This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is a two-door hardtop that was acquired by the seller in October 1988, and it subsequently received a body-off refurbishment and modifications that were completed in 2001. Work included installing replacing the floors and quarter panels, repainting the car in black, replating and refurbishment of trim, reupholstering the black leather interior, and installing a supercharged 540ci V8 and a four-speed 4L60E automatic transmission. Additional equipment includes adjustable front and rear coilover suspension, power rack & pinion steering, air conditioning, power windows, 18″ and 20″ Budnik wheels, Baer disc brakes, an Alpine Bluetooth stereo, and more as described below. A replacement Roadster Shop SPEC Series chassis was also installed in 2019. This Bel Air is now offered with a clean Illinois title in the seller’s name.
The seller states that during the refurbishment the body was placed on a rotisserie, the floor pans and quarter panels were replaced, and it was then refinished in black. The stainless-steel side trim and chrome were re-plated and refurbished. Exterior details include twin hood bullets, rear tail fins, Bel Air badging, and a single side mirror.
Budnik Illusion 18″ and 20″ wheels are wrapped in 235/40 front and 295/40 rear Pirelli P Zero tires. The car is equipped with adjustable front and rear coilover suspension, power rack & pinion steering, Wilwood Pro spindles, a front sway bar, and a parallel four-bar rear suspension. Stopping power is provided by 11″ Baer disc brakes with drilled and slotted rotors at all four corners.
The front bench was reportedly sourced from Glide Engineering and both front and rear seats are trimmed in black leather. The matching carpets and floor mats are replacements, and the custom door panels are fitted with Billet Specialties door handles. Additional equipment includes a Budnik steering wheel, Ididit tilt steering column, Billet Specialties dash inserts and door sill plates, a Lokar shifter and pedals, air conditioning, power windows, lap belts for five occupants, custom connecting rod cup holders, a center armrest, and an Alpine Bluetooth stereo.
Dakota Digital instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer with an inset 8k-rpm tachometer, auxiliary gauges, and a digital clock. The digital odometer shows 849 miles, which is said to represent the distance traveled since installation of the replacement chassis in 2019. Total mileage is unknown.
The fuel-injected 540ci big-block V8 was reportedly sourced from Dart and is equipped with a Paxton supercharger. The seller states that a dyno tune and fluid change were performed in 2020, and the engine is equipped with ported Dart Pro1 heads, Manley valves, and the following additional components:
- Lunati Pro Series crankshaft
- Crane custom grind camshaft, roller rockers, and pushrods
- JE Pistons with Total Seal piston rings
- Oliver connecting rods
- Mahle Clevite H-series bearings
- Double roller timing chain
- GM Ram Jet-style intake
- ARP hardware
- Custom fuel rails and high flow injectors
- Custom oversized fuel tank with a charcoal canister
- Replacement fuel lines
- Custom-fabricated ceramic-coated headers
- Custom 3″ dual ceramic-coated exhaust system with SpinTech mufflers and resonators
- Be Cool radiator with a Derale electric fan and a Dakota Digital fan controller
- ATI Super Damper
- Two AC Delco batteries
The seller states that the driveline includes a Rossler Racing 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission, a Ford 9″ rear end with 31-spline axles and 3.50:1 gearing, and a custom driveshaft.
A Roadster Shop SPEC Series chassis was installed in 2019. Photos of the underside and refurbishment process are presented in the gallery below.
