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1957 Chevrolet El Morocco Is Rarer Than Hen's Teeth, Costs a Fortune

The mid-1950s Chevrolet Bel Air is a very desirable classic nowadays, but it's far from rare. Chevrolet built more than two million of them from 1955 to 1957, and even though many have been abandoned in junkyards, the classic car market is loaded with Bel Airs.
1957 Chevrolet El Morocco 16 photos
Photo: mmgcars/eBay
1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco1957 Chevrolet El Morocco
The Nomad two-door station wagon is by far the rarest iteration of the Tri-Five, with almost 23,000 units made in three years. But if you're a fan of the Tri-Five Chevy and you want to stand out, the El Morocco is your best bet.

Designed and produced by Canadian entrepreneur Reuben Allender, the El Morocco is pretty much a Tri-Five with a redesigned rear end inspired by the second-generation Cadillac Eldorado (1954-1956). With bigger rear finds and extra chrome, it looks even fancier than the range-topping Bel Air.

Not only that, but it's a rare and highly desirable classic nowadays. Because it was significantly more expensive than a Bel Air, the El Morocco was far from popular back in the day. There are no precise records as to how many were made, but most sources claim Allender put together 16 to 20 cars in 1956 and 14 to 18 vehicles in 1957.

And while they didn't cost more than a Cadillac when new, El Moroccos changed hands for sums that exceed the sticker of a fully-loaded Escalade in 2022. The 1957 example you see here is aiming for a record sale with a price of $349,999.

The car in question is based on a 1957 Tri-Five, so it's one of 14 or 18 cars built that year. The seller claims it's a 1-of-16 El Morocco, which isn't far off what experts say. However, he also claims it's one of only four hardtop models known to exist.

That's difficult to verify, but what we do know for a fact is that this El Morocco looks downright fantastic, thanks to a frame-off restoration. It rocks a white-and-blue two-tone exterior and a blue-and-silver interior. It also comes with a dash-mounted clock, AM radio, and a rebuilt 283-cubic-inch V8 engine with only 146 miles (235 km) on it.

There's no info as to how powerful it is, but since this conversion is based on the 1957 Tri-Five, it should crank out either 185 or 220 horsepower. The mill mates to a two-speed Powerglide automatic.

But is it worth $350,000? After all, that's more than a few luxury rigs and sports cars you can buy nowadays. Well, I looked up some El Morocco auctions from the past and a 1956 convertible sold for $181,500 back in 2016. A two-door 1957 hardtop changed hands for $165,000 in 2021, while a 1956 drop-top went for $220,000 in 2022.

Based on these prices and the fact that the cars above are more desirable two-door versions, I'd say that this 1957 four-door is a bit too expensive. But given that the classic car market is unpredictable nowadays, I wouldn't be surprised to see some pay this much for a fancied-up Bel Air.

Anyway, the El Morocco comes with a clean title and is being offered by eBay's "mmgcars." Go check it out and tell me what you think in the comments box below.
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

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.
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