Customs My new 1957 Chevy Bel Air cover car

Seems like a good thing that you came here, because it appears that you've been BSed by others you have talked to, including your Dad.

If Dad really felt that it was just a car with no sentimental value, he wouldn't have held on to it all these years. Believe me, no car guy is ever stops being a car guy. If he was to see this car in it's former glory, it would no doubt be one of the biggest thrills of his life.

If investment is your only concern, don't touch it and sell it now. The slightest modification (or "update") from it's do***ented state of the original build will depreciate it's value drastically. You will not yield a higher return by hiring someone to fix her up to sell.

Having the original builder do the restoration sounds great, but considering the cost estimate, I would question his ability to still be able to handle the job. Could be that he has more sentimental value in the car than anyone else and really wants to do it. Maybe enough to be willing to do it at cost. Anyway, I would carefully investigate the quality of RECENT work he has performed.

In the real world, this probably won't be a 6 figure car in your lifetime. Value of the car as it sits depends on exactly what is missing or needs to be replaced or repaired. The devil is in the details here, and although she appears to be relatively complete, there is a ton of work to be done.

Whatever you do, see that the car gets in the hands of someone that can respect it and get it restored properly to it's do***ented state. That's for the sake of the car and everyone involved, including all of us that are just observing form a distance. This way, even if it is no longer in the family, Dad can see it again as it was. Maybe even go for a ride.

 

Yeah restore it to the way it once was......

 

I mainly wanted the guy that originally built it to work on the body damage from the accident, put a new floorboard in because it's completely rotted out on the drivers side, and I'll need a new frame. The frame that's on it is bent, and he said I'd be better off finding another 57 Chevy Bel Air donor car to strip the frame off of.

Beyond that, I wanted to do the engine build, and rebuild the rest of the car, including the interior. Paint, I'm iffy on. I was considering painting a few peoples cars for free, if they let me practice on their cars. Then I can get some hands on knowledge to paint the car. But then my subcouncious tells me I'd be a *****, to try and paint a car like this myself. It was a cover car, and no way can some guy that's never painted a car in his life turn out a cover car paint job, atleast not without years of experience. So I might pay someone to paint it.

As I said the engine in it is a 283 vette engine with reworked heads, and a hot cam. I wonder if it would put out anything near what my Mustang puts out, since my stang has a 281. She put down 261RWHP, 301RWTQ. I was thinking that with technological advancements, it would be far less than that. But then on the flip side, it is a high compression motor, and had reworked heads and a hot cam, whereas my stang has full boltons with an aluminum flywheel, but no internal engine work.

I'm very curious as to what that thing will put out.

 

I'm sorry- I still think you need to sell the car. It won't get done for the money you think- not even close. You want to duplicate that paint job after a couple test runs- NO WAY. I can't see how in the world the frame would be bent- but I would need to look at it in person. I looked in to my kustom krystal ball and it wasn't pretty. Give someone one with some experience and custom knowledge a shot at it. It's not a performance car-EVEN is you put a new Corvette engine in it. It's a big old heavy boat custom. That's all it ever will be. Sorry I can't be more encouraging- I've been doing this TOOOOO long to think a miracle can happen.

 

Not everyone gets to own a real piece of history. Keep it and put it back to it's original glory.

 

This exact thought went through my mind as well..
As far as the car, my opinion is like many others, it should without a doubt be brought back to the way it was.
However, my *opinion* on selling it vs keeping it differs than some.
I wouldn't just outright sell it without trying. I would at least put forth the effort and make an attempt to rebuild it.
I do feel your low on the funds it will take, BUT, that is also a means for learning and there is no reason why a novice can't do the unthinkable..
I guess all i'm saying is before i gave up and moved it along i'd give it a go.

Best of luck no matter which road you travel.

Tony

btw, pretty cool car.

 

Well that's why I said my subconcious is telling me to just pay someone to do it right. The only reason I considered doing it, was I wanted to have the pride of doing the majority of the work myself, but realise it's probably not realistic.

