The word “legend” is probably overused in the classic car world, but it is a tag that the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air deserves. This has remained a firm favorite for decades, and it’s a trend that isn’t set to change any time soon. This 1957 Bel Air is a part-finished project. It has no immediate physical needs, but its next owner might choose to complete the job to the standard that it deserves. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, you will find the Bel Air listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding sits at $8,000, but this hasn’t reached the reserve. There is a BIN of $12,000, and it appears that anyone who hits that button will be getting a lot for their money.
The Bel Air wears its original paint in the combination of Matador Red and India Ivory. The paint shows its age now, but if the next owner wanted to leave it untouched, that would be a fair call. However, you would have to think that it would look stunning if it received a cosmetic refresh. Before that happens, there are some dings and dents that would need to be addressed. Most of these could be tackled in a home workshop, although some on the inner edge of the rear fins might require specialist attention. Rust issues are surprisingly minor, although a small spot in the frame should be fixed before it can deteriorate any further. There are some small spots in the bottoms of the doors, along with some in the driver’s side front floor. None of these are severe and could be tackled as time and circumstances allow. Since these photos were taken, all of the trim and chrome has been refitted. It is all in good condition, with the bumpers only being around a year old. The glass looks good, while the chrome wheels suggest that there might be a bit more to this classic than meets the eye.
If you walked into your Chevy dealership in 1957 with plenty of cash in your pocket, you could drive away in a Bel Air with a 283ci V8 under the hood that produced a neat 283hp. This one offers a bit more than that for its next owner. It has received an LS1 transplant from a 2002 Camaro, and this 5.7-liter beauty should be pumping out at least 305hp. Bolted to this is a 4L60E automatic transmission, while common sense has dictated that the Bel Air now wears power front disc brakes. This hasn’t been a conversion where corners have been cut. A new EFI fuel tank has been fitted, while an aluminum radiator should keep things cool. New shocks will help keep the Chevy in contact with Planet Earth, while the bigger wheels and tires should help send the power successfully to the road. There are a few details that will need to be completed. Chief among these is the exhaust, which currently ends just behind the catalytic convertors. The owner says that a system will need to be built to the back of the car, but most exhaust places should be able to do this. The car’s mechanical health sounds like it is good, with the owner stating that he would have no hesitation in slipping behind the wheel right now and driving the Chevy anywhere.
Given the mechanical changes that the Bel Air has received, the interior remains remarkably original. The upholstery is a combination of Red vinyl and Black cloth. The seats look good, while the front door trims are starting to show their age in spots. However, it is all serviceable. If the buyer wanted to retain the “survivor” look, it could be left untouched. The painted surfaces look good, so a new pair of front door trims, a carpet set, and some attention to minor details should have the interior sparkling.
If the next owner wanted to leave this 1957 Bel Air cosmetically untouched, I could understand it. While it would attract plenty of attention if returned to its former glory, it would draw just as much as it currently stands. If you bought it and lobbed at the nearest Cars & Coffee, there is no doubt that it would attract a crowd. There’s also no doubt that the crowd would grow enormously the moment that you popped the hood. I said initially that this is a classic that offered a lot for the BIN price, and I stand by that. For me, the big question would be whether to treat it to a refresh or to leave well-enough alone. I can’t decide. What would you do, and does the BIN tempt you to pursue this one further?
Even though ’57 Chevies are a dime-a-dozen, the 4-door hardtop is a cool and unusual choice for a build. To make it stand out even more, what about a luxury hot-rod direction? The roof already looks like a Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, so lean into that by painting it silver and making the rest of the car black or a very dark blue. Throw some subtle wheels on, re-do the interior, and you would have something really classy.
Cosmetically I wouldn’t touch it. Clean up the interior, add vintage air and drive it ’til the wheels come off. That guy did it right.
Everything you said Jim except for adding ac. Open the windows!
Nothin like an old 4 door hardtop. This thing is perfect.
Four door? Are you guys serious? We used to make fun of anyone who was driving “Grandma’s car”.
Yes, and we used to be 12, too.
I agree that car is a sled . No More Four Door !
Today, still single at 66, i laff at anybody single driving a 4 door, trying to look “cool”. I’d rather walk than drive or even get IN one, let alone own & maintain one. I just shake my head at all the peeling clearcoat i see(lack of waxing by owners who couldn’t care less – on the phone day & nite) & faded exterior plastic & way too ugly designed/later to become yellowed cloudy scratched plastic headlite covers – & these were approved by the same people who took decades to allow RECTANGULAR non clouding sealed beams?!
I still can’t beLIEVE u know who REFUSES to make a 2 door WRX, much less lower the roof – after all these years?!
& i still can not beLIEVE there has not been an entry level 2 door Chevy since 2010!! WTH
Imagine if that was the case in the 60’s or 70s!
Prior to 1977(thanks Seville & Versailles), EVERY SINGLE American car came as a 2 door, & maybe also a 4 door.
