Est. 350 bhp, 502 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, three-speed automatic transmission, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and disc-front and drum-rear power hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 115.0 in.

American car designs typically ran in three-year cycles. Usually by the third year of a design, the car was in dire need of freshening. The 1957 Chevy, however, has been the exception to the rule. Changes from 1956 lowered the whole car through a combination of smaller wheels and body modifications, and the nose and tail were updated with Cadillac cues, resulting in what some call a “baby Eldorado.”

There are some, however, for whom that just right is not enough. An automobile, even a ’57 Chevy, represents a blank canvas for expression—expression of engineering and of art. Such was the case with this ’57 Bel Air Convertible.

Art should have a focal point. For this car, it is undoubtedly the 502-cubic inch big block Chevy engine, the impact of which is magnified by liberal use of chrome on every imaginable surface. The transmission is a sturdy Hydra-Matic. The front suspension has been upgraded with tubular control arms, and the power front disc brakes with drilled rotors have been fitted. The turbine-style alloy wheels are from Billet Specialties, and they are mounted with radial wide whitewall tires.

The car has power steering and air conditioning, the latter a rare original feature, so the outlets are correctly integrated into the lower surface of the instrument panel. The original instrument nacelles have been retained and have been fitted with a full, handsome complement of black-on-white gauges from Classic Instruments. A white leather-wrapped steering wheel sits atop a modern tilt column. A Custom Autosound stereo system has been installed, specially outfitted for the car with a bowtie Chevy emblem on the face.

A rotisserie restoration has resulted in a car that is clean from top to bottom, with excellent contours, light blue paint, and near-perfect chrome. The vinyl upholstery, in body-color blue and white, is immaculate, and the white vinyl top has a matching boot cover. The undercarriage is similarly spotless. The car is accompanied by a small assortment of ’57 Chevy literature and the instruction manual for the stereo.

The artist who transformed this Chevrolet has captured the essence of a classic ’57 while working through a time warp to the present day. It is indeed a very well-executed “Resto-Rod” that has been tastefully constructed. Certainly no original Chevy comes near this combination of raw big block power, tasteful bright accents, and comfortable cruising. If the 1955 Chevy was “The Hot One,” and the ’56 was “Even Hotter,” certainly this 1957 must be the hottest of all.