1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Restomod

Description

They built a lot of 1957 Chevys, and despite that they continue to be highly-sought, first-rate collectables. And then there are cars like this particular Bel Air hardtop, which take the great design and add modern convenience. Very nicely engineered and beautifully finished, you can see the quality from 50 feet away, and from behind the wheel, you'll know this car was worth every penny.

Sure, a Matador Red '57 Bel Air hardtop is a pretty popular car, but not many guys invest the time and money required to bring them up to this level. It's almost like this one was rebuilt from the molecular level to be better than the rest, with a bright finish that seems to glow from within. Looking down its flanks, you won't see a single ripple or wave, and even the edges of the panels are almost perfectly flat so the light moves effortlessly from one to the next. The red paint is so deep and rich it's almost like you could jump in and swim around in it, and while it's a few years old, there are only minor signs of use. Nothing was modified, just restored, including chrome that will shine up nicely, beautiful stainless trim, and, of course, the anodized billboards on the rear quarters. It also carries Fuel Injection badges, which are not just for show, and California-style 1-piece bumpers that really clean up the look.

More cubic dollars were poured into the interior, which offers a custom low-back bench seat and a rear bench that's been recontoured to match, all wrapped in luxurious leather upholstery that looks like it was borrowed from a Lear Jet. The original dash was retained, including the bright trim running through the center, and there are neatly tailored carpets on the floor. All the usual power goodies are here, including power windows, A/C with neatly integrated vents under the dash, a potent sound system with speakers built into the headliner, and a tilt column with a custom tri-tone steering wheel that borders on art all by itself. Dakota Digital supplied a trio of stunning modern gauges that fit in the original dash, and the wall-to-wall polished trim looks as good today as it did in 1957. The trunk has been fully upholstered to match, with removable panels to hide the inner workings of the stereo system.

A Corvette-spec LT1 lives under the hood, which is appropriate given the Fuel Injection badges on the front fenders. It's certainly been dressed for show with lots of chrome and bright red paint, but it was also designed to work right, so the accessories feature a serpentine belt drive, there's a dual master cylinder, and the lines and hoses are all neatly routed for easy service access. Underneath, there's power steering and 4-wheel power disc brakes, as well as a great-sounding Flowmaster exhaust system. A 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission cruises effortlessly with overdrive, and the rear end is full of 3.73 gears that feel punchy around town. 15-inch aluminum rims recall a classic '60s design, and are the only external indicator that this isn't a fully restored Bel Air.

Beautifully built and smartly engineered, this is a '57 Chevy that does everything well. It looks right, drives right, and is priced right. Call today!