Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

One Owner 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

The seller of this 1957 Chevy claims that it has only had one owner since new. That’s impressive considering that this car is approaching 60 years old. I could be wrong, but I’m guessing the seller is counting himself as an owner. Anyway, this does look like a good project for someone wanting to restore one of America’s most iconic cars. It’s located in Pleasanton, California and is listed here on eBay with no reserve. How high will it go?

Chevrolet V8

That 283 V8 is claimed to have ran perfectly when parked 20 years ago. I could be wrong, but that looks like a new battery down there, so let’s hope the seller didn’t damage anything with a dry start attempt. This was a well-optioned car with power steering, brakes, and front seat. It would have been pretty handsome too with the silver over black and red color scheme.

Back Seat

There’s some rust to deal with, but what’s left of the paint is claimed to be original. Everything is still going to need restored, but it’s a whole heck of a lot easier to start with something that hasn’t been messed with before. Unfortunately, the photos don’t give us a full picture of what we would be getting, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped anybody from bidding. It should be interesting to see what this one ultimately goes for.

Comments

  1. Avatar Blueprint

    $14k after 56 bids. Flipper’s trailer has more rust than this classic!

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Glen

    For the fun of it, I feel like emailing him! Atleast he thinks it should be restored and isn’t suggesting resto-mod.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Tom Member

    Classic for sure and in solid but far from great condition. It should be restored. only problem is you can buy this car done for 25K – 30K in really good condition and drive it to the cruise night. Spend from $35K anywhere up to 65K in #1 show condition. http://www.carsonline.com. the advantage here is to build one exactly the way you want it. I personally cant see the bidding tgo much higher but we always see people with more cash than brains. This car is a minimum $30K resto, minimum probably more like $50K or much more to do every inch do it right with a lot of your own labor in on it.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Ralph Terhune

    I’m pretty sure the front seat in these cars were standard equipment. I just don’t see them as being an option, IMHO.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      Power front seats were?

      Like 0
    • Avatar Chuck

      It will always cost more to restore than you estimate, if you have high standards. And a car like this needs to be held to high standards…

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Jaymes

    At least it’s a post car!

    Like 1
    • Avatar Jon H

      Where do you see a post?
      It’s a hard top…

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Texas Tea

    I usually lose interest when I see a zero feedback seller. Just my opinion…………….., but who knows. Maybe legit.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar William H

    The ’57 Chevy is definitely one of my bucket list cars. From the time I was a wee lad, around 4 or 5, I said that I wanted a ’57 Chevy in Burnt Orange with wides and skinnies. You can ask my 70+ year old mother, forgive me mum for revealing your age, what her son wanted and she could recite it by heart. I’ve really not strayed far from that adolescent dream and wouldn’t pause to turn this car into my dream car of 2nd grade automotive mind. I can still picture what it is that I want some 50 years later.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar bowtiecarguy

    I’m with Texas Tea. Zero feedback, serial number 0001? No pictures of the whole car. If it seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. I’d be verrrrrry careful.

    @Jaymes It appears to be a 2 dr hardtop convertible, not a post (sedan)

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Wayne

    Hardtop convertible? Mmmmm.

    Like 0
    • Avatar scooter8

      had one! let it get away,spaghetti tree merchant bought it.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Old geezer

    I have had 6 Chevys, both hardtops and sedans. They are very popular and hold their value very well. every part is available including complete new bodies. Although popular, they are rarely worth restoring unless some rare options like fuel injection, dual quads or convertibles. The cost are the same, but a #1 hardtop can be bought for 40-45k. great drivers 20-25k.
    they are fun, iconic collectibles that are easily customizable. In original form, they don’t ride that well compared to Buicks or other gm models of the same era.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar bowtiecarguy

    @ Wayne
    Bel Air 2 dr models were offered as a “post” with cloth seats and felt headliner and a post between the front and back windows, and “hardtop convertible” with the same vinyl and cloth seats as the convertible and a vinyl headliner that had chrome strips (similar to but not the same as the chrome headliner treatment of the Nomad). With all 4 windows down and no post between the front and back windows, it resembled a convertible with the top up; hence the name.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Peter R

    sold for $19k – and yes the power seats were a rare option in ’57

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Wayne

    I can’t find “hardtop convertible” listed anywhere in the 1957 sales brouchers. It would be an oxymoron.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar charlie Member

    When Chevy decided it needed a hardtop convertible (2 door, no post) in ’51 they took the ’49 – ’52 convertible body and put a hard top on it. It was heavy, due to the extra framing underneath, and the heavy top on top, a girl friend had one, with PowerGlide, and it was SLOW. But, alas, never left us stranded, despite my hopes of an overnight in a motel somewhere. I don’t know about the ’53 – ’54’s but the 55’s and beyond were their own thing underneath.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Ron Engel

    Looks like new hoses plus new fuel line and filter. Probably gave up trying to start it. Didn’t bother taking it off the trailer from his purchase!

    Like 0
  16. Avatar John P

    …sold for $19k?? Then relisted and ended at $1k???

    Like 0
  17. Avatar charlie Member

    the fake inside bid, either time? Happens in commercial real estate, owner puts on a fake mortgage to an entity owner owns, seems to justify a high price, then puts it on the market. Or sells it to himself via an entity he owns, at a high price, which is fake, then puts it on the market. Easier with cars, since you don’t have to record the title to transfer it until you want to register it, and, in some states, like NH, most of the cars we are concerned with no longer need to be titled – the state will issue a title if you want one.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Prowler

    Grandpa taught me to drive in his….12 years old
    210 sedan…6 cylinder…3 on the tree
    I remember I thought it was so cool you could start it without the key if the switch was in the right spot

    Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.