Cars that were labors of love tend to stand out. It's hard to pinpoint what, exactly, makes them special, but when this 1957 Chevy Bel Air hardtop showed up, it had that certain something that made us all take a few extra minutes checking it out. Go ahead and look at the photos, but I'll bet you said, "Wow," when you saw all the details. Smart builders always leave the '57 Chevy's sheetmetal alone and concentrate on making it as straight as possible instead, and that's certainly the case here. One of the most gorgeous designs of the decade, there's just no line that's out of place anywhere, and the guy who built this one was very, very careful to preserve every single one of them. White may not seem all that sexy at first glance, but take a closer look at this one: it's not white, it's a prismatic pearl that glows in the sunlight and casts all kinds of wonderful reflections in its laser-straight flanks. A small fortune went into the restoration of all the brightwork, including the massive front bumper and all the side trim that defines the Bel Air look. The drop-dead gorgeous interior shows off the handiwork of some of the most talented craftsmen in the business. Using Mercedes-Benz-grade materials, the twin power buckets and rear bench were upholstered in luscious gray and burgundy leather, with a set of beautiful door panels to match. A custom center console was fabbed up and fitted with a vintage-looking tach and a pair of cup holders, as well as a comfortable arm rest. Power accessories like A/C, power windows, cruise control, and a tilt wheel were added, making this an old car that feels like a modern luxury car. The instrument panel still carries the original speedometer, which is now flanked by a quartet of Classic Instrument gauges, and you'll note that the shifter quadrant shows four gears instead of two. Open the trunk and you'll find more matching burgundy carpets, a custom bulkhead with Bel Air trim, as well as a full-sized spare under a fitted cover and an aluminum battery box. Very slick. The 350 under the hood was rebuilt and installed less than 1500 miles ago, and, of course, looks right and runs great. Horsepower builders include an Edelbrock Performer intake and 4-barrel carburetor, as well as a set of long-tube headers that connect to a beautifully fabricated Flowmaster exhaust system. A full chrome dress-up kit gives it the appropriate amount of sparkle, and a big aluminum radiator up front keeps it cool no matter what the outside temperature. It's backed by a 700R4 4-speed automatic, which promises easy cruising and impressive fuel economy when linked to the 3.55 gears out back. A CPP steering box improves responsiveness and front disc brakes are a great safety upgrade. 17-inch Rev wheels are a modern take on the classic Torque Thrust and wear 235/55/17 radials that fill the wheel wells nicely. A high-end build done by a guy who did it because he was fulfilling a dream, not looking for a return on his investment. Enjoy the benefits of this special car and call us today! This vehicle is located in our Dallas/Fort Worth showroom. For more information, please call (817) 764-8000 or toll free (855) 877-2707.
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