LOT 275 •
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible Chassis no. VC57S187161
Sold for US$58,500 inc. premium
Lot 275•
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible Chassis no. VC57S187161
The Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, Collectors' Motorcars and Automobilia|7 June 2009, 12:00 EDT|Connecticut, Greenwich
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible
Chassis no. VC57S187161
Chassis no. VC57S187161
Chevrolet, long the nation’s most popular car, reached new heights in 1955 with fresh styling and a new engine. The ads called it ‘The Hot One’ and hot it was, especially when equipped with the Power Pack, a four-barrel carburetor setup that came with dual exhausts. Rated 180 bhp at 4,600 rpm, the 265 cubic inch overhead valve V8 was capable of 0-60 in under ten seconds, then quite a feat, and was timed at speeds to 105 mph. The public loved it, and nearly 1.7 million were sold, a record for the marque in a record year for the industry.
For 1956, the Hot One got even hotter. The optional Super Turbo Fire engine pushed compression to 9.5 to 1 and horsepower to 205, 225 with dual quads. The power-to-weight ratio was phenomenal, in part because V8s were lighter than their cheaper six-cylinder siblings.
American car designs ran in three-year cycles. Typically the third year was in dire need of freshening. The 1957 Chevy was the exception that laid waste to the rule, lowering the whole car, a combination of smaller wheels and body modifications. The nose and tail were made over with Cadillac cues, the result akin to a baby Eldorado. The V8 was enlarged to 283 cubic inches and available in six stages of tune. At the top of the chart was the Corvette V8 with 10.5 to 1 compression. Rochester fuel injection developed the magic one horsepower per cubic inch. The single four-barrel Super Turbo Fire was rated at 220 bhp. In mid year, a new Turboglide automatic transmission was introduced, augmenting the two-speed Powerglide.
The Bel Air’s basic engines comprised a 235.5ci (3,861cc overhead-valve six and a 260ci (4,262cc) V8. Power output depended on the transmission specified, and if the stock V8’s 170bhp wasn’t enough, performance options available ranged from the 185bhp Turbo-Fire V8 to the fuel-injected 283 horsepower Corvette V8. Chevrolet hailed the latter as America’s first production car engine to produce one horsepower for every cubic inch and, not surprisingly, the Corvette-engined Bel Air rapidly established itself as the street racer’s favorite. Americana at its best, and one of the most desirable of all standard Chevrolets, this ’57 Bel Air benefits from a thorough frame-ff restoration.
The car exhibits superb engine and chassis detail and is unquestionably one of the finest of its type ever offered. Offered with a Pennsylvania title, the Bel Air is equipped with the optional 245bhp Corvette V8 breathing through twin four-barrel carburetors, the car comes with a host of installed convenience options—41 in all—including power-assisted steering and brakes, power-operated windows, Continental kit, and a tissue dispenser.
For 1956, the Hot One got even hotter. The optional Super Turbo Fire engine pushed compression to 9.5 to 1 and horsepower to 205, 225 with dual quads. The power-to-weight ratio was phenomenal, in part because V8s were lighter than their cheaper six-cylinder siblings.
American car designs ran in three-year cycles. Typically the third year was in dire need of freshening. The 1957 Chevy was the exception that laid waste to the rule, lowering the whole car, a combination of smaller wheels and body modifications. The nose and tail were made over with Cadillac cues, the result akin to a baby Eldorado. The V8 was enlarged to 283 cubic inches and available in six stages of tune. At the top of the chart was the Corvette V8 with 10.5 to 1 compression. Rochester fuel injection developed the magic one horsepower per cubic inch. The single four-barrel Super Turbo Fire was rated at 220 bhp. In mid year, a new Turboglide automatic transmission was introduced, augmenting the two-speed Powerglide.
The Bel Air’s basic engines comprised a 235.5ci (3,861cc overhead-valve six and a 260ci (4,262cc) V8. Power output depended on the transmission specified, and if the stock V8’s 170bhp wasn’t enough, performance options available ranged from the 185bhp Turbo-Fire V8 to the fuel-injected 283 horsepower Corvette V8. Chevrolet hailed the latter as America’s first production car engine to produce one horsepower for every cubic inch and, not surprisingly, the Corvette-engined Bel Air rapidly established itself as the street racer’s favorite. Americana at its best, and one of the most desirable of all standard Chevrolets, this ’57 Bel Air benefits from a thorough frame-ff restoration.
The car exhibits superb engine and chassis detail and is unquestionably one of the finest of its type ever offered. Offered with a Pennsylvania title, the Bel Air is equipped with the optional 245bhp Corvette V8 breathing through twin four-barrel carburetors, the car comes with a host of installed convenience options—41 in all—including power-assisted steering and brakes, power-operated windows, Continental kit, and a tissue dispenser.
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| • | Exempt from tax |
| Zero rated for tax, no tax will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. |