ITS a four door hardtop, not Grandma’s car!
I see this car in a Scandinavian Car show painted Candy Apple red in a year or two.
Perfect “Street outlaw” material. I’d love to bury that gas pedal and smoke the tires a time or two.
I know the owner on this one and he’s a really stand up guy, I’m sure whom ever gets this car will be happy with what they get. Reasonable price too.
That’s my car!! Thanks for the write up!
Beautiful car the way it is!
I agree with you entirely J Paul. But I’m
leaning more towards a Velvet Touch
Maroon or an Autumn Red. Both would
go with that Ivory top quite nicely. As
for the rims, I’d go with some Tru-Spoke
wire units wrapped inside some Vogue
WSW tires. Now that’s class! Might
even hang a connie kit out back for good
measure. Add some Vintage Air and a
Syrius satellite stereo system and call it
done. THEN drive it til the tires come off!
You are right Joe. I’m (only?) 52, but I know my history and have done a lot of reading on Kustoms from the 50s and 60s, VERY FEW famous custom 4 doors were built. Just looks wrong, proportion-wise, in my opinion. And the whole “patina” thing; no it’s NEGLECT. The paint is 60 years old, and shows it. REPAINT THE DAMN THING. If you can’t afford it, don’t make excuses, just admit it. “Patina”, ratrods, rusty cars, it’s all a product of youngsters who weren’t there “back in the day” and don’t care to research the history. I was a car nut WAY before I started driving nearly 40 years ago, and nobody but NOBODY thought rusty more-doors were cool. To each his own I guess.
I don’t know, Richard … I’m 69 and have been a redneck car junky all my life … but, having been on the internet since it started, I’ve seen a lot of posts on just about every venue there is, and I’ve never seen old codgers like us use the kind of verbage like “Joe” … it’s kids’ typing,- “u,” using oddly-placed caps, even for emphasis … we oldsters tend to be more grammatically correct … that posts reeks of a millenial who couldn’t tell a hardtop from a sedan trying to be “cool” … just my 57¢ worth – adjusted for inflation …
02 LS1 puts out 325 hp .
I’m 62, and I concur with every comment posted. And I know um a living contradiction. But, idunno, it’s there. Leave it alone. Lower it. Make a luxury cruiser. This car could pull all that off. I wouldn’t make a quarter mile car outta it. But it’s much better than say 1970, four door Nova.
Has a good look even with the 4 doors. Looks like the rear drivers fin took a hard hit with the ripples and weird gaps on the rear quarter. Definitely worth fixing if the underside rockers are ok…
LEAVE IT LOOKING LIKE A 57 CHEVY.. Paint it Spruce up the iconic Chevrolet interior that we remember. Find some wheels that are a little bit dressy or not quite so drag racer
Personally I prefer the looked the 4 door HARDTOP over the 2 door, which to my eye looks like a shorty. But we all have our own vision of what looks good. The hardtop is lower and longer and the changes to the swoosh and beltline really makes it special. What is amazing is that the 57 can look in proportion at all with more or less doors!
I think this one is all the money at $8500.00 and that is with the LS. Beater 4 doors are common and cheap. Unless you like the look of a beater, the cost of any repairs will far exceed buying a nice one and putting in a LS if wanted. Just because the car is inexpensive doesn’t change the price of parts or labor. And on 57’s there is no such thing as a “little” rust. The “little” is just what is showing. I do agree that driving one like this, especially in these colors will definitely get a ton of attention. More than a restored one, because that is what many of us drove and the patina makes it approachable. The photos a very good and really flatter this car. Best of luck to the seller, drivers like this are what make the hobby great.
I’m 76 and had a black ’57 Bel Air 2-door post, 283-270 hp 3-speed. That ’57 has way too many doors and regardless of the engine swap is still grandma’s beater.
I love I think just the way it is. Especially the rippled rear fender. Congrats DPowell on a great build. Hot rodding at its best in my book. The 4doors are so all your pals can pile in and you can all go hang out.
Why waste money on pretty when you can swap in a power plant like that and have some fun. And those wheels just work.
My kind of low buck build.
Thank you sir, I appreciate it. The whole point was to build a low buck drivable car that has lots of power and on top of that gets great milage. It’s funny at crusins and car shows it upsets the restored tri-five owners when people flock to look at this “barn find ” car and ignore the restored one sitting right next to mine. Funny the wheels are just chrome gm rally wheels that are put on a ton of tri-fives. Im just not running the center caps. Funny thing is look at what other non hardtop 4 doors are selling for …they are bringing stupid money , not 2 door stupid money but still stupid money. Now try and find a 4 door hardtop… Look at some of today’s cars the Hellcat Charger is a 4 door. I look at it this way, I just have an option the 2 door cars don’t😁 With that LS in it, there would be a lot of 2 door guys crying when all they would see in a race is my tail lights getting smaller and smaller😂 Have fun and get out there and build some cars!!
Yup. Have fun and get out there and build some cars!