Customs My new 1957 Chevy Bel Air cover car

First off I wanted to say hi to everyone, and say I'm a big fan of the TriFive cars. I love the Chevy Bel Air, and always wanted one.

I just inherited, or was given a 1957 Chevy Bel Air that was a Car Craft cover car in 1963. It was a state champion car back in it's day. My dad bought it for $50 when he was 16, and it sat in my grandparents garage for 43 years. They are moving and needed it out, so I got the car.

It was in an accident, but the damage wasn't too bad. The car as it sits has a 283 Vette engine in it, that used to have two 4barrel carbs on it. It has shaved handles, the doors open automatically by pulling up on the antennae, it has a chop top, lincoln headlights, a custom molded rear, and had a naugahyde interior (I think that's how you spell it). Most of the naugahyde interior was removed, but I plan on having it put back to how it was.

I know this car will probably take probably around $20,000 to make perfect again, but I believe it will be worth it.

I have a question though. What would this car be worth, if it were to be restored back to how it was on the cover of the magazine?

I'm curious if I were to modernize some of it, if it would lose it's value since it was a cover car, or if it wouldn't matter since it's not an OEM car.

 

Since it was your dad,s care does it really matter what it is worth?
By the way,Restore it,don,t update it.

 

Well, my dad says if It's worth alot I should just sell it. I said I wouldn't because of the sentimental value, and he laughed and said "It's just a car, and if the price is right, sell it and build your own cover car." I'm entertaining the idea, but I'm up in the air about it.

As I said I got it because my grandmother is moving and she wanted it out of the garage. My dad is no longer into cars, so he just let me have it. If he had p***ed on and I inherited it that way, there would be no question of selling it. But as that's not the case, I'm curious what she's worth both restored, and as she sits.

 

That is bad***, restore it the way it was on the magazine that is some original custom car history there! any more info on this beast?

 

bring it back to what it was. IMO updating the car would not only lose it's value to some people but also its value as an early sixties custom that has survived and had been brought back faithfully. Congrats on getting the car and even if you do change it I hope you do it tastefully

 

If your in it just for the money, your on the wrong message board! Who cares what its worth? That is not a typical tri-year Chevy so dont act like the typical tri-year owner! That car has soo much cool history on it, and you should consider your self very lucky to have it in your possession! , DON'T modernize it at all! Its not like your gonna drive it everyday anyway. The reaction from the typical tri- year crowd when they see the car is to me priceless. Good luck!

 

Updating an old custom is a fast way to make enemies, I would restore it to what it was or at least sell it to someone who will do it right. I would put a high price tag on it just to make sure you have a serious buyer.

 

Don't get mad at me but, You sell it your a fool...........You won't have dad forever and the money will go fast. Do you know how many of us would love the have a car that "Dad " once owned. My 2c's

 

20K won't get that car back in shape.

Twenty grand won't even get it straightened out and painted.

Sell it to someone with the funds and the p***ion to get it back to where it was when it was a cover car.

 

It is your car pal, do with it as you please. But don't do something tht you will kick yourself in the *** for later. If it was mine to do with what I please, it is back to its glory days exactly.

 

That is worth more money because of the magazine coverage no doubt.

If you are considering returning the car to its former glory and turning a big profit I wouldn't get your hopes up. It is a custom, built to the owners taste and preference and does not appeal to the m***es or generate m*** profit (normally).

Would it be worth it for your pleasure and satisfaction to enjoy and would you get a decent return many years down the road, then yes you would do ok.

If you want a Tri-five Chevy but this is too radical for you and you are considering changing the car back to more of an OE appearance then sell it and buy a stock one. Someone else that will return it to its former custom glory and enjoy it that way should have it.

Marty McF.

 

Here's a old photo from my photo album taken in it's better days.
I also remember seeing in an old car magazine after it was wrecked
and for sale (may be in reader letter)
TwoChops

 

If your facts and my math are correct, this car was bought by your dad for $50 two years after it was a magazine cover car. Weird. If so, that car sure went downhill in a hurry! The bad part is, it's not worth much in it's present condition IMO, at least not compared to a stock bodied '57 in equal condition. But even if I'm wrong, the market (potential buyers) is certainly much narrower. And I'm not sure that the amount of cash needed to actually restore it properly could ever be recouped. If it's something that someone really wanted, that's not an issue perhaps. But it's potential value seems to be a consideration to you, so it's something to think about. Again, maybe I'm wrong but that's the way I see it.

 

Straighten it out, replace what you can to make it drivable, and use it. It would cost too, too, too much money to "make" it a tri-five again and would not have as much character. I have a tri-five truck that I updated the drivetrain and things in and have not liked it as much since. You'll probably have fun figuring what to do to replace the taillight lenses and headlights along with getting the motor sorted out. Find some people knowledgable about this sort of stuff and go from there. Stay away from the vette crowd when sourcing the carbereutors and other parts for the motor though...
Good Luck,
Seth

 

I pretty much agree with all you guys have said. I love the look of the car, and by modernizing it, I was only thinking of changing the engine to a LS2 or LS3 motor, and builing up the suspension ie...dropping a C4 frame into it etc etc. I wouldn't change anything at all about the interior or exterior. I wanted it to look the same it did on the cover.