As for the money, I never said that's all I could afford. I said that's what I was told was what it would take to fix it. I'm ***uming it will take probably an additional 10k, and that's with the thought that I'll do most of the mechanical work myself, as well as the interior and such. That will atleast cut some of the cost of labor out, and give me the ability to bond with the car

I don't want this to be a drag car, as my Mustang is already used for this. This will specifically be a show car, and weekend cruiser. I was just curious as to the numbers, just as most people like to try to find the specs and history out about cars they buy. I think you just misinterpreted my post, but your crystal ball should've told you that .

 

Contact Car Craft and let them know you have the car and that you are thinking about rebuilding it. No doubt it will make the mag and who knows maybe some folks may step up and offer some free help in getting it back to it's former glory.

 

bring it back to life..just like it was on the mag..you won't regret it

 

You don't modernize a car like that! Sheesh!

 

What can I say, I'm a noob to the whole hot rod car scene. I'm used to focusing on power. But you guys all set me in line. That's why forums like this are so great, the vast amount of knowledge out there to educate people. You guys obviously have educated me to the error of my thoughts.

 

I'm still curious as to the numbers that engine would put out though. Anyone have any idea?

 

IMO every nut and bolt of that car should be a duplicate of the way it was featured. If your not in that mindset, sell it to someone who is.

I only hope to someday get my hands on a piece of history like this.

 

i think it needs a nice set of 24' aluminum wheels, digital gauges, and some tvs in the headrests and dashboard.... and some blacklights underneath it

 

Realistic prices if you don't do it your self

"GOOD" Paint & Body- $15-20K

Interior- $6-8K

Chrome- $3K

Rebuild Driveline- $3K

Rebuild ch***is & Suspension- $2K

Rubber, seals, gl*** & misc. $2K

Wheels & tires- $1500-

Guess if you really think you can do it go for it- but just want to warn you if you want to put $40K and and not do it "right" you might as well go blow that money on lottery tickets because at least that MIGHT get your money back. It could be worth $20K to the right person as it sits NOW- but after spending a bunch of time and money if it's not EXACTLY as it was in the magazine it might be worth $25K. I know of some historic cars that have been restored with a bill well over $500K to get them "correct".

 

Yeah totally and a mustang II suspension, airbagged of course, forget the corvette motor man put a Viper motor powered by PROPANE!! dude.. chip foose needs to get ahold of this car NOW! That way we can all watch history go down the drain in a quick half hour of late night TV.
Just keep the car for another 50 years dude.. then it'll be worth some good money, right ?
-Anthony

 

If your heart is not in it you should sell it to someone who will do it justice by restoring it back to the way it was. I'm sure you will find willing buyers.

 

I'm sorry, but I think a lot of us are reading that you are just not that into this car- or customs in general. Many of us here would give up EVERY worldly possession we have for an original old custom- so we just want to see it brought back to it's full glory- not jacked up as some goofy street machine with a full tweed interior. Seen it done many times to old customs- and NONE of them were improved by the "modernizations".

 

Real mature! Last time I checked modernizing things with a new powerplant, and a fully built suspension, doesn't relate with ricer mods like tv's in the headrests and 24's. But there's always those few that have a real issue with this thing called comprehension. Maybe if you were able to wrap both your minds around what I said, you would clearly understand what my intentions were.

Another thing, I clearly stated my original intention wasn't to sell the car, it was to rebuild it. It was my dad that made me think about the possibility, so like any intelligent person you research it, get opinions etc. I saw the error in that route thanks to a barrage of guys from this site that pointed it out.

Also the Corvette motor, just so you know, was the same motor that was originally in the car on the cover. It wasn't the exact one, because when my father bought the car, the motor was stripped. So he went out and bought the same corvette motor that was in it to try and bring it back to how it was. So while you try to incinuate I'm a tool for wanting to put a corvette motor in it, your in all essence mocking yourself since putting said motor in is actually bringing it back to it's original condition. Looks like your batting a thousand there champ.

For all the other posts, I really appreciate all the words of wisdom. I'm not here to start trouble, or start flaming people, but I definitely will not stand idly by and be mocked for asking simple questions. So if this offends anyone else other than the two clowns I singled out, I apologise.

