A Tri-Five Chevy is not an uncommon sight these days because so many of them were made. Across all three model years (1955-57), nearly five million automobiles were built, including more than 168,000 Bel Air Sport Coupes like the seller’s well-heeled ’57 edition. Though not stock, this car certainly isn’t a full restomod either, with some older upgrades to improve the quality of life. Located in New Milford, New Jersey, this Chevrolet is available here on eBay where $25,201 gets to take it home if not outbid.
The body, paint, and brightwork all look good on this car. The color may be original and looks a lot like Sierra Gold, but it’s complemented by a black vinyl roof which would not have been available back then. There’s a small indention in the roof under the vinyl above the back glass and that’s about the only flaw that seems to jump out. As the seller puts it, it’s “not a Barret Jackson car” but one you could drive without fear of breaking the bank if something happened to it.
There’s a 283 cubic inch V8 under the hood which could be original, but no claim is made as such. It’s been bored out to a displacement of 301 CI, has a mild camshaft upgrade, and “Fuelie” heads. We’re told it runs excellent and the 4-speed Muncie manual transmission works as it should. These modifications were done a few years ago and the car has been kept up nicely since then.
At 90,000 miles, the interior looks to have been modified with seats that don’t look original to the Tri-Five Chevies. Evidence of a premium stereo system is there given some rather large Realistic (aka Radio Shack) speakers in the back window. If you’re looking for a car like this which is still mostly old school, the seller’s ’57 Bel Air may not disappoint.
I dunno Russ, this may just be a tarted-up 210. Definitely cheap repaint from some sort of blue, judging by trunk and sills, overspray on trunk “Chevrolet”.
I wondered the same thing, but the VIN jives with a Bel Air.
Be very careful of a 1950’s 283 bored out to 301. That’s a .125″ overbore on a 3.875″ bore block that was never intended for that. I’ve been told by some very smart old time racers that the block casting technology in the 1950’s wasn’t anywhere near as good as it was in the early 1960’s when the 327 with a 4″ bore was made.
The 1950’s 283 3.875″ bore block may or may not have enough wall thickness to take the 1/8″ overbore. If it doesn’t, really bad things happen. Drag racers in the late 1950’s did it all the time, but if it didn’t work . . . . just get another block. If this motor has held together for a while it’s probably OK, but that’s only “probably.”
Some of the 283 blocks were thicker (truck), but you would need to hunt for those. The bore to 301 was common for drag racers. Install a set of 11, 12 or 13:1 pistons, along with a good cam, and you had a rocket. The issue was heat, the blocks could not expel the heat (for a street engine), and many failed. If this motor has been running for a while, it just could be a fine runner, and no problem. Nice Chevy….
It’s really only 1/16″, .062″ meat removed from the cylinder wall radius to get 4 inch bore from 3.875″ standard bore 283.
Only thing I see at quick look that is not Bel air is front hood script,3 gold things on front fenders? what are you seeing that I am not Russ and Old dog?
That’s mild custom
RW, you’re correct. It’s missing the three gold “wings” on the front fenders. Also it’s missing the “Chevrolet” emblem on the front of the hood that should be just above the “V”.
Obviously the interior is not original. If somebody is planning to put this one back to stock, the interior seat covers aren’t a real bad deal. But be prepared for the price of a Tri-Five two door front bench seat. What’s out there isn’t cheap, and when you pay the money they’re bringing on eBay you still have to get it crated and shipped.
My car is original, so I won’t have that problem. And I’ve found two bench seats for friends at very reasonable prices. But now I’m out of options, so the next one who needs a Tri-Five two door front bench seat is looking at $650 plus crating and shipping on eBay.
Running 4 speed in bench seat Tri 5s, you need to notch seat or get Hurst bench seat shifter ,I have one , iffin anybody interested.
I might be interested. Do you have a number in mind? For Muncie?
Had 80 over 283 in my 55 2 door wagon,301 it was 57 283 block,slayed many a mustang,Z/28/Corvette,of the late 70s early 80s era.
I believe that is a spray on vinyl top and it would be a bear to remove if someone wanted to return this car to original. I had one sprayed on to a 53 Plymouth coupe that I had in the late sixties. The fake seams on mine looked like those. It appears to be similar to truck bed liner and I thought it looked great on my dark green Plymouth. Most people never noticed that it was not real vinyl. Regarding this 57 Chevy, I don’t see anything to make me think it’s not a Bel Aire, it just looks to me like it has a few things that were popular in the late sixties when it was just a used car, after the second owner got it.
Looks like a Bel Air to me – they DID make a small number of 210 hardtops but if memory serves me they’d have the short spears on top of 1/4’s – not a hard swap out but most typically didn’t bother. If I were the seller I’d have a good photo of the cowl tag to prove model / body code. The faux vinyl top?
As with so many listings there’s not enough photos to ensure that a Jersey / East Coast car doesn’t have the tin worm lurking and as a West Coaster am always suspect, and typically it’s a hard pass. Fly in, bring a magnet, put it on a hoist and take a close look. A plane ticket is cheap compared to metalwork, body and paint. Overall a neat looking car. Someone had fun with it in the day and hopefully someone will again. That top tho……
From NJ, no pictures of the underside and a paint job from when we used chicken wire, tin foil and bondo to repair rust holes. I’m skeered.
Bel Airs had gold grills, and gold bars on the fenders and the hood and trunk emblems were gold, these look to be silver instead of Gold In my mind it is a 210 and on the side trim it looks to say Chevrolet, not Bel Air.
I raced a D gas 55 chev in the 70s and we used a 327 block with a 283 crank to make it a 301. I dont know anyone who would bore a 283 block that big!
Very common in the 60’s. A 283 bored .125 over (4.00″ bore/3.00″ stroke) is a 301. The other was a 283 .030 over is 288, .060 over is 292. I have seen a lot of 292’s at the track in “the day”. There were so many speed shops and companies making parts for the mouse motor.
The car looks naked without the hood ornament. Just doesnt look right
Things get changed. People remove the Chevrolet scripts ( I wish I kept the one I sold) . This has Belair door and dash trim. Most people don’t go to all the trouble in an upgrade. Looks decent to and has a 4 spd (not stock) but works for me. I’d go over it with a magnet but $25k is not bad these days for one you can drive and isn’t butchered.
In a sleepy little Northwest town in 1967 I worked at place that made paneling, It was a 25 mile or so drive for me to work and drawing $2.83 per hour I needed a ride with a coworker. Now this fellow was the fork lift operator and made a little more money, plus he was single and lived with his parents so He had a little extra money to spend on a nice car. His choice was a bright green 57 Chevy Bel Aire 2 door hardtop 283 bored to 301 with Muncie 4 speed. He kept those little green forest tree looking air fresheners hanging from the dash so it smelled like pine trees all the time. For a young man he never had the need for speed and never once nailed it when I was in the car with him. It seems to me it had two 4 bbls on top so maybe that’s why. I paid him gas mileage for the rides.
God Bless America
VIN begins with V(original V8 car) C (Bel Air) 57. So VIN us original V8 Bel Air 57 Chevy