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1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Flexes Continental Package, Hides a Surprise Beneath the Hood

Some Tri-Fives get a lot additional appreciate than the many others. The Bel Air Activity Coupe and the Nomad are arguably the most well known and beneficial nowadays. The convertible, for occasion, does not get as a lot consideration as the coupe, even nevertheless it’s pretty the unusual hen with fewer than 133,000 illustrations designed over a few several years. And that is a shame since the Bel Air is 1 warm-seeking drop-top.

If you imagine Ferraris look captivating in crimson, you absolutely require to check out out this 1957 Bel Air Convertible for the reason that this thing is spicier than sriracha. Not only is it a 1957 product with huge fins all over the back, but it also packs a couple awesome extras over the regular Bel Air.

But in advance of we commence, you should know that this drop-leading has been repainted in 2008. Which is a fantastic final decision, specified that survivor cars from the 1950s almost never glimpse good. The paint career looks reliable, when the hue looks to match Chevy’s Matador Pink from 1957. The soft-leading is white for a wonderful contrast, but the prime boot go over is purple to match the overall body and upholstery.

Appear close to the again, and you’ll find the aspect that sets this Bel Air apart from lots of of its siblings. This drop-top characteristics a Continental package that adds an exterior spare tire mounted on the rear bumper. I know some typical motor vehicle fans never like these kits, but I think they add course to the Bel Air. Primarily considering the fact that the bumper extension will not search as terrible as on other 1950s vehicles, like the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser.

The Bel Air’s interior is as stylish as they get, combining purple vinyl upholstery with silver inserts on the seats and the door panels. But it also comes with a few aftermarket goodies, which include a radio, vinyl floor mats, and an analog clock.

Issues come to be a whole lot far more appealing beneath the hood, which hides a larger-than-stock V8 motor. The 1957 Bel Air was marketed with a pair of tiny-block V8 engines displacing 4.3 and 4.6 liters. These mills produced amongst 162 and 283 horsepower. I don’t know what engine powered this drop-top from the manufacturing facility, but one particular of the car’s former proprietors determined it was not strong sufficient and changed it with a larger V8.

The mill in question is a 5.7-liter V8. The swap was manufactured someday in the late 1980s, and whilst there’s no facts as to where it came from, it seems to be a smaller-block V8 as properly. GM experienced rolled out no much less than 12 variations of the 350-cubic-inch smaller-block by the late 1980s, so it is really challenging to discover, but it seems to be a 1970s mill. That really should imply that it packs more punch than the Bel Air’s primary V8.

The motor mates to an computerized transmission, but it really is not the unique 3-speed Turboglide. On best of that, it can be been serviced not long ago and will come with an electric powered fuel pump, new gas tank, fuel filter, spark plugs, and valve deal with gaskets. At last, it would seem that the body has been slash, welded, and fixed. It is really definitely ready for extensive-distance cruising.

This gentle restomod is for sale on Convey a Trailer, where bidding has attained $30,000 with 6 days to go. Granted, it is not going to get as a lot as a Bel Air with a figures-matching drivetrain, but at minimum it wins in the reliability section.