How often do you have the opportunity to purchase a 61 year old car from the original owner? Well this is one of those miraculous stories where a desirable car survived, time, the elements, and the hot rod and chop era. This ’57 Bel Air spent 25 years on the road and has spent the last 36 years stored in a garage. Considered to be quite original, the only thing that takes away from this Chevy’s survivor status is that it was repainted in the 1970’s. Like a dream come true, this un-restored ’57 Chevy is offered for $26,500. Check it out here on craigslist out of Tampa, Florida. Thanks are in order to reader Patrick S for this mind blowing find!
For 36 years the engine has gone untouched, and I can certainly believe that claim from the dried up old battery. Packing a 283 V8, one very nice feature that this Chevy has is an under dash air conditioning unit! Although relatively complete, I would hope that the engine could be revived but part of me questions why such a great looking car was parked to begin with? There is a fair amount of corrosion on the engine parts, as the Florida salt air isn’t too friendly to metal in general. There is no word on the condition of the engine, but hopefully the salt air didn’t get to the piston rings and cylinder bores.
Taking a look inside you see exactly what you were hoping for, a nice interior that makes this Bel Air even sweeter. There are a few discolored items in the interior but overall I can’t complain about the condition. I see no rampant damage, and really this interior could be enjoyed as is.
What can be said about a solid condition red ’57 Chevy? Appearing incredibly solid, this two door seems like it would only need mechanical work to hit the streets once again. I see no rust or rot from the provided images, and the only real issue I see is a dangling driver side exhaust. I dare say that the paint would polish up nice enough, and really this classic is in fine enough condition to be enjoyed and maintained as is. Is this one owner ’57 Bel Air the car of your dreams?
Dear Santa,
I’ve been very good all year. Won’t you please put that in my Christmas stocking and I promise I’ll never, ever be a bad boy again.
Please?!
Pricey but try to find another 1 owner Florida driven unit like it…..
Nice find.
The only way this would be a sweeter deal is if it had a manual transmission!
Like a beautiful woman, I wouldn’t kick her out for eating crackers in bed.
But if it was a manual it would be a three on the tree, no 55-57 Bel airs,150 or 210’s came with a floor shift or 4 in the floor,2 speed powerglude automatic column shift or 3 speed manual column shift only
Late in 1957 Turboglide became an second automatic transmission option.
Wow, Your so smart. But you left out Turboglide.
Also they came column shift 3 speed with overdrive
Etta boy Dave you tell him
I’m really surprised it survived that long in the Florida salt air without any real rust issues.
On the Atlantic side next to the coast it’s bad because of the wave action. On the gulf side no worries, waves are generally small unless you live next to the coast during high tide. Then the roads have salt water on them. Everywhere else it’s rain and humidity.
Pretty sweet! Is one repaint considered ‘un-restored’ ? Crazy cool, but for $26,500 they can keep it. If they bought it at 16 they would be 73 today, perhaps. Not for me for that kind of cabbage.
If the owner bought it new at 16, he or she would be 77 or 78 today.
How time flies!
16 yr old buying [or receiving] a new car in 1957? That was a very well off family. Impressive that he/she was able to hold on to the car all this time. When I was 16 all I got was to use mom’s car for school
This one needs a lot of work to make it nice. The asking price and about 30K will get you in the ball park. It’s very complete but, much of that will have to be replaced. IE: it has bumpers but, they’ll need rechromed or replaced with new ones so the expense is there even though you get bumpers.
Where does the 3rd fender skirt go? Not a bad a car, I assuming it will go for less but I wouldn’t mind bringing her back to life.
What would make this 57 desirable is if there is build sheet and other documents accompanying the car at point of sale that tells a story for this belair!
How much salt is in the air depends on what part of FL it was stored in. From the looks of this one, it definitely wasn’t on either coast. This looks amazing, but way overpriced unless it’s a power pack equipped car, and there’s no indication that it is.
26 k plus tires ,exhaust ,breaks,hoses etc, battery ,chrome ,ton of rubbing compound & wax.. No Thanks
Maybe a good price for condition….freshen up and drive !
I bet the original owner would be more than happy to fill in all the details on the history of this ’57 Chevrolet hardtop he purchased new. I must be in the minority, but I think this is a very fair price in spite of the exhaust system and other work it needs.
If you are going to claim to be the original owner of a 1957 Chevy, publish pictures of the original sales documents to prove it, especially with that hanging exhaust.
Unless you live on the beach, rust is never an issue down here…and the sandy conditions down here keep the under side of the cars very clean…Tampa is no where near the beach so this car should be as described…very nice find!