It's not the money that's important to me, but someone mentioned some 57's with LS swaps go for upwards of $200k in pristine condition, and that my car is swapped with an LS, with modern suspension, and restored body and interior wise back to it's cover car condition and look, would be worth nearly double that. That's when my dad said I'd be nuts to hold onto it. Even at that point I was unsure about letting it go.

The original guy that built the car looked it over and said he can rebuild it for about $20,000. I'll probably let him do most of the work as it would add to the history to have the same guy that originally built it, to rebuild it again.

 

WOW!!! I can't believe you have pics of it! That pic does the car so much more justice than the cover, or the black and white pics in the book!

Thank you so much for posting that! Anyone else have pics?

This site rocks!

 

Whoever told you that was smoking crack. This car's only value is in it's restored to original condition as the period custom it is. People who buy those high-dollar pro-touring type cars, would as a rule, have little or no interest in one built out of this.

That'd likely be your best bet then.

 

Not to piss on your parade, but a dose of reality is needed here.

Nobody is selling their tri-5 Chevys for 200K just because they're restored/built perfect and cherry with an LSX conversion and modern suspension. Someone might be charging them 200K for a very high-end build that includes those features, but they don't sell for that when the owners are done 'playing' with them. That 'someone' told you a lot nonsense.

Guys who build those 200K+ cars do it for the love, they really don't care (or shouldn't care because they will lose $$) how much they lose after the trophies have been awarded and it's time to build the next one.

Your car being worth double that 200K with the updated ch***is/drivetrain is nothing more than a far-fetched dream.

Once you update the ch***is and drivetrain that car's original charm and significance will be gone forever, along with any real potential future value.

If the original builder thinks that car can be redone for only 20K he's dreaming. He'll be working for free, but if he wants to do that that's his choice. Materials along with labor that can't be done by the builder will easily cost over 20K, this isn't 1963.

Sorry, but I can even begin to agree with one word of your post.

Sell it to someone who won't change the car in any way from it's glory days, that's the only way it will have any real value.

 

Keep it and restore it to Car Craft coverage specs or as was mentioned, sell it to someone that will restore it. there are plenty of folks that are into restoring old customs that would love to restore it.

FWIW, that's one of my favorite old time tri five done in custom style. The Aztec and Elcapitola are at the top of the list.

 

Worth $400,000-? NEVER! Someone is leading you down the wrong path because it would cost at least $80-100K to restore that car- and then it MIGHT be worth $50K (if you don't screw it up with a bunch of ****py modern stuff).

Sell it NOW to someone that wants to put it back the way it was- anything else would be a total let down and waste of time and money.

 

Customs are like tattoos. Enjoy them (if that's your thing), but don't expect to get your money back.

 

Tell whoever told you it would be worth $3-400,000 you'll sell it for 1/2 that and let him reap the glory and big bucks.
Remember Alice and Toto returned to Kansas after their little adventure. You can just stay home and make a big bank deposit.

Frank

 

As others have said, anything "upgraded" to modern drivetrain, suspension etc. would ruin the cars charm.... You ought to consider yourself lucky to have in your possession a car that belonged to your dad. My dad p***ed away 8 years ago and I would love to own one of the '57's he used to have.

I say even if you can't financially put it back to its cover car days, get it back to driveable condition and enjoy the car. It's one of a kind...And has KooL history behind it.

 

I'm glad you made it over here, I kinda thought an old pic would show up here.

 

You guys are funny! Yeah I think I will go the original route (original as in cover condition, not oem).

When my dad got it, the interior was half stripped, the engine was gone, the wheels were changed to ****py ones etc. That's why he got it for $50. It now has the same engine the same model engine that was in it (but not the exact one) which was a 283 vette engine.

I think I'm going to have the original guy do the body work, but try to make this a project car for me, and my son. Then maybe I can p*** it on to him someday.

 

Thats what I was hoping to hear!

 

Agreed. I didn't even consider the thought of selling it, until my dad said stuff. But you guys all have very valid points, and it just re***ures my original intentions to keep it, rebuild it with my kid, and p*** it on through the family line.

Thanks for refferring me here. This site is pretty cool, just like you said. It blows my mind someone had a picture of it. Gotta love the internet, and modern technology

 

Good plan... I was thinking this thread wasn't going to end well when you started talking about putting an LS motor in that KooL car you have... Good luck with your project and keep us posted!

 

Wow.... that's awesome!!!

Thanks for finding the HAMB. Please keep us updated with the restoration