Customs My new 1957 Chevy Bel Air cover car

Does anyone know what he's talking about?

 

I've read ALL of the posts so now I'd like to add my 1.5 cents worth...


First, Camel's dad does not appear to ever have driven the car, cruised in it, worked on it or enjoyed it or had anything to do with it other than sticking it in the garage that wasn't even his too. So I'm not so sure that the "sentimental" atachment could be that great. Did I get this right Camel?

Second, the original custom took some serious expertise back in the day with lead body work, paint, etc. So how old was the guy when he built it? How old is he today when he is talking about taking a second run at it? I've done body work and paint all of my life and at 50 my legs don't bend as easy as they used to and I'm about 30% as fast as I used to be too. So the magazine was from 1963 that's 45 years ago! He's got to be at least in his late 60's or even 70's. I hate to think about how I'm going to feel doing a hard resto 20 years from now when I'm as old as he is! :0

Lastly, camel "always wanted a tri-5 chevy". Well, this car is BASED on a tri-5, but it certainly does not possess any of the charachteristics of a tri-5 that most people love about them. So, would he be really happy driving it around or would he feel a little out of sorts and be bothered by all of the "why did you do that to such a cool 57' for" type questions he is bound to get?

He's also pinning his hopes onhaving a son that wants to help or will share his enthusiasm. Good luck there. My 14yo could really care less about what I consider to be a cool car. He's had two cars of his own so far and never so much as lifted a finger to even wash one! (65 Mustang fastback and a Bradley GT) I think that the son might enjoy driving around in a decent 55-57 coupe while he grew up and savor those memories rather than being made to get dirty for 10 years working on a car he is not very likely to appreciate.

So, that brings me the the conclusion and the basis for my advice, sell it or trade it for a finished 57 that you can drive and enjoy and even take dad for a ride in. Let the car go to someone who can really do it justice.

 

That would look SWEETTTT!!!!! Red paint? Grey Tweed? LOTS of ball-milled billet goodies??? I can't wait! I've NEVER seen one like that!!!

 

Jim in all fairness gloss black 32 fords with red wheels and whitewalls, although more HAMB friendly are about a original and plentiful as the 57 you just decribed.

 

I backed you all the way here but when it comes to this, sorry, you are on your own.

 

I believe the car was built by Ron Gerstner who also had a psycho 34 5 window coupe.

 

Yeah, Ron Gerstner did the work. That guy does amazing things. I stopped in his shop while I was up in NY getting the 57 in storage, and he was still working on cars. He was underneath another one of his fabrications. He works with his son now. Definitely a great guy, and I'd trust him to do the work before anyone else!

My dad informed me today on the phone that the car originally had something like 25 coats of gold, followed by the topcoat. He told me the paint will cost a pretty penny because of the intricacy of that specific paintjob. A regular show car paint job would've cost me around what I was looking to spend. This will probably be double!

 

James, you pretty much hit the nail on the head. My dad never did drive the car, but he did strip the paint down to the metal like Gerstner told him too. He also installed the interior that's in there now that was going to be reupholstered to the style it was before it was stripped. He then got the same year vette motor that was in before, and dropped that in, but stopped at that point for some reason. He informed me today that his intentions then, and what he thinks I should do If I sold it or not was to go all orginal.

I do like the looks of this car, and could car less about people questioning me about it. I enjoy debating, and will probably debate them into submission I do like tri-5's, and would love to have one of those too, but modernized as I said. Sorry wvenfield

 

OK- any other cliche's I should be aware of? I think you described at least 25 HAMBers cars- sorry, but I'm not one of them.

 

Yawn!

By the way I work about 5 minutes from that shop, not the one I thought did that car.
Gerstner did a friends car a few years back, nice work.

 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

 

You guys are somethin'...

 

I think you need to do a little more research on that subject. There are plenty of "alterations" that need to happen when hanging a C4 suspension between those rails. Of course if you have cubic dollars you can have AM whip you up a chassis that's ready to accept all that C4 stuff.

 

Strange thing is, in the Car Craft book and the one Rikster posted up, there is no mention of Gerstner, nor his shop. But he definitely did the build.

So being that you live in that area, I'm assumed that your hooked on the crack that's indingenous to that area that's otherwise known as Tim Hortons Ice capps?

