1957 Bel Air 2 door hardtop 26K miles All Original Pictures!

Hey guys looking at buying a 57 Chevy no post bel air sport coupe. Has not been registered since 1967. Only has 26K miles and is all original.

Trying to figure out what the value might be on it in todays market. Don't want to pay more than it is worth. The only things that have been done to it is new fuel pump, tires, exhaust, master cylinder, and carb kit. Runs and drives like new! Interior is like new and the paint does show wear from waxing over the many years. It has all of the paper work from the day it was bought. Even has the license plate keychain which is the same license blade that is on the car now.

What do you guys think this thing is worth? I know it depends on what someone is willing to pay.. ha

Here are some pics!














I don't know the market on these and wanted to make sure I do not over pay for it.

 

The undercarriage doesn't look like like a 26k car to me......

 

Yea it did not look like it to me either but the paperwork said he paid for it to be undercoated so maybe the dirt and crap just sticks to it because of that. No sure though.

 

At first glance, it looks real nice and looks to be an unrestored car. 26,000 miles. Until i see pics underneath. Way too much oil and road buildup to be a 26,000 mile car. Just my opinion. If i was looking at it I would question that. unless i missed it has it been repainted?

 

Yeah, I'd guess that has been mostly restored....

 

What up with the dual exhuast with what appears to be aftermarket mufflers? Exterior and interior doesnt matchup with the bottom. Ask alot of questions about a restoration.

 

From what I was told it was not restored at all but man that underside does not dirty for only 26K miles. But everything else looks great except for the paint as it shows wear threw from waxing and what not. The owners both have passed away so the daughters are selling it and they might not know the whole story.

If it has 126K miles on it then someone did a very good job restoring the inside of this car as it looks great. Anyways to tell if it is the original carpet and set covers? Any markings or tags on them OEM ones?

 

thats a nice 57, but there is no way after only 26,000 miles you would have that much grease around the balljoints unless you threw handfulls of grease at them, 26,000 miles is 8 grease jobs. i say the car is worth $25,000

 

A guy I work with now, his sister has almost the car she is trying to sell. It's a low mileage '57 except its that light blue color. She is trying to get $50k for it. I wouldn't pay that much for one of those. But if that's what there worth and you really want one go for it. The car your looking at looks really nice except the underside looks like a 120k mile car to me.





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I guess the guy could have drove the car 12,000 miles a year for ten years and it could have 126K miles on it. He bought it in 57 and it was last registered in 67. Very strange.

 

Honestly, it looks like a very well done restoration or fraud. How come people see a 5 digit odometer reading 26,000 miles and don't also assume it be 126,000 or even 226,000. A NEW 1957 Chevy that was only driven 2,700 miles a year? VERY doubtful.

HOWEVER, if it is in fact the genuine article, it's in too good of shape to screw with.

 

Post a pic of the odometer.

 

also, looks too clean under the hood compared to chassis.

 

sumthing is a little off here, really a beautiful Bel Air however. Should be 25 to 30 k at least looking that nice. Just my 2 cents. ~sololobo~

 

There is a 2 in front of the 6. My flash was not happy. ha

 

Only way it isn't original is if it were unhooked, the odometer will never line up straight once its rolled over.

I had a well documented 60,000 mile 57 bel air that the A arms looked exactly the same.

 

What are they asking for the car? Is 30k in his or your range?



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Most who have a kept up 57 like that spent more time washing & waxing the car than driving it. The bottom might look like that.

 

They are wanting $35K for it and are pretty firm.

 

show pix of under the rear window/trunk latch/fender lips/etc. for rust.

pix of bolts/washers at the fenders/core support/bumper brackect for damage/repair.

 

My thoughts are that it is a combo of amateur restoration, maintanence and original. The undercarriage could easily look like that after 26k miles and 50+ years because we don't know how it was used really...maybe 1/2 the miles were in the rain...LOL, ball joint rubber could be cracked allowing grease to squeeze out...too many variables, but it certainly isn't going to look pristine unless it was maintained like the rest of the car..

I agree with the others...$25-30k unless documented proof that the car is what they say it is regarding the miles, but I'd still negotiate with $$$ on the hood.. Nice car though...don't let it get away too easily.

Murph

 

The lack of yellowing or fading on the gauge numbers and lettering doesn't strike anyone as odd?

Is there a story as to why it was parked and kept in showroom condition? Where and how was it stored? Where is it originally from?

 

@$35000. I would walk away as you stated it could use paint add that to that amount-walk away

 

Check the ball joints. Should be riveted if original, not bolted and I couldn't tell from the photos but it should have spiral shocks. Also the u joints should not have grease fittings if original.

 

I'd say this is a 126K mile car; paint could be original, same with the interior if seat covers had been used. Engine compartment has been redone, and the undercarriage has too much rust/grease...

Just MHO......

 

yes. that's the first thing i thought when looking at the odometer picture.

 

I agree with Murph on his assessment. The under-side could easily look like this given the conditions it was driven and where and how it was stored. Even the most fastidious car owners back in the day did not concern themselves with cleaning and maintaining the under-side of any car. As far as the indicated mileage goes I wouldn't let that come into play as, in many cases, it isn't provable. But, regardless, it is still worth 25-30k all day long based on the overall condition it appears to be in. They don't make them anymore. Not real ones anyway.

 

the chevy orange and engine compartment paint looks too vibrant for me to think it is factory...I could be wrong, tough to see with pics online...but the undercarriage makes me think it is a much high mileage car, I think be a great deal regardless at 20-23k, my dad would offer 10 and go from there haha..and if it has been sitting stored etc, who knows, you may need to do brake lines, fuel lines maybe even flush, recoat or replace gas tank etc...just because it looks pretty good doesn't mean there is, if stored in a dirt floor garage or barn, there could be soft spots in the frame etc, I would want the undercarriage cleaned and inspect it while on a lift, before handing over any cash

p.s. at first glance all clamps in engine compartment look much newer, maybe they disassembled painted it all up in place

 

I've had a 57 Chevy, wouldn't want one again unless it was a 150 or a Nomad