Hey guys, I am picking up a 57' Chev 210 Wagon this Friday and was wondering if there were any suggestions as far as body/suspension mods, ideas of optimal drive train, and any examples of trick rides you have seen/owned in the past. Thus far I am thinking of getting her low, shaved, and dropping in a quick and cheap V8 that will get her in the fast lane(327 or 350?). I am also not sure what kind of grill replacement would look killer (middle is missing), any ideas? Here is the scoop on the beast, it comes with an unistalled and torn apart 283ci and a 2 speed powerglide. The body is in pretty good shape with the exception of the driver floor pan and a good sized dent in the rear quarter. The interior is filthy but everything is in tact and not too trashed. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
put a 350 sbc and a th350 in it for now, get everything road worthy and drive it. Driving it will inspire the upgrades. Sell the 283 to a traditional hot rodder or a stock/super stock cl*** racer, sell the transmission to a drag or dirt racer and use the money to finance the upgrades. Nice score.
If it was mine........I'd probably just put the 283 back together combined perhaps with a newer ****** and just drive it. Sorry, not really a help there.
How 'bout an 87 or newer throttlebody EFI 350 from an old rusty but trusty suburban with a 700R4 behind it. Gets you EFI but keeps a conventional air cleaner for that traditional air cleaner. I'm doing that for my 1961 chevy brookwood longroof. We have lots of that (rusty suburbans) here in Michigan..... Get the whole truck and grab everything you need before you dump the carc***. Body? how 'bout: '54 grille teeth or 57 'vette grille teeth.... or notch that bumper (or another one) and stick a moon tank in the middle. OR just sans the front bumper with or wothout the tank - looks Kool on a lowered '57..... I like primer gray or flat black body with a Roth Flake candy gr*** green roof or candy red roof. If ya did the green you could add some really thin scallops (Watson style?) in bright green with a white outline on the fender tops, hood, behind the front weel openings etc... Then the wide whites on the bright green or red steel wheels. or Radirs or Astros or..... Keep it on the road - I didn't and now regret it (7 years waiting on my way too busy *** to get back to it - just keep driving it whatever you do.... Oh, don't forgrt the bellflowers....
Dropped spindles,power disc brakes,cut a coil,lower the rear. Chop the top a couple of inches.....oh wait...that's what I did!!!! Just make it reliable and lower and safe....then cut the hell out of it!
A '68 Chevelle drum/drum master cylinder bolts right in and gives you dual chambers for a cheap safety upgrade, just did that to my '57 and it was super easy. If you decide you want the stock grille bar I have an extra one that's decent that I'd sell cheap. Engine wise, I'd want to keep the 283 if possible. If you don't have the $ to rebuild it now, then put whatever small block in there, but only temporarily. Don't get rid of the original motor. I like '57 Chevy's but I'm not real hot for customized ones, unless they're fairly mild. A pair of two door sedan doors would make it into a Handyman wagon which would be pretty cool. That'd be my only mod if I had your wagon.
I started about the same place you are with mine. It's now running like a top with a 350/350. As for customizing a '57 I have never seen one that I cared for. To ME I think '57's look best stock with a little lowering and a decent wheel/tire combo. Just my .02
Nice score man, my suggestion for a killer grille bar, get a replacement original! Harmons has 10% off right now. The other suggestions, 54 chebby or vette are very cool. Chances are spending a bone, on a replacement would free up $ for lowering, etc. Your steel wheels with 57 orig dog dishes and trim rings would be way cool also. Fix the 283 if possible, they are becoming appreciated for thier zip, and dependable ways. Have fun with the cruiser bro.-Sololobo
Hey guys, great ideas (with the exception of selling..). I like the Chevelle master cylinder idea, and will probably drop a 327 or 350 as suggested. Fixing the 283 will be down the road, but it is alreay apart so should be easier to store. I like the idea of 54' Chev teeth, but my wife is feelin the stock. Good body mod ideas. Will definitly make a driver as a priority. Do you guys have any pictures of wagons? Brewsir? I will throw some more on after I get the rig. Keep the ideas coming! Thanks.
BomberSTL, what other mods have you done to yours? Do you guys have any examples of guys going overboard (not sure if there is such a thing) on mods for these things? I am all about keeping it as simple as possible to get her going. What do you guys think about interior? Should I keep the original white vinyl benches?
Brewsir, nevermind about the pics. I just saw that panel and it f***in' rocks! Wish I could make it to Robles to see in person. Maybe next time I am in the V, I can take a look.
disc brakes, 283 with turbo 350, 2 speed wipers for driving it in the rain, 605 box and drive the snot out of it !
First of all, leave the body stock, right down to the original colors. Then do the usual updates to the power train, suspention and brakes. Then do the interior in a 60's theme; black and pleated. Seems the g***er look is slowly coming back; along the same lines you could build it ala Junior Stocker; lifted all around with front just slightly higher, Cragar SS wheels with big and littles, maybe some towbar tabs just for looks. That would be the way I'd go.BUTCH.
48' Corp: Here is my wagon... I mainly just got it running. Like I said new motor/trans, new drum brakes, some fresh rattle can. Tires and wheels I had laying around. The front was lowered with 2 coils cut out, but that is all I could do since there is no ground clearance with full length headers. It will get 1 in. blocks for the back soon. There is no grille in it now but I have the stock one that is going back in it. I just drive the piss out of it.
Looks like it's in good shape, as far as all that hi-tech **** forget it unless you have unlimited funds then go crazy. Check out Jessie James' 57 wagon that really looks cool, I'd go for that look. Good luck, Rags
Yea...I'd leave it stock...then you can drive an old car that looks just like everyone else's......what maybe a million 4 dr 57 wagons were built...all alike. Sorry but anybody can restore a car....build something cool.
I think that I would give it a air ride suspension, 1957 Buick grille, put a candy paint topped off with a metal flake roof. Thin white wall tires and a set of supreme wheels or even the Radir Tri ribs look great.
I was considering dropping in a 472ci from a 69 Caddy in it. I saw a couple of postings about people considering doing it, but have not seen the finished products yet. Does anyone know of anyone who has alreay done this swap?
57s don't need much to look good, but I see plenty of people screw them up by over doing it. Its such an iconic car, it doesn't require 25 trinkits to make it cool. Looks like it has potential. Just remember that wheels and stance are everything. A longroof needs some flake, but that should go without saying.
55 buick grill, shave the gun sights and rear doot handles, two tone burgundgy and white preal roof, no surf boards, 5 spokes and sneaker pipes, sell me the 283 and put in a 350 and od but thats what i'd do
Well after kicking around the 69' Caddy 473ci engine idea, I fell into a sweeeet deal, I couldn't p*** up. I found a 455ci Super Rocket from a 68' Olds Delmont 88 with a freshly rebuilt TH400 with a shift kit. Has anyone else run one of these? I will pick up in the morning and will run the numbers to see what heads are on this thing.
Go for the look YOU like! If the 283 is a no-side-mount-boss original 57 engine you should be able to sell it for some building funds. If the PowerGlide is an original iron-case one it will make a nice doorstop or sell it to a restorer too. My son's 57 2door BelAir has a 327 buckled up to a TH350 with a 74 Nova rearend. It runs well and gets some mileage since we removed the original 4.11 57 rear end. Enjoy the car, it's the penultimate American car of the 50s, an icon everyone recognizes and appreciates.
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