Now this warmed the cockles of my heart, to see this fine and familiar ’57 Bel Air wagon parked in a driveway not all that far from us. I’ve seen it driving around over the past some years, and shot it out at Jerry’s back in 2015. It was used in a two-car CC of the ’57 Chevy wagon, one with lots of patina, the other this shiny example. It had the roof rack back then, but nothing on it. And now it’s sporting a cargo carrier. Must be for long items, as there’s plenty of room inside.
Love the juxtaposition with the two modern cars.
So much glass. That’s what I hate about modern cars. Small slit windows in the name of style and safety. No wonder we need so many cameras and screens.
I know that’s a Hyundai Sonata on the left, but the current Toyota Camry, which looks very similar from the rear, has plenty of glass.
Try a Subaru Forester. Also with a double size sun roof at no extra charge.
I will admit to becoming quite fatigued from overexposure to 57 Chevys over the last 40 years, but this one speaks to me. I love a good wagon and this car made for a really nice one. Also, this one happens to be in one of my favorite paint colors from that year. A friend of my mother drove a 56 Bel Air in this same copper and ivory/white in the 1960s and the car just looked so right painted that way.
I have purchased (or almost purchased) several older cars from Paul’s area of the country.
The benign climate and the enthusiastic owners can produce some awesome cars.
These modern cars look plump and ungainly next to the Chevy.
I’ve noticed the same effect a few weeks ago when I saw a late model VW Golf parked in front of a Volvo 240. The Golf looked very….overweight..?
A beautiful, very well optioned, top of the line Bel Air wagon. From the previous write-up looks like it has a Power Pack 283, Powerglide, spinner wheel covers, power steering and brakes, wonder bar radio. Everything but A/C. A fine example.
As for my favorite tri-five, I’m probably an outlier who prefers the ‘56. Subtlety improved over the ‘55, without the garishness of the ‘57.
You’re not the only one that prefers the 56 to the 57, but I do really like the 57 four door wagons. I think they pulled the fins off better than the rest.
It seems to have become fashionable in some car collector circles to be disdainful of Tri-Fives, especially the ’57. I just wish prices would come down as a result.
On the other hand, these wagons, especially the lower trim levels, are probably rarer than we think. So many of them got turned into work vehicles and were used up, or were parted out to restore a Nomad or a convertible.
I’d say it’s primarily sick-to-damn-death boredom due to massive overexposure. If there’s disdain involved, it might have something to do with the ease of building a new one using not much more than a credit card.
I’m usually onside with the walk-on-by crowd; have been ever since “Cars & Parts” magazine did an extend-o buildup series on a ’57 Chev in the early ’90s, but this wagon doesn’t spur that reaction in me. Largely because it’s a 4-door and a wagon, also because it’s in actual use, and hugely because it hasn’t been glooped up with the usual slew of dumb accessories (continental kit, poodle skirt, little mini Seeburg jukebox, drive-in tray, custom licence plate that says PEGGYSU, etc).
Never thought I’d say this about a 50s car but unlike the chrome mustaches over the license plates on the modern cars flanking it, the chrome in this 57 Chevy is in places it makes more logical sense.
Jaguar kept many traditional sorts applied bits decades after others had modernized, like tail lights that looked like afterthoughts stuck on the body and a stylized chrome trunk handle/light shield over the license plate. Then Jaguar XJ style got cool and similar (well, not the tail lights but the handle) bits started showing up on cars like the British influenced Ford Crown Vics. Those chrome moustaches are an evolution of that.
Earlier example. Wait, what happened to burgundy?
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British…influenced…Ford…Crown Vics…?
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This is a very fine example of a 57 Chevy, one that still is used for driving (not trailered to car shows). I love the decals on the back glass!
A machine still being used for its intended purpose and giving pleasure after 63 years use – how cool is that? Hats off to the owner!
Makes my 49 year old daily driver look young!
A quick vote to settle our choice…..if it’s necessary….;-)
I love to see these old cars in daily use. Two months ago we were driving from Victoria through the lower mainland to the southern interior of BC.In front of us, a 1955 Chev 4 Dr wagon merged onto the No.1. I thought he’d dawdle along at 55 or so. Nope, the guy got on it and was moving faster than everything else. We followed him for probably 50 miles until he hot off at Hope. Car was obviously mechanically modified but fairly subtly so, but the point was it was being driven, driven well and was going anywhere from 80 – 100mph the whole way. We were in a new Mercedes 450GLE and he was pacing us the entire distance.
We got by him as he neared his exit, and I snapped a few pics (a buddy was driving) – one showed a participant window sticker from a Firestone Racing Series in 1988. Obviously the car has enjoyed not only a long but an active life. I’m including a pic of him as he passed a Porsche at about 95mph, kind of funny when you think about it.
Here’s a side view, just a plain-Jane 4 dr post wagon, stock look, dog dish hub caps but purposefully louvered hood. This dude enjoys his ride!
This is how life should be. My life, anyway.
I notice that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is basically the 57 Chevy, on stilts. And its sacreligious to call the Jeep a dreaded “station wagon”.