There comes a time in every "hot rodders" life the old project car which has been sitting around the house needs to be started & finished or sold to the highest bidder. Some background; Way back in 1974/75, before "barn finds" I ran across a garage find. At the time it wasn't anything special. A 1957 Bel Air 2 door Sport Hardtop. V-8, automatic, radio, heater, tinted glass, radio, bla, bla,bla. The car survived a marriage, kids, divorce, lost jobs, 5 moves, resided under a tarp fpr a few years, etc, etc, etc. Through it all I managed to hang on to it and could have sold it numerous times. Over the last 35 plus years I managed to buy a few options for it and a new trim piece here or there. The car is complete and other than some bumps & bruises, broken windshield and an interior which is falling apart the car is complete and has very little if any rust. Somewhat remarkable for a Michigan car. The original owner actually had the car undercoated. I figure there is 15 to 20 lbs of tar on the under carridage. It is a prime canidate for a restoration. And thats the problem! Friends say keep it all stock, but others say do a resto mod and upgrade the whole car. Late model GM motor, discs all the way around, upgraded suspension etc. As the years passed I considered a "Hollywood Knights" 57 Chevy. Canary yellow, blown small block, 4 speed, black tucked & rolled interior and cruise with the hood off. Might be silly for an "older" guy. What are the pros & cons for a project such as this? The cost for materials on a restoration wouldn't amount for much. A new motor, trans, suspension, custom tires & wheels could be considerable. Anyone out there ever been faced with this dilemma ? As the Beatles once said "Help I Need a Little Help"
i think it was; help, i need somebody. hot rod it, on that car it can be done with not much more money than a proper restoration. there are only hot rods, and future hot rods.
one of the best looking cars ever built, doesnt need any hot rodding or customizug. put it back the way it was in the day . (my 2 cents)
i'd keep the changes mild....dropped spindles , disc brakes and wheels/tires can easily be returned to stock is that the car in your avatar?
i sure love a 57 chevy. i have one. the one truth about 57 chevys is, there's no shortage of 57 chevys. another truth is, you only live once. make it the way you will enjoy it most, don't worry about what it's worth after your dead. you won't care one way or another.
If you are not sure, just get it running so you can drive it to see if you are still in love with it. If not, you'd have a running car to sell. And please do an Intro...
I anticipate you will start mild and then the project will blow up. An upgrade here, an upgrade there. That's how they all seem to start. Good luck.
My buddies actually got me motivated to do some work on my 57 this weekend. After being discouraged by grinding starters I finally replaced the standard 454 flywheel and the starter both. Now it cranks over perfectly! Since we had the driveshaft out we figured why not put that 4:11 Trac-Loc into the 9 inch...BOOM it got done. Went back today and fixed a brake fluid leak with some new wheel cylinders and while the hydraulics were opened up I threw in the line locks. Got a lot of small shit done with the help and push of my pals. To them I say thank you! All it takes is a gentle push and a few friends to get shit done.
How far do you want to go with the restoration ? If you are going to try to have a 900 to 1000 point car [ ths ones that bring the money ] your gonna spend a ton. If not, the car , if done tastefully , will bring just as much money modified as restored. I only bring up money because every time someone uses the word ' restored ' somewhere someone is thinking money. Ive restored a couple cars now I modify them , it's a much more pleasurable experience ! I don't mean that harshly just my life experience.
A 57 Chevy in my opinion is at a place in time where it is just about as valuable as a hot rod or a restored car. I don't think there is much difference in the value of one style over the other. That being said, build it the way it would most make you happy in the long run. I chose a mild upgrade on my 56,it looks almost stock but isn't.
Your car so as others have stated do what pleases you. If you change out the engine tranny & they are numbered to the car keep them so if you ever desire to sell it that can help. That's all I can offer OH!!, it's only original once.
does you time and budget allow you to do the car. If you are can do most of it, figure a budget of $25,000 min to redo the car to a nice driver. TO build to the Hollywood Knights style, figure another $10,000 since it will take more motor cost. (just the basics getting done) Nothing wrong with the style of car you have in your mind.
while i love the hollywood knights version of project X and IF i ever find a 57 chevy i just might build a clone of it there is one little problem with your plan you have a hardtop belair project x is a 210 sedan ..... i aggree with metalshapes just get it running again then go from there i love 57 chevys done almost anyway except with a modern (LS /overdrive) drivetrain, modern seats air,ps,pw,pb wheels bigger then 15 inch and rubber band sidewalls ...what many call a restomod PLEASE DONT build it that way and please do an introduction like the rules here stipulate
i hate to say it but in all honesty you have one of the easiest of easy cars to build, mod, hot rod, customize, whatever. parts are everywhere both new & used. there are a million ways you can go with it. start spinning wrenches and looking at it realistically. where does it take you in your mind? go with it, enjoy it and try to steer clear of all the "good guys" car show guys that demand a 502 chevy with a 700r4 and corvette suspension. the car doesnt have to cost a million bucks to look like a million bucks, ya dig? get to it! we want pics!!
We have all be in your shoes at one time or another,,if it is/has been your dream to build the car in the style of the 57 Chevy in "Hollywood Knights",,do it! You have kept it for 35 years for some reason and it's long passed time to get started. BTW,,build it your way unless your friends want to pay to have it built their way! HRP
very good advice----do not take any further apart or you won't live long enough to drive it--get it moving and go from there---good luck
my brother is now driving the car he has had parked in the garage for 50 years, i have been after him for over 40 to get it done, he says to me i should have listened to you all these years! hes having a ball driving it. my advise is to get with it! the clock is running!
Thanks for all the words of encouragement and advise. I am blessed to have what I have and I think I will take a little from the old and combine it with the new. Luckily I havent ripped into it yet. I guess I'd better get to gettin ! Who has the numbers to BDS, Wildwood & Detroit Locker !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way I hope that the car that you're doing isn't the one in your Avitar cause it looks really wrecked , like bad wrecked ???
You need the hood. You dont need dropped spindles. I run 1968 Volswagon size tires (what is that now? 165/80/R15?) and my front crossmember hits the street sometime. lots of sparks Stock suspension with the old springs. I did put on power disc brakes and do like'em
Its not my car, nor my money, so its easy for me to tell you what I'd do. I'd upgrade the brakes to disc, at least the front, upgrade the master cylinder, rebuild the motor with a slightly hotter cam, put new tires and wheels, and some nice comfy seats and what ever else it needs to be a safe driver. Then I'd drive the wheels off of it. After a year or two, you will have a better idea of what you want to do with the car. Gene
You obviously want to keep it/build it, you've hung on to it for so many years. As others have said, get it driveable in current condition. Stock brake parts are cheap and readliy available at the local parts store. Drive it for a while and see what you think needs improved then. Devin
IMO you should look at it and see it the way YOU want it done. If you want someone elses view you could sell it to them and they can do what THEY want to it. The great thing about the 57 is there are so many ways you could go that would make it sell either way.
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