1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 Door Sedan
For consignment, a 1957 Chevrolet 4 door sedan in Bel Air trim. It has had an earlier restoration but comes to us with a few slight questions in regards to the original engine as the V in the VIN denotes the car as being V8 equipped, but is now sporting an inline 6 cylinder. Whatever the back story, the car looks great, wears an $8,000 base coat/clear coat paint job over rust free steel and has had a good amount of recent maintenance performed. Then it has all been bathed in Harbor Blue, has had over $5,000 spent on new trimmings, wears 4 doors, and is like a new pair of blue suede shoes. So it's one for the money, two for the show, and three to get ready now go cat go!
Exterior
At the front of this five-seven hangs a bright Chevrolet crest and polished parking lamps between chrome trimmed eye lid-esque headlights and a broad bumper and a shiny gold egg crate grille. Also we see some round turn signal lights in thick bezels and rubber tipped "Dagmars" on either side. At the top of that grille, a domed hood centers polished spear bullet and rocket tailed spoons in front of new wrap-around glass that's draped in polished frames. This is all steel straight with well minded gaps, and is bathed in Harbor Blue. The paint presents as miles deep with only a few areas of light spray and inclusions. At the base of those frames, polished wipers, driver's and passenger's door mirrors and traditional door handles complement flashy trim spears and elegant "Chevrolet" scripts in grandmother's handwriting within the ever widening silver and ribbed stainless panel in the rear quarters. Undulating chrome is on the sills and this frames the lowers for the roof line which comes to us in Harbor Blue as well. At the back of the car a second broad bumper frames the trunk line lower, and a second colorful crest. The fin edge trimmings form a Z on the tail as they ground themselves on the bumper. Smaller flame shaped tail lights reside on the bottoms of these Z's. A backup light is within the bumper just below and a chromed tipped single exhaust is coming from under the bumper. Simple Harbor Blue painted steel wheels with standard faux knock off wheel coverings are wrapped in medium whitewall G78-14 rubber on all 4 corners. From the curved glass to all the new chrome, you can burn my house, steal my car, drink my liquor from an old fruit jar, and do anything you want to, but don't step on my blue suede shoes!
Interior
Featuring a stunning array of black and light and dark blue vinyl, this Chevy's mostly original interior is both clean and impressive. At the center of the cockpit, firm bench seats wear a retro amalgamation of light blue vinyl bolsters with dark blue fronting the base of the lower cushions and gold piping separating the black flagstone broadcloth inserts. A matchy matchy sprawling bench is in the rear and presents as nearly new. In front of those seats, a full metal jacket dash forms round wide steel bezels bathed in light blue and house round black faced gauges and a lineup of small round lights in deep chromed bezels just above these gauges. These circles border on a square weave pattern chromed strip that runs the length of the dash, and houses some knobs and pulls, the factory AM radio, and a rectangular clock in front of the passenger. Fronting the dash on the driver's side is a light blue bakelite steering wheel with a complete circle horn right in the center. Just below the chromed square weave strip is another horizontal band which is back to the dark blue paint just like the all steel dash top. Here the heater control buttons and a glovebox are seen in front of the passenger. Wonderfully clean and new dark blue thick loop carpeting is in and flooding the floors and a dark blue tight headliner is just above. Do anything you want to but uh-honey lay off my shoes!
Drivetrain
Within a fully restored and blue and black painted engine bay is stuffed an industrial light blue GM block in 235.5ci's and is an inline 6 cylinder. It has an offset black air cleaner and this covers a new 1-barrel carburetor. As per our consignor, this mill was recently treated to a top end rebuild and fresh tune up. On the back is a 3-speed manual transmission with a new clutch and a 3.55 rear axle to spin the rears. The original radiator is keeping things all cool my cats!
Undercarriage
Fully structurally sound underneath with the exception of some light invasive rust in the inner rockers. A newer fuel tank and stock style single exhaust is now on. The floor pans and body hangers, much like the rest of the underside is covered with patina, factory undercoating and some surface rust. Independent coil spring suspension is on front and leaf springs are on the rear and looking good. Drum braking is on front and the back with new wheel bearings and wheel cylinders in the front to keep things stopping properly.
Drive-Ability
The car started easily and was fun to drive. It had nice acceleration, bias free braking, and had a few rattles here and there. I was amazed at the quality of the originality on the interior, and all functions were fully operational save for the clock not keeping time. Also, I noted that while the oil level was full, at idle and low rpm the oil light was lit and slight ticking was noted, but would go away when the rpms were raised. Even with those faults it was so great I had a tear in my eye..decoder..hand me a Kleenex!
The upper echelon of the tri five and the last of said trio year example, nicely gone through with copious amounts of money spent on the paint and chrome. A mostly original interior and all looking good enough not to step on, but into and just drive and smile. Pure 1950's heaven my cool cats...
