At the age of 57, I finally own a 57.

[bigstraight6]

It was the School summer holiday of 1979 when I was about to make that big jump from a junior School to a Secondary Modern when I bought a copy of Street Machine magazine from the local newsagents and saw images of 57 Chevy’s and was besotted, I even acquired a Monogram model kit from the newsagents a few weeks later and the obsession started, I wanted to own one of these cars.

Its finally happened, I’ve just bought this 57 Belair from a very good friend of 40 years who let me have the car for a very attractive price as he’s moving to Australia, this car is properly sorted as in recent years it’s had a 327 crate motor, manual floor shift gearbox, front power disc brake conversion, full body restoration, new interior.

The car has been sat in a garage without being driven or even started for the last 2 years but she flashed up easily, I am planning a full service next weekend. I’m literally living the dream with this beautiful car..

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Living the dream indeed, do keep sharing!

[morrisoxide]

Well done! It looks bloody lovely. 

[bangernomics]

Watch out for back injuries!!

Lovely thing that.

[stuboy]

looks good, whats the colour called?

[Dyslexic Viking]

That's fantastic, looking forward to more pictures.

[bigstraight6]

Thanks gents, I will post up some more pics next weekend when the great revival happens…

[bigstraight6]

10 minutes ago, bangernomics said:

Watch out for back injuries!!

Lovely thing that.

Leaning over the fenders when doing anything on the engine par chance!….

[bigstraight6]

9 minutes ago, stuboy said:

looks good, whats the colour called?

I’m not sure, it’s apparently it’s original colour though Dude..

[Wibble]

Absolutely brilliant! My Dad had a Chevy Bel Air in the 50s, when he was in the US air force. Blue and white and he loved it.

[D.E]

7 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

I’m not sure, it’s apparently it’s original colour though Dude..

Canyon Coral, I think?

Brilliant car!

[Dyslexic Viking]

These are great cars and the cheaper 150 and 210 were Norwegian taxi favorites.

Lillehammer Norway.

[Wibble]

The only photo I have suggests it was a ‘58:

[chaseracer]

42 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

It was the School summer holiday of 1979 when I was about to make that big jump from a junior School to a Secondary Modern when I bought a copy of Street Machine magazine from the local newsagents and saw images of 57 Chevy’s and was besotted, I even acquired a Monogram model kit from the newsagents a few weeks later and the obsession started, I wanted to own one of these cars.

Its finally happened, I’ve just bought this 57 Belair from a very good friend of 40 years who let me have the car for a very attractive price as he’s moving to Australia, this car is properly sorted as in recent years it’s had a 327 crate motor, manual floor shift gearbox, front power disc brake conversion, full body restoration, new interior.

The car has been sat in a garage without being driven or even started for the last 2 years but she flashed up easily, I am planning a full service next weekend. I’m literally living the dream with this beautiful car..

THAT is a thing of wonder.  Enjoy it!

[IronStar]

What a purchase! Congratulations, enjoy it man!

[Wibble]

He also had this, not sure what it was but guessing another Chevy?

[D.E]

3 minutes ago, Wibble said:

He also had this, not sure what it was but guessing another Chevy?

The same 1958 Chevy it seems.

[Wibble]

1 hour ago, D.E said:

The same 1958 Chevy it seems.

Thanks, but I don’t think it is. There are a number of differences, the rear door window profile for one. I’d love to know what it is though.

Apologies for the thread hijack @bigstraight6

[danthecapriman]

That is absolutely gorgeous @bigstraight6 well bought! 
I love the colour combo and… nice to see a more-door version😄

[Matty]

Massively excited when I saw the title. Content did not disappoint. Fair bloody play to you

[High Jetter]

Mad. But good. Carry on

[bigstraight6]

Update time, last weekend we changed the engine oil and filter, checked diff and gearbox oil levels, drained down the rad and filled with fresh coolant, attended to grease points.

The car is running very badly though, as in it’s only firing on 5 cylinders. We’ve narrowed this down to an ignition fault, on the identified non firing cylinders we swapped leads and plugs to no avail, today we fitted a new distributor cap and leads and it’s still the same, I’ve just ordered a new Petronix electronic ignition set which will hopefully get all 8 back in again!,,,

[Matty]

@bigstraight6. We need m8ch more photos please bud. Especially inside it please 😍

[Supernaut]

I just saw this thread now.

WOW.

Living the fuckin' dream right there. I've always liked '57 Bel Airs.

[bigstraight6]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

@bigstraight6. We need m8ch more photos please bud. Especially inside it please 😍

Yes Sir, when we are fitting the new ignition set up next weekend I will do that….

[bigstraight6]

Oh I forgot to mention, the car has a 6v coil and ballast resistor which will be binned and a 12v high output coil fitted. Maybe having the 6v coil has fried the existing electronic ignition I’m guessing…

[bigstraight6]

It’s alive! The culprit was a completely fucking fucked mate pick up ring on the original electronic ignition, she is now sounding amazing and flying, thanks to the Plympton old boys collective and BS6 junior for today, we had a great time and many cups of tea! For a car of its size and being not far off being 70 years old it certainly shifts at an incredible pace, can’t beat cubic inches😎

[eddyramrod]

20 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

It’s alive!  can’t beat cubic inches😎

Envious.

[Matty]

48 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

It’s alive! The culprit was a completely fucking fucked mate pick up ring on the original electronic ignition, she is now sounding amazing and flying, thanks to the Plympton old boys collective and BS6 junior for today, we had a great time and many cups of tea! For a car of its size and being not far off being 70 years old it certainly shifts at an incredible pace, can’t beat cubic inches😎

Ah the man of many photos. That's your lads Cougar as well isn't it?

[bigstraight6]

5 minutes ago, Matty said:

Ah the man of many photos. That's your lads Cougar as well isn't it?

Yes sir, the boys got good hands on these old motors, it all started quite a few years back when I supervised him stripping down and rebuilding the Stromberg carbs on the Triumph 2000 I bought off Cheggars of this parish, James was 13/14 at the time, he loves it!