One more convertible to mark the Spring: This rare combination of a 1957 Bel Air Convertible with a matching Lido Runabout is the perfect combo for Memorial Day weekend.
The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air in coup form is the first car I recall falling in love with as a boy. It is an American icon, with great lines and proportions, distinctive chrome headlights, tastefully oversized fins. The body strip line that runs down the entire flank of the vehicle only to open into the white (or silver) accent on the rear fender made the Bel Air unique.
Jet fighters were the inspiration for the design. Hood ornaments looked like machine-gun sites, the quarter panels were said to be shaped like the tail of an F-86 fighter; Blacked-out rear bumper caps looked like exhaust ports; headlamp bezels were intended to evoke jet engine intakes.
The V-8 in the 1957 Bel Air made a significant breakthrough as the first big engine to achieve one horsepower per cubic inch. the new 283-cu.in. V-8 which developed 283hp.
The ’57 embodied the pinnacle of 1950s styling language; later GM cars may have gone too far. 1,555,316 Bel Airs were built, in 19 body styles and 460 models/color combinations. Of that 1.5M cars, 48,068 convertibles were made. The 1957 Bel Air Convertible V8 carried a factory price of $2,611 (a V6 was $100 less).
You can find clean versions of these for $40,000; nicely rebuilt Bel Airs go for $50k and up; concourse-quality cars can reach 6 figures. This car boat pairing was bid to $51k but the selling reserve was not met.
Which is too bad, because this would be a great combo for the someone to enjoy drive out to the lakehouse on the long holiday weekend.
Source: Bring A Trailer
