Over the last half-century, the 1957 Chevrolet has become one of the most popular classic cars ever. With its unique one-year-only styling, this icon can be recognized by virtually anyone, all around the world. Offered in a variety of body styles from two-door to four-door and from convertible to station wagon, with trim levels ranging from the base-model 150 to the top-of-the-line Bel Air, a buyer could spec their new ’57 Chevy to fit any lifestyle. Our feature vehicle is a 1957 Chevrolet 210 two-door post model, found here on eBay and located in Barnesville, Minnesota. Thanks to Larry D. for the tip!

In mid-1950s Detroit, rumors were circulating that Ford would be releasing an all-new car for the 1957 model year, and Chevrolet wanted to do the same. However, due to production delays, the General would have to wait another year. The next best option was to facilitate enough changes to the existing platform to keep it attractive to buyers while staying within corporate budgetary restrictions. Styling updates included a new grille, updated headlight pods with air ducts at the top, and of course the now famous tailfins at the rear. To help smooth out the body lines, the fuel filler was concealed in the left rear fin. Wheels were changed from fifteen-inch to fourteen, improving the overall stance. As a 210 model, our feature vehicle is considered mid-range with minimal chrome trim. The body lines appear to be straight and relatively rust-free, with some sanding done in order to prep for paint.

The interior of our feature vehicle also appears to be in the beginning stages of restoration, with carpet, door panels, and the passenger seat having been removed. However, the floorboards look fairly solid and most of the crucial parts are present and accounted for. While the engine bay currently sits empty, it could have originally contained anything from a Blue Flame Six to the hot engine for 1957, a 283 cu in fuel-injected V8. With solid lifters and a Duntov cam, the ‘fuelie’ engine was GM’s first to offer one horsepower per cubic inch. Transmission choices were a three-speed manual and either a Turboglide or Powerglide automatic. Pictures in the listing show a clutch pedal and a floor shifter, but there is no transmission currently in place.

Since the ad included a picture of the trim tag, let’s go ahead and decode it. Beginning with style, the ’57’ is of course the model year, and ‘1011’ is code for either a 210 or Bel Air two-door sedan. The ‘J’ in the body number means the car was produced at the Janesville, WI factory. A trim number of ‘654’ tells us that the interior was originally two-tone charcoal and ivory, with vinyl upholstery. Finally, paint code ‘799’ decodes as Tropical Turquoise.

In the end, Ford ended up beating Chevrolet in sales for the first time since 1935. Many sources suggest this was due to Chevrolet using new tubeless tires, which were not yet trusted by the general public. However, the ’57 Chevy would go on to become a top performer in the racing world, with countless wins in NASCAR. It would also become a pop-culture icon, symbolizing 1950’s Americana at its finest. For the restorer, virtually every single part that may be needed is offered by aftermarket companies, including the body. With that kind of support and such a solid starting point, this could be a fun, easy project. Would you restore it to stock, hop it up with a few performance upgrades, or turn it into a full-on restomod?