Arguably the most sought-after Chevy from the mid-1950s, the Bel Air is popular not just with classic car enthusiasts, but also with hot rodders. We often see 1957 Bel Airs in restomod suits, packing modern V8 power and larger, wider wheels. But one owner decided to take the donk route with his gorgeous Tri-Five convertible.
Yes I know, a 1950s Bel Air on big wheels isn't technically a donk. The hi-riser status usually revolves around newer Impala, Caprice, and Monte Carlo models, alongside other big GM rigs of course. But it's still a full-size vehicle on larger-than-usual rims, so I'll go with that until we find a new name for it.
But before we take a look at the rims, I have to say I'm quite impressed as to how clean this Bel Air looks. We're probably looking at a repaint, but boy that metallic blue finish shines in the sun. The chrome is spotless too, while the white soft-top provides a great contrast with the rest of the body. Whoever restored this drop-top did a tremendous job.
Onto the wheels, this rig floats on a set of 24-inch Forgiato rims. They boasts a multi-spoke, deep-dish design and a brushed finish that goes surprisingly well with chrome trim and the bright blue paint. Sure, it feels a bit unusual to look at a 1957 Bel Air with low-profile tires, but it's something I'd get use to it.
The interior of this Bel Air is just perfect, mostly because the upholstery matches the exterior color combo. It's a great mix of blue and white materials on the bench seats and the door panels, plus a white instrument cluster insert into a blue dash. Naturally, the design of the steering wheel matches that of the rims. I'm not a big fan of this type of thing, but as I said before, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
This Bel Air packs a nice surprise under the hood too, in the form of a chromed 5.7-liter V8 mill. By the looks of things, it's most likely a crate engine that cranks out way more oomph than the original Bel Air V8. And if you go to the two-minute mark in the video below, you'll hear just how nice it purrs at idle and low revs.
So what do you think? Does a 1957 Bel Air look good on 24-inch wheels or should these classics stick to smaller rims? Let me know in the comments.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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