1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Gets First Wash in Decades, Reveals Cool Patina

Like many classics from the 1950s, this Bel Air was someone's pride and joy until financial problems pushed it into long-time storage. And unfortunately enough, the 30 years it spent off the road weren't exactly kind to the once-gorgeous Sport Coupe. Yup, this is one of those no-post Bel Airs everyone seems to love, but it was in no position to win any beauty contests.

Not only dusty and mossy after so many years of sitting, but the Bel Air also spent a good deal of time fully exposed to the elements due to a collapsed roof. Covered in leaves, snow, and everything cold weather has to offer, the two-door coupe developed rust holes and other issues associated with moisture and the lack of a protective roof.

But here's the good news: the guy who discovered the Bel Air called the folks over at "WD Detailing" to the rescue. Granted, it's more of a cleaning than a proper rescue and restoration, but hey, it gave the car a fighting chance. And needless to say, a more appealing look for when it will need to find the right owner to put it back on the road.

Of course, the Bel Air required more than just a pressure wash. That was just the first step in removing all the grime and moss left behind by the big pile of rotten leaves that covered the vehicle for so long. It was followed by a more thorough wash, clay bar treatment, and a lot of polishing. The mission was so difficult that our host also called professional detailer Jason Killmer to assist with removing debris that wouldn't go away with regular cleaning methods.

The process transformed the once gross Bel Air into a beautiful survivor, revealing a lot of cool patina caused by decades of exposure to the elements. But surprisingly enough, most of the paint was still in good shape, as was most of the chrome trim (and there's a lot of it on a 1957 Bel Air).

Unfortunately, the crew didn't get to finish the job as the door locking mechanisms rusted out, and they couldn't get inside to clean the interior. They did manage to open the hood and clean the engine, but it sure looks like the mill won't come back to life without a ton of work. But at least it's a V8, which is significantly more desirable than an inline-six.

All told, the Bel Air cleaned up nicely on the outside, and it appears that restoring it might not be a very difficult job. But it could also live on as a rat rod because that's the kind of patina a lot of people pay serious cash to have artificially done on their classic cars.