Introducing Our 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Project Car
March 08, 2024
It's hard to beat the classic lines of a 1957 Chevrolet. While most would prefer a Bel Air Sport Coupe, there are lots of great sedans out there, ripe for picking. Such is the case with our brand new project, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan. We picked up this car locally, and it already has some nice upgrades in place, which helps accelerate our project. The plan is to work on the car right here on our loading dock...it will be a team effort, with folks from the sales, marketing and distribution teams pitching in make it happen. Let's take a closer look at this '57 Chevy crew cab, which we're naming the "Star Car"...you'll learn more about the nickname in the coming weeks and months, as the project gets traction.
The car has a 327ci small block Chevy with a nice-sounding camshaft, aluminum intake manifold and four-barrel carburetor. Electronic ignition, dual exhaust and an aluminum radiator with dual electric fans are also great upgrades, compared to most original Tri-Five Chevys.
Behind the small block Chevy is a 700R-4 automatic overdrive transmission, which helps the car stretch its legs on the highway without spinning the engine too high. Other highway friendly upgrades include a dual master cylinder with a power brake booster, as well as front disc brakes. For suspension, the car is already lowered, which gives it a cool look. The previous owner accomplished the great stance with a set of tubular control arms and adjustable coilovers up front, combined with lowering blocks out back. The leaf springs have been moved inboard to allow for bigger tires and wheels. Speaking of tires and wheels, we like the current look, but it obviously doesn't jive with our traditional roots, so you can expect to see a drastically different tire and wheel combination on this car in the near future.
The car already has a cool paint job with a combination of satin and glossy black finishes on the outside. The previous owner also removed some of the Bel Air trim, leaving behind a custom look that works well with the two-tone paint. The glass is all there, but we have a little work to do on the trim, interior and other details. We have some big plans for this car, so stay tuned for updates on our progress, and you'll eventually be able to check the car out in person because we plan to DRIVE IT! We're putting together a full schedule of events for the Star Car, which gives our sales staff a chance to drive this car. Our entire team is excited about this project, and we hope to rack up thousands of miles with it this year.
