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Infamous 1957 Chevrolet Black Widow Shows Up at Local Cars & Coffee, Steals the Show

When talking about high-performance Chevrolets, we usually think about the Camaro ZL1, Corvette ZR1, and various cars wearing "SS" badges. And the numerous drag-ready factory vehicles that it built in the 1960s. But Chevrolet actually rolled out its first performance vehicle in 1957. It was based on the Tri-Five and nicknamed the Black Widow.
1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car 7 photos
Photo: Matt Gause/YouTube
1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car1957 Chevrolet Black Widow race car
The recipe was far from complicated. Wanting to win NASCAR races while also promoting new engine technology, Chevrolet took the lightest car it had at the time and stuffed it with its most powerful engine.

The car in question was the 150 utility sedan. Not only a bare-bones version of the notably fancier Bel Air, but the two-door also came without a rear bench and it was devoid of a radio unit and armrests. Power came from the range-topping 283-cubic-inch (4.6-liter) V8, which delivered 283 horsepower thanks to a new Rochester fuel-injection system.

These cars were put together by a company called The Southern Engineering Development Company (SEDCO), which operated out of the Nalley Chevrolet dealership in Atlanta, Georgia. And unlike other firms that worked with Chevy at the time, it had an unusual amount of access to the company's parts.

The story goes SEDCO was actually set up by a Chevrolet engineer with GM's blessing as a way around an AMA ban on factory-backed racing. And it worked, as the Black Widows went on to dominate the 1957 Grand National Series season, despite NASCAR's quick ban on fuel injection, which forced SEDCO to switch to four-barrel carburetors.

How many Black Widows were built? Well, there are no records of that, but most experts agree that SEDCO put together just six units. Come 2022 and there are more replicas than original SEDCO cars, so seeing one at a local cars & coffee event is an incredibly rare opportunity.

But it happened. The car that was driven by Rex White back in the day showed up in Lakewood Ranch among an impressive lineup of classic and modern muscle cars. And YouTube's "Matt Gause" was in the right place at the right time to talk to the owner and film the Black Widow while running.

The former NASCAR racer appears to be in great condition inside and out and boasts an incredibly clean engine bay. What's more, the 283 V8 (reportedly good for almost 320 horsepower) makes quite a racket while idling. Yup, it would be great to see this car run at full throttle, but hey, I'm just happy to see an original Black Widow out in the open.

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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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