Chevrolet sought to keep the Bel Air competitive following successful sales in 1956, so they upgraded the model with new styling for 1957. The car sat 1.5 inches lower and was 2.5 inches longer than the ’56 model, and it featured a restyled grille and new front bumpers. Taller tailfins were incorporated into the rear to complete the look, helping to make the 1957 Bel Air a truly timeless design and a sales success.

Customers were given a plethora of choices for engines with the Bel Air in 1957, but the most desirable of all was the 283-cubic inch V-8 that was fitted with Rochester fuel injection, which could produce 283 horsepower and boast an incredible ratio of one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. The same motor was an option in the Corvette, but in the Bel Air, it was a veritable sleeper. The car became a family car and daily driver that could leave just about anything on the road in the dust.

With fewer than 40,000 original miles on its odometer, this 1957 Bel Air, which is equipped with the fuel-injected 283-cubic inch engine, was purchased by noted collector Milton Robson in 1989. Mr. Robson acquired the car from an individual who had purchased the car from the estate of the original owner, and at that time, the car showed just 39,000 miles from new. After having been stored for many years, it was decided that the Bel Air should be fully restored back to its former glory. The car was stripped down to its bare frame and refinished in its original color combination of Canyon Coral and India Ivory. The high quality of the interior matches that of the exterior, and the car has clearly been very well maintained both by Robson and the current collector, who purchased it in 2010. Since then, it has accumulated less than 150 miles through regular exercise, and presently, it remains in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition.

As one of the most popular American cars ever built, it is said that the 1957 Bel Air will never go out of style, and well-restored, fuel-injected models, such as the example presented here, will always be the most desirable of the breed. This car’s low mileage, limited ownership history from new, and rare Canyon Coral and India Ivory color combination make it an excellent example of 1957’s most potent Chevy Bel Air.