Rusty Icon: 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

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The ’57 Bel Air is a true American icon and every time we find one parked in an old barn, it grabs our attention, no matter the condition. This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air has been parked in this old barn for the past 30 years and is in need of a complete restoration to get it back on the road. The car is located in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina and has been listed here on eBay.

This icon needs a comprehensive restoration inside and out. The interior hasn’t stood the test of time well and most of it will need to be replaced. The floors are suffering from some serious rust issues and while the seller claims they will just need patches, it looks like they will need to be replaced. Thankfully the hard to find parts are still with the car and everything else can be found easily.

Currently, there is a 283 cui V8 sitting in the engine bay, but the seller doesn’t state whether this is the original engine or not. Given the amount of rust, there is a good chance it is seized up. We would want to check to see if this is the matching numbers engine and if it turns before we put out any money. It appears this engine is the 245 hp four barrel and it is mounted to a three speed manual.

This icon is in need of serious attention, but we are sure there is someone out there that would love to take on this project. We can’t help but wonder what else is parked in this barn. Can anyone name the car parked in the background?

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Comments

  1. n.kroon

    car in the back looks a bit like a buick wildact ?

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  2. Craig

    This find would make a good artificial reef somewhere

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  3. Firebird 1LE

    Depending on how stupid the bidding gets, looks like a good candidate for a resto-mod. From what can be seen the car in the background looks like a ’61-64 Buick four-door.

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  4. erikj

    buick early 60s

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  5. Patrick Calhoun

    Funny looking 4 barrel….

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    • DolphinMember

      Funny looking 4 barrel is right. It’s actually a 2-barrel.

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  6. twwokc

    Think its a 62 Buick.
    Sad to see this 57 in this condition. Truly a lobor of love to bring it back to life.

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  7. paul

    Next & the Buick doesn’t look much better.

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    • paul

      the Buick looks like the plain jane lesabre 4 dr.

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  8. Charles

    Since it has the manual transmission and a small carb, if the engine is original, it could be the 265 cu in instead of the new 283 cu in

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  9. Gnrdude

    You know what’s odd is the Floors are Swiss cheese But the Exterior Sheet metal All looks to have only Minor Surface Rust. definitely would need to KNOW a Good Metal guy If you wanted to take this one On. Though It looks like most of the original stuff is there. Though 2600$ is a Little steep for a SERIOUS project Car. Of course I’ve seen worse.

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  10. Herbert

    The 57 would make a great dog house for a family of pit bulls.

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  11. RandyatBBY

    I have to agree with you Gnrdude. Good bone but it is not worth that much. I do metal work and doubt there is much worth while here.

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    • Gnrdude

      like I’ve said I’ve seen Worse ones. Though again 2600$ is steep Maybe 500-1500$ TOPS. at that you’d need 5-10K$ in Metal Work to get started on the rest.

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  12. Clay

    265s were only offered in 150s that year.

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  13. Dan

    The car in the back looks indeed like a WildCat!! The car in the foreground is in bad shape!!

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  14. Dale John Steltz

    Part it out. Not worth the effort and the money

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  15. Mr. Bill

    I’ll go with a ’62 Buick. It’s hard to tell which series from the photograph.

    Mr. Bill
    Hamlet, NC

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  16. Ron Willetts

    My eyesight isn’t what it used to be, but that’s a rochester 2 GC on there!!!

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  17. Rancho Bella

    Laddies,

    I find it interesting that most of you comment on the Buick and much less on the Chevrolet. I was thinking the same thing about the Buick.

    On the the ’57. You could buy this, you could spend a bunch of money on it…..then what? Other than old men………who buys these? Not young guys. Stick a fork in these…it’s over.

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  18. DolphinMember

    I think a better way to get into a ’57 Chev would be to source a sun-baked one from Texas or the Southwest. There are places online that specialize in selling relatively intact cars from the sun belt that make good restoration candidates because they still have most of their paint and are not like swiss cheese underneath. The paint prep will be way easier and the paint will stick better. Probably cost a bit more to buy, but for a little more $$ now you will get to driver quality or better for less $$ at the end, with much less hassle due to ru$t.

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  19. Clay

    $2,600? Go find another one for that price.I know what it costs just to straighten a body.Would have to see this one close but from a distance the panels look to have a good fit and probably it hasn’t been “.popped”.If you’re going to do a frame off you’re going to do everything right anyhow.This is a 56 year old car,remember.I used to have people come in with a 10,000 dollar daily driver and want a ground up and I had to be the one to tell them that they were already “ten in the hole” ’cause they were going to refinish or replace everythingIf you’re inclined?283/3 speed—-easy conversion to 350/4speed.
    The Buick?? 62 4dr. You like 4dr Buicks,go for it.If you’ve ever paid the cost to find let alone go after something don’t forget to add that cost in.Gas at 4 bucks a gallon,maybe two nights in a motel and hope all the time you’re away from home,you don’t have a breakdown. That’s reality.

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  20. Tricky DickieMember

    Oh BOY, not worth the bother. Maybe, just maybe if it were a two door Bel Aire hardtop or a convertible. but not this plain jane model.

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  21. T. Pat

    Call my towing company and I will give you $100.00 cash and you will have room in your barn for a real muscle car. I will need the title.

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  22. Tim Ward

    Way too steep a price at 2600 for this one. Love the guys on Texas Car Wars. They would find one in this shape for less than 1000 and flip it

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  23. Chebby

    Sadly this isn’t a car anymore, the only thing it’s good for is a rustic display in a gearhead bar or western clothing store. But it would be great for that.

    Like 0

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