It looks like a Nomad but it’s not! Nevertheless, any two-door station wagon from the ’50s is going to garner attention (and being pink certainly helps in the look-at-me department). So, since we’re looking, let’s look closer at this 1957 Chevrolet Handyman station wagon. It is located in Redford, Michigan and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of  $4,650, reserve not yet met.

Now, right out of the gate, this Handyman is wearing Bel Air trim and the seller advises as much. For ’57 Chevrolet station wagons were offered in a two-door Nomad; four-door Bel Air “Townsman”; the two-door Two-Ten “Handyman”; the four-door Two-Ten “Beauville” and “Townsman” (nine vs. six-passenger) and the two-door One-Fifty “Handyman”. Based on the stainless trim at the bottom of the side windows, I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that this Chevy is a Two-Ten Handyman. There is a VIN listed but it’s not in a correct ’57 Chevrolet VIN format.

Besides the obvious with the Bel Air switcheroo, the repaint is not particularly presentable. It’s faded in places and the body of this Handyman has some rust that it needs to handle, notably around the windshield and in the spare tire well. Apparently, rust had its way with this Chevy as the seller advises, “The Floors needs to be replaced – but they have been patched up with road signs and other various sheet metals that do comprise a pretty solid floor, so technically it does have a floor“. There are additional pieces of stainless trim missing, right along with both hood “rockets”. There are a few included images of the frame, and from what can be seen, it checks out OK. That’s a curious choice of wheels that have been installed…

Power comes about from a 283 CI V8 engine that is fed via a later model Quadrajet carburetor. The 283 powerplant, new for ’57, came in a variety of horsepower ratings from 185 all the way to 283. If this is the original engine, I would assume that it is either a 185 or a 220 HP version. Apparently, all is not well as the seller advises, “Engine starts/runs The carb is clogged right now so it won’t stay running. The engine smokes so I suspect it is leaking oil around the rings so an engine replacement may be in order“.  A Powerglide two-speed automatic is in place but it sounds as if this Chevy was manually shifted at one time as the seller notes, “It has a 3rd pedal for a manual clutch installed in the car. (it is unused)“. While it doesn’t go, it does stop as a result of new front brake drums and a master cylinder.

The interior has a lot going on and the seller adds, “I have the front bench seat, it’s worn out. I don’t have the rear bench seat bottom – but the rear top is still in the car – folded down“. The newish-looking carpet is covering the highway department’s missing signage, the door cards are missing and so are some of the dash components. It’s a fairly rough environment and will take some effort, and expense, to return to functionality.

Two-door station wagons from this era are a hot topic and always popular. The promotion to a Bel Air is not that unusual as trim swaps, as such, are pretty commonplace on a ’57. It seems that the biggest challenge with this car, besides the floor debacle and non-running engine matter, is to undo some of what’s been done and then start over. Nevertheless, this Handyman will prove to be pretty handy as a hot rod project, wouldn’t you agree?