The word “icon” is one that has probably suffered from overuse throughout history, but the reality is that when considering 1950s American automobiles, the ’57 Chevrolet Bel Air has rightly earned that tag. The desirability of the ’57 is not some fleeting fad, because they have remained a highly-sought classic for decades. Good examples can command some very respectable prices, and this ’57 Bel Air Station Wagon does look like a great one. It is now looking for a new home, so if a practical classic features highly on your shopping list, then you will find this beauty located in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $14,100, and I have to say that I am quite surprised that with it at that level, the reserve has been met.
The color combination of Sierra Gold and Adobe Beige always creates an attractive look on a Bel Air, and this is only further accentuated on this Wagon by the inclusion of fender skirts. The paint has developed a matte appearance, but it is still very presentable. The panels look nice and straight, and there are no signs of any rust issues. This impression is further enhanced when you look under the car, with the floors and frame looking close to perfect. The owner acknowledges that there is some deterioration in a couple of body braces, but replacements are included in the sale. Also included is a new rocker that the owner has purchased, although it doesn’t look like that will be needed anytime soon. All of the external trim and chrome is present, and while some pieces are showing some minor pitting, it all still looks quite nice. The glass is all in good condition, and the Wagon generally looks like a classic that is ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately.
Powering the Bel Air is the original 283ci V8, backed by a 2-speed Powerglide transmission. The owner states that the vehicle runs and drives well, with no signs of overheating issues. Having said that, the 283 does blow some smoke, and this is where the options open up for the next owner. They might choose to treat the engine to a rebuild, and that’s a fair call. Alternatively, the owner has managed to lay his hands on a very healthy 327 that is included in the sale. This engine is complete from the aluminum intake to the oil pan, and the owner did hear it running before it was pulled from the donor car. There is no doubt that this would provide a noticeable performance boost over the existing engine, but I guess that it comes down to a question of whether or not the next owner is interested in maintaining this vehicle’s originality. Beyond the smoking issue with the 283, the rest of the vehicle is in great working order, with everything operating as it should.
The interior of the Bel Air is said to be original, and its condition is such that it won’t need a lot of work to make it really shine. The edge trim around the door frames has become frayed and could stand to be replaced. The floor mats are looking tired, and also sport a couple of splits. Replace those two items and the interior would look very nice. The upholstery on the seats and door trims look really good, while the dash and wheel are close to perfect. The rear cargo area is showing some wear-and-tear, but at the end of the day this is a family wagon, and that is to be expected. However, if perfection is the ultimate goal for the new owner, restoring that aspect of the car shouldn’t be a big job.
For my money, this is a classic that scores well on a number of fronts. The first of these is that it is a classic station wagon and that alone ensures that it would be a popular choice amongst enthusiasts. It is also a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, and that makes it even better. The icing on the cake is its combination of condition and originality. That brings me to the question of the engine, and whether to slot in the 327, or whether to rebuild the existing 283. For me, that’s a no-brainer. I’d rebuild the 283, and use the money that I made from selling the 327 to partially fund that work. That’s what I’d do, but what about you?
Agree Adam. An original car in this good of condition should stay original. You can pump up the 283 without inciting a riot from the purists and have a little fun with it to boot. Nice car.
I agree the car should be kept original as 57 Bel Air wagons are pretty special. I’m also surprised 14K has lifted the reserve. Seems like a good buy to me.
This could be a COVID-19 related sacrifice.
Definitely keep it original, even with the controversial fender skirts as long as none of us have to change those tires anytime soon…
It’d be interesting to find out why the reserve was so low-and reasonable-for a change!
I agree as I have never understood why fender skirts were supposed to make a car look better.
Fender skirts are coooooooool,,,
I would keep it original too. Regarding the low price… COVID-19… ‘nuff said.
I had fender skirts on my 1957 Pontiac Laurentian 2 Dr HT (Sport Coupe )
They are easy to remove – – that is unless you’re in a mud puddle or are packed full of snow and the release lever is frozen – – – I always took mine off just before the first snow fall. My (Canadian Pontiac) was exactly this color combo. but of course didn’t have the matt appearance as it was only 4 years old when I bought it – – had it for 40 years – – now totally redone to the 10’s – – lives on Vancouver Island. I’d post a current picture but it isn’t mine any more so won’t even though I have a ton of pics.– I visited it at Christmas in 2019 – –
Fender skirts were very easy to remove on those old cars. It took about a minute if you were slow. My 78 New Yorker has skirts .
I can’t believe I never realized a Nomad was a two door station wagon until just now when I looked up the difference between a Bel Air station wagon and a Nomad. Learn something new every day I guess…
My gosh – – you didn’t know the difference?
