Photo: Heart of Texas Barn Finds and Classic's/YouTube
Many iconic classic cars roam the streets nowadays, either restored to original specs or transformed into restomods. But the majority of them actually sit in garages and barns, gathering dust and rusting away in hope of a new life. This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is one of the lucky ones.
Having spent several years in storage, this two-door hard-top finished in turquoise and white (arguably one of the best color combos for the Bel Air), saw the light of day as it was loaded on a trailer by its new owner. It comes with a touching story as it was purchased by the seller on Valentine's Day, but for some reason, the car ended up spending most of the time in a garage, alongside a 1964 Chevy Impala.
But despite the long-term storage, it's still in really good shape. Apparently, it was restored at some point, so the paint under that thick layer of dust looks really good. The same goes for the interior, which should recapture its former glory with a big of cleaning. The best part? It's also a classic two-tone beauty mixing turquoise and white.
Because it's a 1957-model-year Bel Air, it's fitted with the largest Tri-Five Chevy engine, the 4.6-liter small-block V8. Chevrolet rolled Bel Airs fitted with various versions of this mill, ranging from the Turbo-Fire to the Ramjet borrowed from the Corvette. Output ranged from 185 to 283 horsepower. The V8 doesn't start, but it's off to a proper restoration that will include a drivetrain revamp.
The good news is that the buyer of this Bel Air runs a YouTube channel and promises to document the entire process. So we may see this Bel Air get a proper cleaning soon, as well as some much-deserved time on public roads.
Considered an automotive design icon, the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was built alongside the 150 and 210, also part of the Tri-Five family, in a little more than 1.5 million examples. Chevy built about 720,000 Bel Airs that year, including two- and four-door sedans and coupes, as well as a couple of station wagon models.
Although 1957 hard-top models aren't as scarce as the Nomad wagons and two-door convertibles from that year, they're more sought-after and thus are more expensive to get. They're not the safest or the most powerful classic out there, but they're definitely worth saving.
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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