Hey everybody! I am the proud owner of a 1954 Chevy 210 as a daily driver (except for the winter months) for about a year now. This evening I was out driving and noticed a copper colored 1957 Chevy Bel Air 4 door sedan with a white top inside a lighted garage with the door open. I approached the man in his '80s who was working on something else in his garage and started talking about the car. Turns out he's selling it and originally asked for $14,000 but said he could do $11,000. It's got the original engine (not sure which model) and original upholstery. He said it runs and drives and has 52,000 original miles on it. It's been repainted but with the same original copper color. The chrome's all good and body is very nice. There are a couple of clean tears on the front seat, nothing too major or bad. It's an automatic and has a new radiator. He said he bought it about 10 years ago from a couple who bought it new out in Arizona or something like that. It was stored in a barn when he got it. What do you guys think? Should I buy it? What's it worth? Should I try and talk him down? My plan is to see how much I can sell my '54 Chevy for and then get this '57. Any info or thoughts and recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!!!!
Prices ? You have seen the car, the pics don't show too much. It's a '57 BelAir 4 door sedan, 235" six cylinder with PowerGlide. Go online, look at prices, based on mileage and condition of what you have seen in the garage.
Spinner glad to see you back, I thought we lost you for good. Looks like a nice original car , if you like it is say go for it. I'm not up on 4 door prices but if it is as clean as it looks and a no rust car it doesn't sound like a bad deal to me. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Get under it and see how solid it really is. If the bottom looks like the rest of it... Offer 10K. Yeah, I'm partial to 57s, but that car looks like a time capsule. Be sure it's what you want, 4 doors aren't as easy to sell as a 2 door. That's the only drawback I can see.
I would say thats fair if its fairly solid, runs good etc. and you like it. However I dont think its so cheap that it would be out of line to offer less, then come up if needed. Thats my favorite 57 color, sierra gold and adobe beige.
Well I test drove it today and it drives pretty nice. Here are more detailed pics of the car out in the sunlight. No rust on the chrome or body and barely any rust underneath. Extremely straight and clean car!!
The little bit of the inner rockers in the pix look to be solid. Pans and body mounts are good. Open up a Danchuk catalog & price up bumpers, exterior chrome and all the stainless you don't have to buy - 5k and believe me, I know. Windows and gl*** installed in mine by were 2k. Seat covers and a weekend POR15 ing the underside, go thru the brakes and drive it! That car is a solid candidate for the 2 door conversion.
Change your avatar and make this your daily. Outside of brakes, suspension, or exhaust that might need repair, LEAVE THE REST ALONE!
Looks like he pulled the trigger to me....Can't say I blame him, that's about as nice & desirable a moredoor as it gets. Listen to these guys^^^^^^. They got the scoop on these things first hand. Gotta say I agree with their advise whole-heartedly. That's a real nice find. And the fact that the 4dr deal is a non-issue to you makes it even better.
I'm not 'wild' about Chevys, but this is one that is extreme. I haven't seen one this immaculate since they were 5 years old and coming into the shop! 'Time capsule' is descriptive, this is how they WERE. Lucky find, I'd say..
$7k. Four doors are no where near the value of two doors. Te nywars ago the current owner may have paid $5k.
I'd have a real hard time going more than 7 to 8k for that. Its nice, but its a 4 door post 6cyl car. solid as it may be, the resale value of it will never be what a hardtop, 2door or v8 car would be
Freshen up the engine and brakes and leave it the way it is. Don't make it into a 2 door or replace all the gl***. Show up with $7k in cash and show it to the guy when you make the offer. Like others have said, it's a 4 door sedan with a 6 so it's about the least desirable '57 Chevy made. Let us know what happens. Good luck....
hey, that´s a cool time capsule... I have a unrestored 55 4dr as a daily myself, Just have fun, maintain it and add some patina yourself over time. I have to admit , I´d rather have a rustfree, solid 4dr than a bondobucket ,350 powered, rallye wheeled 2 door .
Wow. The car looks to have never seen a bumper jack. That's more money than I would want to pay (11k) but I would've paid it. The 4doors are beginning to have some value, and you bought one of the best on the planet.
I have not bought the car yet. The picture was from when the owner had it towed to put new ****** fluid in and checked out before it was driven. Everything's turned out fine. The problem is he said he was firm on $11,000 and now that he pulled it out and all he has it parked in his driveway and said the first person who has the money gets it. I told him I was very very interested but that the only thing stopping me is that I have to sell my 1954 Chevy first. So now I'm scrambling to get a buyer in place so I can buy this 57. :/
My policy is , what can I get for it if I had to sell it tomorrow due to a financial crisis. And be honest. Really 11K is twice what it's worth Pat
I disagree. A 54 4 door (I can't tell if the op's car is a 2 or 4 door) vs a 57 4 door? That's apples to apples, and the 57 wins hands down (imo), and pretty much by any objective measure. If its a two door, that strengthens the desirability of the 54, but not enough to change my mind on what I would do. I would hate to have this deal hinging on how fast I and for how much I could sell a 54 2 or 4 door. No offense to you 53-54 Chevy guys. And remember, this is deal the op wants.
Hard to believe a car in that condition is worth so little because it has a few extra doors. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Very nice to see one w/out any rust. You can always turn that into a 2 door. Roof line is the same. Good luck getting it and enjoy
This seller This car may slip through your fingers. When I'm selling whatever, I'm talking to the guy with the cash. To tell the seller that you want to buy his car, BUT you have to sell your car first, simply tells the seller that you're not ready to buy NOW. This seller WILL park the car in his driveway and he WILL SELL this car pretty damn quick. Money talks, ******** walks.
Look at the rear door jambs very closely. From the door strikers on down. Check where the rear door closes, and inside the rear wheelwells. This is a really bad place for rust on 55 - 57 Chevy 4 doors. Otherwise, it looks like a really nice 57. Course, I'm a bit biased....I own one of it's close cousins. Unfortunately, mine is REALLY rusty.....A typical Illinois car. By the way, here's one that has been on Craigslist for several months. http://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/5812703410.html It's a ways away, and isn't in as good condition. However, it's a V8 and the price is about 1/2.
Yup, "asking" price on that is $6k because it isn't really nice. The one Spinner54 is looking at has some interior issues and it's the less desirable straight 6. The old guy selling it thinks he has a two door price wise. That car isn't going any where at $11k. I like bone stock tri5s, two or four door, but the reality of it is the true value.
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