 

I never said I was altering the interior or the exterior from it's original condition, I said I was considering dropping an LS motor in it and rebuilding the suspension. I again, saw how this route was the wrong way to go, so I decided to go the all original route. That's why I asked.

 

Their comments could possibly reflect your earlier statement about putting a late model motor in the car. Not sure if you exactly said LS motor, but you get the idea. If that is the case, then they should have read the entire thread to see what your actual intentions are NOW for the car.

 

Just a note JimA. Now being in Florida this owner may be in the same boat. Maybe not. I do not know.

I just went and got a quote on paint. Two Tone on my 56 Pontiac. Filling in the door mirrors and antenna. I bough tmy car wrecked and just bashed it back together to get it back on the road for summer. Nothing lines up as it should. The guy I asked is one of the best in the area. No Maaco job. (Not to mention sanding around 145 louvers)

$3500. Most of the rest of the country isn't as expensive as California. That isn't a knock and indeed your numbers are likely right on in California, but I'm betting a guy willing to put in some work himself and had a guy like the original builder willing to pitch in that he could do it for the 20K.

In the pic twochops posted, that's not a intricate paint job. No panel job or flaked.

I'm doing my own custom interior. Granted with the help of someone who knows what they are doing.

I'm figuring all said and done including the cost of the initial purchase (which is $0 for this 57 Chevy) , I should be somewhere around $12K Figuring expenses always go over, 13-14K. That includes $3500 for the car.

Build the car just like in the pic by twochops. Get your son to get his hands dirty and do all you can on your own, only paying for what you just can not do or can't do well enough to do this car justice and I'll bet with planning, searching, begging, haggling and practice you can reach your figure.

NO LS1.

 

That was a pretty hot little mill in factory form. I think the dual-quad 283 was advertised at 270 bhp, and that was probably pretty close to actual. It can be built streetable at close to 1 hp per cu/in, but ***uming you are limited to keeping the stock exhaust manifolds for originality, it probably would be difficult to squeeze much more out of it.

 

My 3rd post (post #16 in this thread) I said what I meant by modernizing it, which was put an LS2 or LS3 in it, and build the suspension up. I went on to say how I planned to change nothing about the exterior or interior from the cover.

 

Yeah that's the plan. I figure this thing will take a good 5-7 years to get her to 100%. Yeah prices are definitely cheaper down here in Florida. My son is not even 2 now, so I figured by the time I got to the point where he can help me do little things (6-7 years old), I'll be getting close to finished.

Yeah I really decided against doing anything but what's original, especially after seeing the pic twochops put up. That really did it justice.

So I'll build up the 283 vette engine that was in it, no LS motor

Only problem now is trying to find out exactly what was done to it. There's minimal info in the book, and the original guy that built it, knew alot, but wasn't telling me much.

 

Interesting. My dad said the engine had two 4 barrel carbs on it, a hot cam, and bored heads.

Was the 270bhp you quoted in stock form?

So I'm betting with the work done to it, it's probably in the 300bhp ballpark. Not bad at all!

Do you know what the torque ratings on that motor were?

 

Not meaning to beat a dead horse but if you look at how the "Aztec", "The Hirohata Merc" and even the "Kopper Kart" clone were built or restored they used the closest to original (or custom parts) they could find to keep the integrity of the original build.
Even thou it doesn't have the same history that some of the other "Kustoms" of the time have it still has a lot of history and should be saved.
I wish you the best of luck with this cool car.

 

I'm new to the custom scene. Where can I find info on those cars?

 

Man, i remember that car and have that mag...Thats sooo kool it still exist!

Please post more pics of it outside of its resting spot..I would really like to see them.

Also, contact Rikster cause he may have more pics/info of it too even tho its never left its rightful owner..Your the 'KEEPER' now of something very special & just cant put a price tag on!! Like most lost kustoms from that era there is only one like it and its irreplaceable esp cause it was your Dads. That in itself alot of people cant say that..Your Dad is from a Rare Breed so give him a hug for us kustom guys who truely love these cars and are inspired by guys like him!!

 

O-yeah..Wait till Mark M hits this post...I just pm'ed him...Stay tuned!!!