Used 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 Door Sedan  Among the offerings from Chevrolet in 1957 were a series of 4 door options including the hardtop which had no pillars between the front and back windows, the sedan which does, and the station wagon.  Trim levels included the 150, the 210, the Delray, and the top trim, the Bel Air.  For consignment, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan assembled in Tarrytown, New York and housing a date correct 283ci V8 under the hood.  Sixteen exterior colors were available in 1957 and this one is yellow.  Exterior Regardless of the number of doors, the wedge trim on the 1957's remains a top 5 iconic all time automotive design element.  On the 4 door, part of the wedge is on the back doors and therefore contain a seam, but still serves as a great way to introduce the rear fins which rise above them like Batman's ears.  The bottom line of the wedge travels as a mid line trim piece all the way to the front where it ends in a spear under the fender louvers, a Bel Air cue.  The chrome and metal trim are in great shape including the floating headlights, the twin rocket hood ornaments, and the hefty bumpers and grille.  14-inch polished Chevrolet Rally wheels could use some help and the side mirror is missing.  Other imperfections include various cracks in the paint, areas of surface rust where paint is missing, bubbling, chips, and a section of the front bumper that is rusty and peeling.  Interior Basic black vinyl door panels are accentuated by a tweed like cloth on the armrests and lower panel greet us upon opening the door, while the seats are a basic black bench in stitched pattern, showing some usage but clean and intact.  The rear bench has some rippling in the piping but otherwise in great shape and the doors retain the cloth and vinyl configuration, while an ashtray is embedded in the back of the front bench.  A gray steering wheel with horn ring shares the column with the shifter and the dashboard consists of three main protruding gauges above a grid patterned metal lower trim panel in which we find an updated AM/FM/Cassette radio, a gold Bel Air emblem, and a square clock, all topped by a black painted dash top.  Black loop carpet covers the floor, loosely in some spots, and the black headliner is clean and intact.  Button backed tweed material finishes the walls of the trunk and a black carpet base houses a spare tire on a yellow steel wheel.   Drivetrain Open the big hood and we find a driver quality 283ci V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor rated at 185 horsepower.  A 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels and 3.36 gears.  Power brakes are employed here with drums occupying the front and the rear.   Undercarriage Generally clean but driver quality conditions prevail underneath where some surface rust occurs on usual spots, residual oil on the pan, flywheel cover, and rear differential.  The dual exhaust includes a pair of FlowMaster mufflers then exit under the rear corners.  Suspension consists of coil springs in front and leaf springs in back.  The undersides of the doors are clean and rust free.  Drive-Ability Even with pillars, the greenhouse environment of the Bel Air cabin provides ample visibility and the rear quarter windows help by minimizing the C-pillar real estate.  The 283 is primed and starts right up, rolling big steel onto our test loop in fine style.  Acceleration is adequate, tracking is straight, and turn-in is a bit boat like, as expected.  The radio is not working but all other functions operate as they should.  While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.  A straight body, good runner, classic lines, all the ingredients for an entry level collector car or one to add to the collection.  Cars from the 50's are nothing short of rolling art and the '57 is like