Well – – a day is wasted if one didn’t learn something new.
Check out the difference between the 55 to 57 American Pontiac station wagons – – – the top end being called Safari
Canadian Pontiacs 55-57 were also called Safari but the wagons didn’t take on the length the American Pontiacs did.
I also had one all original Canadian Safari 4 dr wagon with 35.000 miles on it.
Canadian Pontiacs those three years were basically Chevys in disguise in that they shared the same chassis,and many mechanical appointments engines, trans, third member (except the 6 cylinder was a 261,the Chevy was a 235). The 261 engine could also be found in International Harvester Combines. Bored out it will become a 283 cu in. 6 cyl.
I’ve owned 4 – 57 Pontiacs – 2 Dr Ht for 40 years, Safari 4 Dr Wgn. all original 35k mile car, 2 – 4 door sedans, 1956 Laurentian Convertible – 453 production numbers as I recall a 1957 Laurentian Convertible – -production numbers were a bit over 1000 – – can’t get on the site to give accurate figure as they want me to disable my ad blocker which I don’t do.
MAKE THAT A: “1957 ‘BEL AIR NOMA’-2-DR WAGON! Only 6,103 produced in 1957. The Bel Air Nomad wagon, holds the distinction of being Chevrolet’s most expensive model, costing more-than a Bel Air convertible… CHEERS! :)
Just how often do you have a puncture these days. Love the fender skirts! All it needs now is wide whites!
Just how often do you have a puncture these days? Love the fender skirts! All it needs now is wide whites!
Those tires are period correct. my dad’s ’57 Olds came from the dealer with that same width whitewalls on it. Now his ’55 Buick had whitewalls not quite as big as the earlier cars but huge anyway to a little kid who had to wash them every weekend. I was too short to wash any thing else.
Speaking about 57 Oldsmobile–to me . It and the 57 Pontiac did not get as much advertisement as the 57 Chevrolet. Was the reason theyr were not as popular. To me I liked them better. I remeber along time ago people talked they didn,t like the skinny fins on the Chevrolet. Theirs something about the olds and Pontiac that set them in their own league. This is a nice car and I,m sure we would all like to have it. I remember when I was stationed at Naval Air Station,Norfolk,Va. A friend of mine-Fred Stump–had a red 55 Chevrolet 210 station wagon. When I first saw it,.I told him he had a nice Nomad. Fred jumped down my throat and said its a 210 not a damn Nomad. Cussed like a sailor -until his wife caught him.hahaha Those were good times and good cars and truck-1977-78
Yes they are period correct but the cars look better with wide whites in many 55-57 collectors opinions. I suppose if you were to compete in a POCI show for top prize or a concours meet for being original you’d have to go back to a bias tire.
My original all 35K mile 57 Canadian Pontiac Safari Wagon wore wide whites and full 57 Pontiac wheel discs. It set the car off better and is the choice of a lot of 55-57 hobbyists.
Good observation /point though.
Please keep her original..love the period pieces like the fdr.skirts.The 283 might only need valve seals for the smoking issue.Or rebuild it after selling the 327 like Adam suggested.
I am confused that everyone feels that a 63 year old car would just be a turn the key and drive purchase. That little 283 is pulling around a lot of car, l would definitely be rebuilding it if it were mine. I would not be surprised if it has already been rebuilt once already.
The “Little 283 in its day was a great engine and if you go onto Chevrolet history You Tube the 265 that came out in 55 is the platform still used – – – however now topping out at over 400 HP goodied up..
Having said that 57 Pontiac and Chevy with a 283 fuel injected engine is 283 cu.in. / 283 HP with the optional comp. engine.
The current owner on my 57 Canadian Laurentian 2 Dr. HT has a correct 1957 Pontiac dual quad intake and carbs now installed in place of the ones I had installed from a donor Corvette back in about 1983.
Also had found a set of fuel injected heads (rebuilt) and they are installed also.
The dual quad set up on a new car put the engine engine up to 270 HP with the optional comp. engine.
As a mechanic back in the day I found that you could get 95,000 miles out of one before a rebuild if it they had been serviced regularly and driven reasonably – – no not like an old man, and usually had to be bored .040″ to clean up the taper on the two front cylinders – that’s where the cooled water entered the engine and apparently caused a bit more wear. some had to go out to .060” to clean them up.
Nuff said – – bed time.
Wow!!! What a cream puff! All it needs is the correct owner to maintain it…
Reminds me of the ads Bob Wingate used to run every month in the prehistoric dinosaur era of Hemings Motor news, He was out of L.A. and every month ran ads for creampuff original, low milage, highly optioned 55, 56, 57 Chevys. He must have done that for 15 years at least. Every issue new ads with the choicest, most mouth-watering beauties all spic and span. It seemed to be an endless supply.
