as usual, everything you want to see, (or maybe dont want to) is here. http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...om_cars/57-chevy-customs/50s---60s-built-57-/ every one has ideas on what traditional is but the only way to get a real idea is to look at real old pictures. you dont see too many 57 chevy customs these days, if you are going the full rolled pans and canted quads you might as well start with a beater, otherwise i would just do a subtle mild job, like the 58 in AG, chrome reverse, tuck & roll etc
This is a old Kustom from Australia, one of my all time favourite cars..(you want to see his 1956 Chevy convertible WOW)
Brigrat and AnimalAin have it just right. The styling of these cars is perfect as is and changes to customize for the most part look like ass, IMO. They should look fast but not gaudy, tough but not threatening, which maybe doesn't say it very well, maybe you get the point. Especially a two door sedan. The BelAir hardtop looks a little more luxury and had a little more brightwork so it never had the all-out comp look to it. The sedan was simpler, lighter and just should have lots of motor, a four or five-speed, plenty of tire in the stock wheel wells, and handle really well. Keep it subtle. LG
It looks as though you have a 210 BelAir model. The 150 small hubcaps as shown in Super Six's post work very nice with the 14" original steel wheels. Your color combo looks to be Inca Silver and Ivory roof, PERFECT. Drop in a 327 2 fours setup, 4-speed with the bench seat as in the Hot Rod 57' with the Corvette valve covers and you have gone period traditional sleeper. In my opinion that is the best look for a post 57'. The correct two four set-up can be about 1500, nothins cheap! Anyway that is my suggestion, Oh yeah, that is the way I'm building mine so I'm not opinionated or anything! One more thing, gotta go with the blackwall piecrust tires too! Good luck and good choice, no billet or 18" wheels please. Remember your ABC's, Always Be Cool!.
Keep it simple-a little goes along way on 57's. Like 34 and 40 Fords, they are almost perfect from the git-go. Less is more.
Thanks. If you have a photo of the finished car, i would apriciate it.. I saw it in Indy in 1984. It was my first trip to USA, and i managed to get 4-5 hours there on th first day. Nice car. Lars
I'm with JeffreyJames but I'd go with wide whites rather than skinnies. The pics from 'Mo ooozes cool. It wouldn't look right without the wide whites. That is one of the sweetest renditions of a 57 Chev I've laid my eyes on too.
I've seen a helluva lot of '57 Chevys, and I thought just about every way to customize them... I've never seen the '56 Olds headlights, which look really good. I have seen them with the smoothed hood, but it was done with a Pontiac hood when I saw them: how much work is involved with putting the '58 Caddy hood on? Could we get some details? I've also always wondered how much work goes into fitting the Buick grill. The '57 that made the biggest impression on me was in the very early '80s when I was a kid: it was a little show in Milwaukee, and the car was an India Ivory 210 hard top, stock everywhere but lowered a little bit, full wheel covers, they left the insert out of the quarter trim, and under the hood was a fully built Six with multi carbs. That car just oooozed class. Later that night we happened to be on the freeway and he was running on the On ramp next to us, column shifting. I can still here the sound of that Six through the glass packs. -Brad
Must have been mistaken. it was very similar, buick grill, chrome bullits, smooth sides, five spokes and white walls. Now that I look closer at yours you've gotta stack more work in you front end. It's beautiful man. How hard was it to get the Caddy hood on there? That's so cool. Very tempted to go the kustom route on my 150 (even bought the vette grill) but I think I'll be going more street racer. I'm gonna lower it a couple of inches and get some thin white walls on it. VERY rough photoshop sketch atached
To do the caddy hood I basically cut off the sheetmetal around the edge of the chevy hood so I could use the stock hinges and braces and I left the lower front edge too. Then I laid the cad hood over the top and trimmed to fit,welded it on and it took a very minute amount of bondo to finish it off. As for the grille it was pretty easy...I just had to trim a little of the bumper for it to fit...it now bolts in to the original chevy grill support. It took a little to figure it out and I used the original hood latch from the chevy. but on a scale of one to ten I say the grille was about a 3
I vote for this over custom. I'm much more partial to these cars with a gasser look. Brings back memories.
well....for a traditional hot rod, it would be cool to see it with a 348, and 4 speed. Maybe a sun tach.. a few stewart warner gauges.. covico wheel. I would also go with black painted steelie with hurst cheaters out back and 560's up front. Thats my plan... just got to get another 57'. -good luck with it, i'm sure you will figure out whats best for you.
Wish I knew more about it.. I cant even remember where I found it. All I know is that I really like is as well. A few more I like... Below This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Belonged to Embers So Cal Car Club Member Don Mercer. This pic was taken by Embers Member Amado Maciel at a car show at Champions Park In Inglewood, CA. Note upper portion of signature stainless trim on rear quarter replaced by painted-in beauty line. Note hood trim Bullets instead of 'winged rocket' trim available only on export Chevys. Embers Member Sal Orefice's two-tone Olds on the right. Note white painted inner front wheel wells on both cars. The 57 chevy below was Al " Buster" DeSmedt's first car that he bought new in 1957 while working at a grocery store he saved his money and bought it brand new He then took it to Ray Farner's custom shop in Raytown Missouri and had him paint the tahition red scalops on the body the hub caps where the four bar flipper style and funcional lake pipes were also added the colume shift was converted to the floor and was a fun car to drive although this was a mild custom by todays standerds it was very popular here localy. Buster drove this car for three years then traded it up for a brand new red 59 impala lol they were just cars back then He still wishes he had his ol 57 Chevy. Story has it the 57 was sold and painted red but as of where it is today day is still unknown. Scan provided by Bud Ellis "kustoms" Larry Watson paint job Howard Gribble photos
Me too! This black 150 is the K in cool, it takes me back to when 1-800-send it to me was not invented, when your local speedshop or hangout is where you bought or traded parts! Back when Friday nights were for hanging out, Saturday night was date night, and Sunday was for Church, family, and putting a rear in your car that you thrashed on Saturday night!
Lots of great pics and ideas, thanks. If there are more lets see em. I'm kinda thinkin to go flat black with cragar smoothies and some traditional flames on the front clip. Or go with a somewhat dark purple with a silver top and torque thrust wheels, maybe some ghost flames. And no it will not see any billet unless the car next to it at a show is wearin it!
Man that 150 is sweet. It's given me a little more confidence to go a similar monotone route with mine. I'll get the wheels and tires done first then go for a dark satin when I can save enough for a decent paint job. That's one of the subtlest 150's I've seen. What tires are you runnin?
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