The 1957 Chevy Bel Air Remains a Pivotal Icon of Design and Americana

It used to be that masterpieces like Moby Dick and Tom Sawyer were staples ensconced on the bookshelves of every literate American. Not so much today. As tastes change and attention spans wane, the classics by Melville and Twain have been replaced by yammering YouTube influencers and video-game carnage (eerily prefigured by the film Death Race 2000, which I eagerly watched at its “theatrical” release in 1975). Similarly, some cars once regarded as “must-haves” in collector garages find themselves less popular now than they were 20 years ago. A few, however, remain pivotal icons of design and American culture—cars whose significance remains undiminished, except perhaps with regard to current market values. 

Chevrolet’s famed Tri-Five automobiles—built in 1955, 1956, and 1957—were models that established themselves as automotive heartthrobs in their time, and even more so over the course of ensuing decades. Among the most notable among these is the Chevy Bel Air, whose complicated family tree included the One-Fifty, Two-Ten, Bel Air, and Nomad models, as well as the Delray coupe, and Handyman, Townsman, and Beauville wagons.

Altogether, there were well over 54 models throughout the three fertile years of production, which included two-door convertibles, plus coupes, sedans, and wagons in two- and four-door configurations. Enthusiasts might argue that the best of the Tri-Five Bel Airs were the 1957 two-door coupe and convertible, as well as the two-door wagon known as the Nomad. Unlike their predecessors, all were dressed in prominent tail fins, and the most exclusive were powered by Chevy’s potent 283 cubic-inch, 283 hp, fuel-injected V-8 engine. On the other hand, many ardent Chevy Tri-Five folks will posit any number of valid arguments why the original ’55, or ideally proportioned ’56, should take the podium in a Bel Air beauty contest.  

The car’s output and handling weren’t lost on performance enthusiasts. A hot-rodder’s delight, many surviving examples (of the almost 5 million of all model variants manufactured over three years) have since been turned into everything from lowriders to dragsters. Chopped, tubbed, transplanted with ‘Vette crate motors, or reimagined as restomods, the Bel Air is the perfect blank canvas on which automotive visionaries can paint their own masterpiece. Purists, on the other hand, might seek an original car restored to period-correct specification, though such show queens are going to have to make do with skinny, bias-ply tires, drum brakes, and any number of concessions to modern comfort and performance.

Owners who want their Bel Air equipped with ice-cold air conditioning, modern suspension, power disc brakes, and more than 500 hp will go the restomod route, many of which feature luxurious interiors and a refined fit and finish totally absent from the nearly 70-year-old originals. The beauty of so many of the best examples of restored-but-modified cars is that their modern attributes aren’t readily apparent until one opens the doors, lifts the hood, or looks behind a five-spoke American Racing wheel.

Apart from perfect paint and chrome (far finer than what was sprayed or dipped in the 1950s), restomods of the Bel Air can feature an outward appearance that’s often bone stock. And that contrarian surprise is, of course, the attraction of such a machine. Restomods of all sorts are big in the collector scene today, and it’s not unusual to see cars at auction commanding more than their cost to build, which was not always the case. For these cars, often selling well into the six figures, it’s more a matter of which unique build attracts a particular buyer.

Usually, custom builds are envisioned and commissioned—or even constructed by—the owner, who approaches his or her project much as a client hires an architect to design a custom home. The good news is that reproduction and upgrade parts for the various versions of the Bel Air are plentiful and affordable, so industrious (and competent) do-it-yourselfers can build a great car as long as they have a well-equipped garage, a few parts catalogs, and a credit card.  

Collectors who want an original example of a top Bel Air model, such as a 1957 two-door convertible in concours-quality condition, can expect to pay $200,000 or more, while an example in good condition might command $95,000. As for a potential donor car sourced for a restomod project, a base two-door hardtop coupe can be found for under $30,000, though such an ambitious restoration is best accompanied by a wide-open wallet.

Click here for more photos of this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air “Fuel-Injected” Convertible.