I remember those Bob Wingate ads. They always ended with “and of course, no rust ever”. I wondered where he got those cars he was advertising and later read somewhere that he was in some kind of legal trouble. I wonder if it had something to do with the source of the cars.
Remember, Wingate was out of L.A. No such thing as rust, on So.West areas of the country..
Maybe they weren’t as “rust free” as advertised. It could be instead people paid for the rust.😆
4 doors are fine on a wagon.
Skirts on a wagon has to very unusual. Love that color combo.
I agree, freshen up the 283 and cruise!!! The 327 swap is tempting. Clean slate and original. Hope someone gets a good deal on this beauty In this ol’ grey hairs opinion, the seller put a reasonable reserve on it because we wants to move it. Great strategy in this world high prices, and everyone thinks they have gold.
Good luck.
Stay safe and wash your hands
Cheers
GPC
I agree that originality is important, but so is enjoying it. I would rebuild that 283 to factory specs & set it aside for safe keeping, along with the transmission (if that is original). I would dress that 327 to look like the 283 & find an overdrive automatic from the 1980’s or newer, and just drive it. That overdrive will be better on the modern freeways, especially out west where doing 85-90 mph is not unheard of. The extra power of the 327 will help get you up to speed. Then you have the option to put it back to factory equipment if desired, but still have a wonderful cruiser if desired.
I would be the one guy here to lose the skirts too. Sorry guys! I like skirts, just not on this application.
I agree 100%! Not that I can afford to even be thinking about this, ha ha!
Ok. But what about those brakes? The 327 has much more grunt, but who would want to cruise above 65 mph in any car that old with those drum brakes?
Mom and Dad bought a pair of Chevy’s new in 57. Dad got a F/I BelAir coupe, and Mom got this exact wagon. The coupe disappeared in the early 60’s, but we kept the wagon well into the 70’s and sold it to a friend who still had it in the 80’s. This was all not too far from where this car is now. Wonder if it is the same one?
Send pics of the two cars – your story has historical significance!
Lovely looking car. I’ve never seen a 57 Chevy station wagon. I’ve seen plenty of 2 door hardtops and convertibles, and one or two 4 door sedans. But never a wagon. I hope whoever buys the car enjoys it and maintains it.
Put a bottle of AT 205 in it every oil change and it.s polymer will plump up and renew those valve seals. My Studebaker Champ truck was smoking gray and one bottle cut it way back. It won.t clog or harm an engine. I would.nt use in any real new engines, but oldies yes. I did not believe it either but it works.
I would keep the 283 complete but set it aside.and install the 237. That way with very little work it could be sold at a later date with the option to go back to original
I’d go with a middle ground. Rebuild the 283 but treat it to EFI. Put a Gear Vendors unit behind the powerglide. Upgrade the brakes to disk. Nothing that can’t be reversed easily.
Very nice. Up to $15,900. So clean underneath. Worth every penny…and Id leave it stock.
Apearently, it’s not just me, from reading the previous comments, but I never understood skirts on a wagon.
Wow, this is almost identical to the car my dad bought to bring me home from the hospital after I was born! Grew up in that wagon…love to add it to the little collection, but, “My Wife won’t like it”! It looks like a deal from the surface. Originality is key, it would be sad to “Resto-rod” this wagon. Buy it, keep it original and makeup stories of your own childhood!
I don’t have much to say on this car but here is one that is in Mexico.
The seller was asking only $11.000 USD for this one 2 years ago.
Here is another one that is still for sale for $8.000.
Miguel, where is the white one listed for sale?
Barn find to me means; it is a great find with the following the great price. I love the tri 5’ves period. All that said, a barn find goes with the lack of knowledge, of the owner and where it was found, and then it’s worth. Not to take advantage, of someone but, in all reallity it’s the way that a true barn find is found. PS, I don’t know weather it is listed, as a barn find or a survivor? Still all in all it’s the way I read it. Great find.
Great find for the classic. Not a barn true barn find per say.✌🇺🇸😙❤.
The first car I can remember as a small child was my father’s 57 nomad wagon, same color combo as this one. Great family memories,we went everywhere in that car! Wish I had the money because I would have this one in the driveway tomorrow! Great find, hope the new owner treats it right.
Nice car, reasonable price. I had a 57 Nomad, 283 Powerpac, p/s,p/b, dual exhaust, and Factory A/C. Sold it for 4 times what I paid for it 45 years ago, and have regretted it every day for 40 years