1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
Model Year History Overview:
This was the first and only year Chevrolet offered a fuel-injection
V-8 engine, a feature very advanced for its day. The 1957 Chevrolet is one of the most popular American cars built – even though this was the first year Ford out-sold it. Its unique styling caught on and remains today as the outstanding classic automobile of the 1950s. Properly equipped this car was, and is, a formidable competitor on the race track. Chevy did quite well on NASCAR and the other circuits. At the 1957 Daytona Speed weeks it added more achievements. In Class 4 (213 to 259 cid) they won the first three places in the flying mile; in Class 5 (259 to 305 cid) they took 33 out of 37 places. A feat no other manufacturer could come close to matching.
Holley's Tower of Power '57 Chevy Fuel Injection Convertible
For two consecutive issues in 1999, Rod & Custom Magazine's devoted readers were shown the intricate creation of one of the stars of Hot Rod's Power Tour 2000 and Rod & Custom's Americruise, the Holley Tower of Power.
Avid readers covered the installation of the Lunati 408ci Chevy Small Block using the Holley Systemax aluminum heads and multi port fuel injection system. There were chassis modifications improving handling, ride quality, and a general 42 year overhaul to the '57 convertible. The project car was lowered 3", Budnick Wheels added, a 700R4 Transmission modified and a 9" Ford rear end installed.
In late May of 1999 the Holley headed for Southern California and the Hot Rod Power Tour for both the East and West Coasts. It was during that run that a deer decided to try and jump a moving classic cruiser (the Holley) on the Interstate and missed. Fortunately the Holley seemed to have survived better than the deer.
During its tour days Holley was very strict about sponsorship of this car so as not to have conflicts with competitive sponsors and to also limit the signage that accompanied the car. All-In-All, this is one of the badest '57 Chevys around and proud to be surrounded by others like it in the Pack Automotive Collection.
It was featured in the July and October 1999 issues of Rod & Custom magazine.
Total 1957 Chevrolet Car Production: 1,499,664
Total 1957 Convertible Production: 47,562
Originally Sold To: N/A
Original MSRP: $2,511.00
Stock Number: C 73