With 133K on the engine and trans and not being run for 35 years, you’re probably looking at rebuilding both. The A/C unit will need to be rebuilt also. You’ll need to freshen up and/or upgrade the whole brake system, add a new exhaust system and new tires. Then there are always the little odds and ends inside and out that you will probably find with a 60+ year old car that will need attention. Then a lot of polishing and deep cleaning to see if you can live with the paint, chrome and interior.
I’d leave it as-found as much as possible as a mostly original one owner car would be a real treat for most car buffs to see. The price? Maybe it’s on the high side, maybe when you consider that it appears to be a solid car that is all original except for an old repaint, it’s actually a fair price. It is a two door hard top and it has a V8 and, best of all, it’s a ’57 Chevy.
It was parked because it was worn out! I know a fellow who still owns his 59 bel air and his 64 galaxie 500 he bought new. He parked them both for that reason. After the 2nd engine rebuild at 120k miles, the thrill was gone.
Although I can appreciate an all original car it’s not for me personally. If it where mine I’d swap the white painted area for black, go to disc brakes (at least up front) and an electronic spark box AT LEAST. Have never messed with one but I like the idea of a bolt on fuel injection unit as well, for driveability/dependability sake.
Piston ring technology has progressed in a big way since 57 this one needs a rebuild at minimum! Decent looking car and if not to close to the gulf/ocean the body could be nice! Good luck with the sale!
This is what looks like a very good car to start with, although it is a 70′-90’so repaint ,so maybe the bodywork was pretty good at the time.lf someone buys this car they need to use a bodies man magnetic to check this out for bondo ,and other types of body filler.Maybe it’s not as good, and as solid as it seems. I can see paying $1500.00- $7500.00 ,maybe more depending on the on body, and if repairs, can be found.
that magnet trick is a hoax, it will stick through a 1/2 inch of bondo. I know ive had a restoration shop for 35 years. if you know cars you will know with in 1 min of looking at it !
You are using too strong of a magnet.
$1500? For a 57 Bel Air 2dr hdtp? I’ll take 5.
Paint gauge and a floor jack , inspect in person . If it’s a solid car it’s worth it . I’d pull the motor and transmission and store them for posterity .Clean it up and LS3 , 4L80 swap and go . Hell 406 small block and Turbo 400 and go , cheaper .
These cars are the cream of the crop for cars from the 50’s the only thing better would be a drop top. The price seems like a lot but consider you might buy one fully restored for three times that amount you could probably put this one on the road for another grand or two then it’s not all that bad. I bought a white with red interior Version for $200 back in 68. Not bad inflation. I ended up selling it for $50 after it died on freeway and had to be dragged back home.
just sold my 57 bel air in pristine condition, the most I got for it was 22,000 It needed nothing.
Picture?
This IS a nice car and will need stem to stern servicing and overhaul but could be done to preserve the patina which is where the marke is right now.
But last weekend at the Portland swap meet (2 venues and over 5000 vendor booths) there was a LOT of these mid 50s chevys,, I lost count, Both at PIR & Expo and varied from Pristine original to Restomod show cars to all kinds of projects and a few race cars. I have a pix on my phone but at PIR there was some custom golf carts roaming the facility and one was done up as a teal & cream Tri 5 Chevy of this type.
Having ridden in a few that were stock, they drive and handle like a 1950s IH School bus and a Sherman tank. Have always liked the looks but it would be a restomod for me.
CL in Oregon has a ton of them, most are 35-50K
but here is a 58 Post for $600
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/pts/d/1958-chevy-bel-air-2dr-post/6546300646.html
I had one in the 70,s drove like a Truck. Had 348 v8. 2 Speed automatic. And 440 Air 4 Windows at 40 mph.. C U. Happy Motoring..
348 didn’t come out till ’58, you don’t know your cars very well.
348 didn’t come out until ’58. If you did an engine swap and hooked it up (348) to a Powerglide you probable tore the box out in short order.
Is that why they used powerglides in drag cars for years???
Powerglides were VERY tough transmissions.
If there were an automotive hall of fame the person who savored and salvaged this fine vehicles is deserving of someone submitting their name as a candidate.
The 57 was the most unattractive of the tri fives to me. I loved the 55. A beautiful car indeed.
I would like to have it, but if you pay 26k and add another 125k ++ to that you would have a really nice car that you could probably sell for about 60k, give or take. If I could get it for a reasonable amount, I would wash it, maybe wax it, put an LS engine in it, add disk brakes, all basic mechanicals needed to drive it safely, new wiring, add new a/c, and then drive it, everyday maybe. But that won’t happen.
looks like some one put the engine out with a fire extinguisher its all white and powdery in the picture