Known by fans as simply the ‘57 Chevy, this beautifully restored Bel Air has some unique features to make it stand out from the rest
Chevrolet was firmly losing its battle for customers against Ford in the late 1940s, its models just not cool enough to win the hearts of the younger generations. That said, this stunning Bel Air going to sale with Greensboro Auto Auction was part of a movement that changed it all.
When Chevrolet unveiled its much needed V8 in 1955, the needle started to change. Engineering output was ramped up in Motor City by a colossal amount, with the company determined to create an engine with the reliability and power of the Cadillac 331ci unit but with the frugality of its own in-house six cylinder engine.
After considerable time and money, it clearly paid off. For the engine they came up with, the Small-Block V8, is an engine that has stood the test of time with some of the all time greats, and lives on under licence in Mexico today. The final production Chevrolet with a Small-Block ran off the line in 2003, and over 100,000,000 have been built to date. There are simply no words to describe what an impact this design had since it hit the streets in '55.
Whilst the engineers at Chevrolet were maximising shared knowledge to come up with this beast of an engine, the product designers needed something flash to put it in. The Chevy 210 was born with a huge array of body styles, and by 1957 the creme de la creme had been honed to perfection. Known as the ‘57 Chevy amongst fans, the Bel Air is the one to have. With a line of symmetry that takes attention to detail and rewrites it. Even the fuel filler cap was hidden behind one of the iconic tail fins so the cars lines were unharmed.
Although the Belair we have here has lost its original Small-Block, it retains a Small-Block-derived unit known as the LT1. Included in the listing is an incredible array of photographs detailing the ground up rebuild along with a list of parts upgrades to make anyone’s mouth water.
With custom built Joe Martin alloys and all the typical Belair refinements, this example looks slick. Throw in a seriously upgraded leather interior to add a touch of modern luxury, this car looks as fresh as they come. Time to roll up the sleeves and whip out the cheque book.
