The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air has been a staple of the classic car scene for decades. That is a trend that doesn’t appear to be set to change anytime soon. Therefore, when one hits the market and is offered for sale with No Reserve, it generates its share interest. That is the case with our feature car. It has already attracted an impressive forty-four bids since the owner listed it for sale here on eBay. This classic runs and drives and could make a fantastic restoration project that the buyer could tackle at their leisure. The Bel Air is located in Orange, California, and all of that bidding action has pushed the price to $10,300. With time left on the auction and the No Reserve status, I suspect a few more bids will be submitted before the hammer falls.
Chevrolet laid some attractive color combinations on the gorgeous panels of the ’57 Bel Air. For my money, one of the best was Surf Green and India Ivory. That is what we find gracing the flanks of this Bel Air, and it makes a positive first impression. The paint shows its age slightly, but it still holds a pretty respectable shine. It has accumulated a few minor marks and imperfections, but I can see no reason why the new owner couldn’t drive the car untouched as an original survivor. The panels look fairly straight for a classic of this age, but the big news seems to revolve around the subject of rust. It looks like there might be some present in the passenger side rear door, but most of the lower extremities look clean. The seller doesn’t mention any problems in his listing, but an in-person inspection should confirm that the frame and floors are structurally sound. The external trim is acceptable for a survivor-grade car, while the glass is in good order. We will have some enthusiasts who will not like this car’s four-door configuration, but from a practical perspective, it makes this Bel Air the perfect classic for an enthusiast with a young family.
The seller believes that this Bel Air’s drivetrain is original. Decoding the VIN reveals that it rolled off the production line in Kansas City, Missouri, equipped with a V8. It isn’t clear whether this is a 265ci or 283ci, but we know a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission backs it. I admit that I am flying blind on the question of this engine, so hopefully, one of our knowledgeable Barn Finds readers will be able to clarify its capacity for me. The positive news is that the seller has test-driven this classic, and it runs and drives well. That suggests that it may be a turnkey proposition for the next owner. It also raises the possibility that the buyer could drive the car untouched and undertake any restoration work at their leisure. For an enthusiast searching for instant gratification, that has to make this Bel Air an attractive proposition.
When we examine this Bel Air’s interior, evidence suggests that a previous owner has performed some restoration work. It would undoubtedly benefit from a repeat performance because the upholstery now shows its age. The covers on the seats are not original, and the visible splits reveal another combination hidden beneath. If I were to undertake the restoration of this interior, I would be very tempted to select Trim Code 513 Turquoise & Ivory. With the existing exterior paint combination, this would compliment it perfectly. That’s a matter of personal preference, and your tastes may be entirely different from mine. It is worth noting that while a complete re-trim would cost around $2,200, it also represents a one-off expense in a restoration of this type. If the new interior is treated with respect, there is no reason why it couldn’t last for many decades.
We’ve seen some pretty good project cars come across our desks over the years here at Barn Finds, but this 1957 Bel Air looks like it could be an absolute beauty. It appears that its rust problems are either minimal or nonexistent, while its panels are impressively straight. With a healthy V8 under the hood, it is easy to see why it has generated such interest since the owner listed it for sale. If you have been searching for a classic Bel Air, this auction could be one to watch. With No Reserve in play, there’s the chance that somebody could score themselves a bargain. Is that enough to tempt you to make a play for this classic?
A very attractive car in and out. The Surf Green and India Ivory colors really look good on a ’57 Chevy no matter how many doors it has. Overall, it looks like it needs little to drive and enjoy as-is. I had a ’57 210 Chevy four door for a few years and it was a very nice car in excellent shape. With a 283, Powerglide and power steering it was a very enjoyable cruiser. It was painted a non-original color, chartreuse and black, but it suited the car well and attracted its fair share of attention.
Nice car. I prefer a stick and 2 less doors but this is affordable.
Sorry folks, needs a radio to make it complete. Maybe one of
those AM/FM/syrius units that look exactly like the stock unit.
That way, you could play ’50s and ’60s music while you drive it
down the road. I’d would really like to have this car to take my
MIL on a long road trip. Mom had a Bel Air back in the day and
now that she has end stage dementia, that trip would be even
more meaningful. I’d want to do that while she can still remember it.
While in OKC in the ’80s we located a rust free ’57 4 door for friends in California that needed some bodywork, paint, and some mild interior work. White over dust pearl metallic with V8 and auto trans and a tube type garage door opener. The 90 year old lady original owner said it seemed her garage door was getting narrower and she needed a smaller car. It came out a beautiful car which they flew in and drove back to California to a life of cruises and car shows. This car fits that bill nicely.
Beautiful looking car. My favourite years for the Bel Air are the 1956 and 1957. My favourite body styles are the 4 door sedan and the station wagon. My engine of choice would be the 6 cyl. Inline engine. Given its condition, I’d pay around the $10,000 asking price.
Well, I owned a ’56 4 door, and to me, the least attractive body style GM produced in those years. But, like with people, it is what inside that really counts, and the ’55 – ’57’s were, for the day, great cars. Much better than the Chevy’s that preceeded them, and much better than the years that folllowed with real build defects from sloppy assembly line work. Put a dual master cylinder and radial tires on them and drive.
IIRC the 265 was only available with a stick shift.
The turq interior would clash with the green paint. The original dark metallic green vinyl and dark green cloth w/metallic threads would complement the exterior perfectly.
It’s official: I have now seen every Tri-five Chevy in existence, twice.