Man I had one of those when I was up there, and it was like a crack addiction! I needed atleast one a day, and everyone I know up there says the same thing! I tried one down here in Fl at Dunkin Donuts and it sucked, but it'll give me something to look forward to when I go up next time.

 

"Paint- $4,000"
"A regular show car paint job would've cost me around what I was looking to spend."

I really hate stirring the pot, but your are killing me here. Can you please tell me who your painter is and where I can get a show quality paint job for "double" which would be $8,000, let alone $4,000??!! Do you have any idea how much body work it takes to get a car straight and ready for show?

 

That wasn't including body work. You are aware that costs are different all around the country right? But I changed my original statement of $4000 once I learned of the complexity of this paint job.

 

HAHAHA!I was right! By the way Ron Gerstners other efforts can be found here on the HAMB and belong on this thread.Use our search engine and look up Gerstner to see pics of his coupe and other indoor show efforts!

 

Awesome info Mack!

 

Yes, I'm aware costs vary throughout the country, but they don't vary 10's of thousands of dollars. Every show quality paint job is complex!! When I say body work I am not talking metal work. I'm talking, prep work, on top of prep work, gaping, multiple primer coats, blocking, sanding, blocking, sanding, more primer, more blocking, more primer, multiple coats of base, multiple coats of clear, wet sanding, buffing, buffing, buffing, polishing, waxing!! This may seem like an exaggeration, but it isn't! I am no painter, but I appreciate the work it takes...

I am not trying to jump on you, I love your car and think your Father stumbled on to a gem. I am only trying to help you come down to reality.

 

you should get used to that notion. That's what people like JimA has been saying. The thing with custom cars, is that it's custom. Everything has to be made... not bought and bolted on. You're depending on the labor cost. Back in 62 or so when that car was built, labor was cheap. Labor is expensive now. Anything you pay someone else to do, is going to depend on what they want to charge to complete it. That is going to add up very quick.

If I was in your shoes, i'd do a realistic evaluation of what you can do. What tools do you own, what tools will you need. Are you a good welder, are you comfortable with the idea of redoing something two or three times until it's right. Things like that.

Better make sure you love it, it's the only thing that will get you though the build!

 

Ok now ya done it, I am thinking after reading this you don't know as much as you let on. The motors have not changed from the "old school" motors to the new stuff other than a few bolt on parts, if you can work on a fuel injected car, you dam well can work on a carbrated one. not near as much junk on them, got a screwdriver and a couple wrenchs and you are in buisness! most chevys and fords up into the late 90's will bolt in without adapter plates. I will agree with the modern suspension as it is much more advanced and better handling, but you are still pushing around a 4000 pig.

 

..so...

I hear someone's got an old custom for sale..

 

Yep, people line up at those places, and they are all over.
I work with a guy who buys 2 coffees every morning.

Have you tracked down the orginal owner, if possible?
He may have more pics and some good info.

 

Yeah, I checked the phone book and called every name with that last name, and all of them said they didn't know of anyone by that last name, that owned a 57 chevy bel air cover car.

 

HAHA!

Yeah, I do understand that motors haven't in a big sense changed since back in the day, but they have become much more technologically advanced. It's the technologically advanced engines that I know how to work on. I know how to work with the computer, toy with A/F ratios, Do Maf calib, etc etc.

I don't however know how to work on a carbeurated engine, as I've never worked with one before. I didn't learn my knowledge from someone school. I learned through the process of elimination, through advice, and through my experience working at Steeda.

I have no clue how the Carbeurator really works, and don't understand it. I get how modern cars monitor fuel, A/F ratios etc. but I don't get how the carbeurator does.

 

If you want to build an LS2 powered something, sell this '57 and get something else. I get the sense that the final product won't be something that you really want. I don't care for the car personally since it's part of the scene that has custom headlights (radical 60's customs) so do what makes you happy. You should build a '69 camaro LS7/LS2, that's a fun car that will always be in the money.

 

paging the current kkoa hall of fame inductee MM are you in the building?

 

it works pretty much the same, insted of changeing the pulse width for more fuel you change jets, more air play with the idle mixture screws. insted of the computer telling it what to do you do it, and you are the sensors for knock, a/f and so on, thats where experiance comes in!

 

Strange. Maybe that's why the old school guys hate working on new cars. By the sounds of it, it sounds easier to grasp, than to try an learn all the intricacies of the computer driven models of todays modern engines. I think the engine will be alot easier to toy with than previously thought.