In the final year of its third generation, the Chevrolet Bel Air offered an intoxicating blend of style, performance, and features with its freshly designed front end and tastefully executed tailfins, making it one of the most cherished American automotive designs of all time. Importantly, 1957 also saw the debut of what would become another American icon: Rochester Ramjet fuel injection. A constant-flow system, it metered fuel to all cylinders simultaneously from a central “spider” of injection lines, pushing General Motor’s modest small-block V-8 to a remarkable one unit of horsepower per cubic-inch of displacement—283 horsepower out of 283 cubic inches. Designed primarily for the Corvette, the advanced system eventually made its way into Chevrolet’s regular lineup. An outrageously expensive option at $500, it pushed the price of Bel Airs close to Cadillac territory. Only an estimated 1,530 Bel Airs—encompassing all body styles—were reportedly ordered with Rochester Ramjet fuel injection for 1957 out of a total production of more than 700,000 that model year.

This fuel-injected Bel Air Convertible has much to recommend it, being beautifully presented in factory-correct Onyx Black over Red and Silver vinyl and equipped with its 283-cubic-inch V-8 engine, number F614EK—the EK suffix designating Rochester Ramjet fuel injection and high-lift camshafts. In 2008, the car underwent a full, body-off restoration by Jeff and Bill Steinmetz of the Columbus, Ohio area. With no expense spared, the quality of workmanship is evident throughout and was formally recognized by the Antique Automobile Club of America in 2009 with a Senior National First Prize at the Spring Meet in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Acquired by the consignor in early 2016 out of Ontario, Canada and subsequently imported to the United States, the Bel Air has remained impressively well-preserved within the collection, benefiting from continual upkeep. Indeed, it won the AACA Grand National First Prize at the Kansas City meet in 2017, where it was also selected as one of only 16 finalists out of more than 3,000 cars shown at national AACA meets that year for the prestigious AACA Zenith Award, which recognizes outstanding restorations. The car subsequently won a Senior Grand National award at the Annual Grand National meet in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 2018.

Now offered for the first time in eight years, this superb, award-winning Bel Air Convertible “Fuelie,” among the most recognizable American automobiles of all time—an icon of its age—is poised to continue its impressive showing at events and tours with its next fortunate caretaker.