles and series designations (150/210/Bel Air), the top tier sport coupe represented 11% of sales in 1957, 168,300 out of 1,555,300 total cars built. This one appears to have left the factory with a black paint job and a black/white interior. For reasons unknown, it was parked in 1965 with 112,000 miles and apparently sat there for at least 55 years. Along the way, it lost both its engine and transmission, which we think may have been a 283 cubic inch V8 with a 3-speed manual. The title has disappeared, too, so a Bill of Sale will be all you can take to the DMV.
While the car is said to be complete, I’m still skeptical that the frame has zero rust. The seller said he took more photos of the undercarriage to prove that, but he should post to them to the listing, even if just as a Drop Box link or something similar. There are some holes in the floorboards and one of the body mounts has been afflicted. The gas tank had wasted away, so It’s been removed. The trunk pan is said to be overly crusty in the back corners (but the lid won’t open to verify). The seller has a correct hood for the car, but the one in the photos is from a ’58 model.
The roof on this Bel Air seems to have a full coat of red primer on it. Perhaps this vehicle was two-tone to begin with, using white as the top color. That would coordinate with the interior, which has deteriorated quite badly as if the windows were left down or there is/was a serious leak somewhere. One of the vent windows is broken and the windshield looks suspicious, but the rest of the glass may be okay. Given the level of activity with the auction, it looks as though several would-be buyers believe the car is restorable. But as many of these machines that were made, there must be other candidates available that would make restoring a ’57 Chevy an easier and more affordable project.
Bag alert, major bag alert.
8000 is winning for a rusted out frame, floor nothing left pick over hardtop
Title doubtful
Since I was born in Nebraska, I’ll jump on this one. From Wikipedia, Wahoo comes from the Dakota word ‘Wghu’ (with a little symbol over the g) which means ‘arrow wood’. There’s also a shrub called the Eastern Wahoo.
there’s also Wahoo McDaniels.
Hope they can find a couple of old tires that hold air to put on it so someone won’t have to struggle so much to load it on a flatbed or trailer. It is worth fixing guys? lets hear the comments.
The only way this thing would even be worth messing with is if it were a fuel injection car. 2k would be top money to me just to get some trim and a few parts. I know of a rust free 57 2dht Belair with new paint and a good running drivetrain for only 23k. You couldn’t even begin work on this turd for that much. Ebay fever bidders.
It’s not eBay fever, it’s gullible bidders that believe the story rather than their eyes. That happens all the time, too many people don’t have a lick of common sense, they will believe what a stranger tells them rather than what’s staring them in the face.
Steve R
This is another Fred Flintstone car. But a 57 Chev being a 57 Chev, even this one will go for $$. My favorite 57 Chebby is the 3-door wagon.
I can smell that interior right through the photo’s!
I’m afraid this Bel air has been dragged from the bush to this warehouse, without any wheel on the front hub, nor putting air in the back tires. If so, I wonder what the undercarriage of this car looks like now…
On some pics, one can see a wheel on the front hub, passenger side, but then the car looks tilted, like there is no wheel on the other side…actually, the more I think of it, it seems like the seller doesn’t have the 4 wheels, he uses the 2 or 3 wheels he has left and put them on different hubs , for the pics.
SMH There was a time when these were little more than used cars. When I was 14 I bartered a Saturday’s worth of yard work for a neighbor’s ten year old 1957 150 sedan. The car was free of options and my time was worth about $10. I sold it within a week for $25. A bidness genius huh?
I don’t see this car being worth opening bid of $4k. The seller should be extremely pleased to have someone pay $8k to haul this not-even-a-parts-car away.
Believe this was a 6-cylinder car when new, a little bit of an odd-duck though I don’t think I have ever seen a 57 2dr HT Bel-Air with a 6! I had a 210 2dr HT with a 6 back in the late 70’s/early 80’s and seen plenty of those, sold it when it was a 500 dollar car :-/
The “tells” are the BelAir emblem above the hood vee (a V-8 would have “Chevrolet” script in gold) and the cut radiator support (V8’s had radiator behind the support and no cut.)
The VIN starts with VC which indicates a V-8
The seller states the original hood was stolen so the hood pictured is from a ’58. Probably was a low budget 6 cyl ’58.? I see next to this old girl is a ’59 4dr Impala, even though not a hardtop that might be a better investment than this overpriced parts car. Sad to see this one nice old Bel Air just wasted away the past several decades.
Wish the new owner good luck in any attempt to restore this.
From ashes to ashes! Amen!
This is a joke, right?