A beautiful, black 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air.
Notice the black rubber cones on the bumper.
The 1957 Chevrolet is a classic icon of mid 20th Century American automobile manufacturing. From the chrome grill and bumpers to the tail fins, this car was uniquely different from the 1956 model before it, and the round rear-ended 1957 that followed. In fact, it seemed that Chevy made significant styling changes every model year from 1956 through 1960. It is hard to believe that this beloved and much collected car is celebrating its 50th birthday this year!
The 1957 Chevy has a prominent place in my childhood memories. Sometime around 1960 or so, my dad traded our old 1950 Ford Custom in on a white 1957 Chevy Bel-Air at a Chevy dealership in Pasadena, Texas. What a car it was. No center column between the front and rear windows made it unlike any other I had ever ridden in. We had that car when we moved to California in 1962, and kept it until it was traded on what was the first brand new car my dad ever bought . . . a 1964 Chevrolet Impala station wagon that served us for many years.
Inside the black '57 Bel-Air
The black Bel-Air and the yellow one below were parked today alongside some other vintage cars on Mainstreet (yes, spelled as one word) in Parker, Colorado at the weekly Farmer's Market. While both were fantastic vehicles, the interior of the black one had upholstery of the original design, while the yellow one had been altered significantly.
Yellow 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air in Parker
There were some other cars parked on Mainstreet as well, and I may share some photos of them in another post. Still, after I left the Farmers Market I ran across yet another 1957 Chevrolet in Parker. This on had a "For Sale" sign in the window, and was parked in a lot along Parker Road (Colorado 83). This one wasn't as sweet as the other two, as it wasn't fully restored, and is a more spartan model, featuring window columns and no rubber cones on the front bumpers. A sign in the window said the car was worth $18,000 NADA, but would be sold for $9,100 or best offer.
For Sale - 1957 Red Chevy
If I had the financial resources, I think I could really get into collecting old cars. Since that is not the case, I will just continue to take pictures of those I see that interest me.
1957 Chevy for sale - rear view
