Auto World - American Muscle | Chevrolet® Bel Air® Convertible (1957, 1/18 scale diecast model car, Inca Silver) AW307

 

For the final year of the Tri-Fives, Chevrolet® designers added an exclamation point to the already-popular full-size 1955 and 1956 Chevy® Bel Air®. The swept lines became longer,  the fins grew larger, and the front grill was nothing short of bold...and GOLD. The 1957 Chevy® Bel Air® became one of the most recognizable cars in the entire car industry. In fact, it became an icon of an entire era. Over 65 years later, there are few things more quintessentially American than baseball, mom’s apple pie, or a 1957 Chevy® Bel Air®.

The 1957 Bel Air® was only available with a V8. Only two carbureted versions were offered initially: a 162hp dual-barrel or a 180hp four-barrel. Later in the year, a larger 283 V8 was released, also with a four-barrel carb, making 220hp. The ultimate option was the rare and expensive fuel-injected 283 shared with the Corvette making 283hp. These were dubbed "fuelies”.