To me, these cars will never lose their iconic status. It was so revolutionary for its time and is still relevant today. Making three different versions in three years, this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible is the pinnacle of the Tri-Fives by GM. You can put this one in your garage for a current bid price of $40,700 with no reserve. A VIN is listed, the title is clear, and 60,000 miles is stated in the listing. You can view more here on eBay.
Residing under the hood is a 235 cubic inch inline six-cylinder engine. That is connected to an automatic transmission. The seller makes a note that while they did hook a battery to it, and lights illuminated indicating things worked, they didn’t attempt to start the engine. They do say it spins though. It seems as though they are reserving the honor of starting it for whoever is the winning bidder.
This Bel Air has been resting in a detached garage for the last 35 years. Thankfully, both the convertible top and interior are in amazing condition. According to the listing, the car used to be a show car, so it makes sense that what you see in the photos are the effects of pristine craftsmanship and care from when it was restored. The seller said all they did was air up the tires and roll it out into the yard for photos.
While the bubble for these cars is somewhat over now, they can still command a hefty price. This one will not take much to be show worthy again. While there is no mention of it being all original, the not as popular engine would suggest that it is. It might not command as high of a price, but to 90 percent of the people that will see this car on the road, it isn’t what is under the hood, it is all about how cool it looks.
Just wow–nice as can be, never saw one with a six- might be tempted to keep it but the 235 and pg wont be a world beater. refreshing to see on in this condition, seems unmolested. Check for ironworms under neath. Do you guys think he will get 60 large for it? rare this nice. Good luck to the new owner.
Cheers
GPC
235/PG would be lucky to beat a school bus let alone the world.
Nice car regardless.
Weird that it is the 6 but has the V on the trucnk and no Chevrolet on the hood. If rust free and not full of Bondo, its a steal at 40k i would think, if it doesn’t go too much higher.
Boy, do I need this car! My niece put me
on POF and I need something that doesn’t make me look like an old fogey.
While this car would help me do that, my
family Guy side tells me that I could do a
lot with $40K like fix the central air unit
or put Mom in a dependable minivan.
Or, I could.just buy that Mustang ragtop
in Minnesota for $17K, fix the A/C, and
forget about the minivan. Decisions,
decisions.
There is nothing ‘revolutionary’ about the last year of a 3-year old design, which the `57 Chevy was. Highly restyled, yes but nothing ‘revolutionary’. The inline 6 was decades old by `57, although Chevy did bring out the 283 V8 that year. Interior shows this car had some TLC at one time, and a fresh upholstery kit installed with carpet, hence the show car past it had. It may not need much at all to bring it back to that status, so a potential buyer no doubt sees that. I bet it’s gone by tomorrow 7/24.
It’s is truely a beautiful original car!! I would be overly tempted to put a big block V-8 in this car and some disc brakes all the way around!! The 55 was my favorite I just liked the more plane bumpers and without the fins in the back! I wouldn’t not want this one though especially with the drop top and the color combination!!!
To think in 1978 one in excellent body shape and paint that was black with black paint interior and top with three speed on tree was 2000 with a new box 350 crate to replace the 100k mile 283.
That then was a project car due to old engine .
Hey Dave, are you any relation to my old Algebra teacher, Walden Wren?
Indeed, “revolutionary” is hardly the word for the ’57 Chevy. OK, yeah, I get it, people like it, and I like it too. But check out the ’57 Chryslers, and you see that Virgil Exner and company were out ahead of the pack in styling and perfomance.
The 57 Chryslers look long and sleek compared to the tall and boxy Chevy. Chevy scrambled for 58, but it’s an ugly duckling, and the quad headlights didn’t help it’s look, or most other cars in 58. It took GM till ’59 to get the new look right, and man they sure nailed it. GMs designs were the best through the 60s in my opinion. But all the US makes had good designs then.
