1957 Chevrolet Belair Convertible

Mom, apple pie and a ’57 Bel Air convertible: That pretty much sums up the American dream. Inca Silver, sporting its original 283 4bbl engine, optioned and accessorized to the hilt and drop dead gorgeous, this is an icon of icons!

Start outside--the paint and body are beautiful. The original color Inca Silver, code 804, is stunning, flat and shines from miles around on the original Oakland, CA built 57-1067DTX body. The chrome is all new or excellently refinished from bumper to bumper. Stainless moldings are perfect; the quarter panel silver trim is perfect. Gold emblems, badges and the grille look awesome against the red. Four new spinner center hubcaps mount to original rims with new 7.50x14 BFGoodrich Silvertown wide whitewalls. The big continental kit out back further enhances the car’s image. The stance is right, the colors are right (the convertible top’s black, as it should be) and the look is as timeless as it is well executed!

Duck underneath--this is a fully original car with undercoating over the extremely solid original floors--it pays to find a California car! Red oxide primer is still on the floor pans peeking out from time to time from underneath the coating. All brake components from lines to hoses and hard parts have been checked over and given the OK for more road miles. The car runs, stops and turns as new. The trunk’s as it should be with a new spare, the proper jack, correct finishes and a new mat below.

Under the hood is the smooth and quiet 220hp 283 4bbl code FC motor, topped with its correct 3731398 “Corvette” intake and Rochester 4-jet carb. All new GM hoses and proper Corbin clamps connect the coolant system together. The proper oil bath air cleaner (retrofitted with a paper element inside) with front facing scoop is correct for a ’57 4bbl car. There’s a rebuilt original master cylinder on the rebuilt brake booster, power steering hanging off of the rebuilt generator and more. Finishes are correct from the engine to the accessories to the satin black fender wells and body color firewall. There’s a fresh tune up and a new battery, too--as beautiful as it is, it’s still built to run!

Slide inside and sit on the correct red and silver upholstery, code 683. You’ll hold onto a timeless steering wheel, stare at restored gauges with new lenses and rest your arm on top of the restored door panels. The knobs, switches and buttons work as they should and look the part. The AM radio resides above the accessory tissue holder, itself above new carpeting under restoration rubber floor mats. Twist the key and fire over the motor, drop the Powerglide into gear and cruise! Be prepared, though, as cars like this don’t go unnoticed--make sure you’re ready for the attention!

If you were to beam an image of the American car into space, this would be the car. The only possible competition would be the ’32 Ford. The 50’s was an optimistic decade, tempered by the cold war but heading skyward, and designs matched the era. As it was then this is an object of fantasy and desire, as uniquely American as it is famous around the world. Finished to a better-than-factory standard outside and inside while remaining original underneath, with its original engine and accompaniments, and with every popular option you could ask for this silver boulevard cruiser is ready for shows, and will remain a timeless object forever.