GM made some very nice cars in the 60s all x Frame cars is cool. Caddy was top of line, but was it so Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, or? what Price consern, i think it follows like that?
im so happy for my Invicta, found on Barn Find. Maybe i shut send a update, now ist 99% Ready for inspection. love to start my morning with a Cup of coffee, a cigaret, and Barn Find. love it all. thanks guys..
Revolutionary was the amazing combination of designed that incorporated the Jet age, Hollywood, organic styling shapes and somehow made them work together. Driving one is something special, with the aiming fin directing you down the road, and the tail fin showing you where you have been. But the details, like the facets on the aiming fin reflecting the color of the hood, or the jet intake screen around the headlights, those are only appreciated the longer you own and drive one of these. The 283/3 speed is a great combination, (the 235 PG on this car is going to be pretty marginal), and the overall driving position, view and vibe is difficult to describe. It must be experienced. The 57 is a great car and deserves the accolades it gets from owners. I might be interested in this beauty, but can’t see owning another convertible. The reality of the driving experience, except during a brief period of the year), isn’t as much fun as the promise. Whether it gets to 60k ( I doubt it) is going to depend on condition, and sitting for so long isnt kind to rubber and metal, so work can be expected. The Corvette steering wheel and power brakes are nice touches.
That is an Impala steering wheel not Corvette, It has the wrong emblems on the deck lid, looks like a bit of acne one the right quarter panel on the top adjacent to the deck lid , I remember the gold emblem and vee being for power pack 283’s, but otherwise a very nice original looking ’57 that I’d drive, right after I pulled the six and p.g. and replaced it with a 350 and a four speed, price seems a bit ambitious to me.
I agree not revolutionary at all. An old car made over too try and match Chrysler styling in 57. I personally feel the popularity of these cars are as over rated as the popularity of Dale Earnhardt and son….based on what?. It’s ofcourse nice too see any 50,s car in this condition But compared too Virgil exners forward look and the engineering at Chrysler in the late fifties these chevys are a cross between a taxi cab and a tractor.
Nice car. But six leaves me bored.
Cannot see it getting to 60 grand
IMHO popularity has a lot to say about what was “revolutionary”! All older vehicles have their good points and their not so good points. I have seen a lot of Chevy and Ford bodies reproduced-not too many Chryslers. If you are a car guy you love ‘em all!
John no revolutionary in respect too cars is about engineering and sstyling not popularity. With your theory Brittany spears was revolutionary. It is a fact the Chrysler s of this period were all new faster better handling better brakes.. advertising and propaganda make things popular that’s all.don’t know what you mean by reproducing bodies if you mean more people have been brain washed into liking a less attractive less well engineered car. I agree but that’s not revolutionary.
Dave, if their engineering was so great why aren’t there more survivors today? Have you worked on a late model Chrysler product with the starter located under the intake? Great engineering??
John the production numbers were alot lower than Chevrolet back then because a Chrysler cost much more…..you get what you pay for.And then your argument somehow changed too modern cars with a one off example of somthing. Very weak response my friend. I could respond with a million examples of stupid GM engineering gotta love those side post batteries they are still hanging on too. But what’s the point. You drive your 184 hp fuel injected 57 Chevy and I’ll drive my 390 hp 57 Chrysler without fuel injection.
Two versions of fuel injection was available in 57. 250 HP and 283 HP. No 184 HP.
IMO 57 Chevy’s are the greatest looking cars ever made. I love them and 40 Ford humpbacks but six bangers aren’t for me.
Dave you are right the Chrysler was more expensive than the Chevy; you compared an entry level car to a top of the line vehicle. Why didn’t you compare to a Cadillac? My friend you missed my original point, I was stating that true car guys like all sorts of cars then you bring Brittany Spears and “brain washing” into the mix. I like Chryslers and a large variety of vehicles and meant no offense!!
No offence taken John. I do like alot of different cars but my least favorite of America’s cars are GM products because after restoring in excess of 150 cars I feel they are just not engineered as well as others. Definitely not in the fifties. I just don’t get a 57 Chevy over a 57 Chrysler But too each his own. Thats. what makes the world go around