Vin #: VC57J197489:

First Symbol - Engine Type: V - V8

Second Symbol - Model: C - Bel Air

Third & Forth Symbol - Model Year: 57 - 1957

Fifth Symbol - Assembly Plant: J - Janesville, WI

Last Six Symbols - Production Sequence: 197489

Block: F314FC

Fuel Injection #: Part #: 7014800, Serial #: 1726 Rochester

Data Plate:

Style: 57-106

Body No: L197

PAINT: Matador Red (Code # 802)

TRIM: Silver/Red Imitation Leather  (Code # 683)

General Info:

Cost New: $2,611

Shipping Weight: 3,405 lbs

Total Production: 47,562

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The 1957 Chevy is one of the most recognized icons in the Automotive industry. Stylish and Sporty the there’s no doubt that it’s one of America’s best and most loved cars. The 1957 Chevrolet a few different trim levels; the base-model "150" series, the mid-range "210" series, and the upscale Bel Air series. An upscale trim option called the "Del Ray" was also available for 210 2-door sedans, and there was a limited production two-door station wagon called the "Nomad" and also even scarcer was the "El Morocco", a custom hand-built series that mimicked the Cadillac.

Initially, General Motors executives wanted an entirely new car for 1957, but production delays necessitated the 1955-56 design for one more year. Ed Cole, chief engineer for Chevrolet, dictated a series of changes that significantly increased the cost of the car. These changes included a new dashboard, sealed cowl, and the relocation of air ducts to the headlight pods, which resulted in the distinctive chrome headlight that helped make the '57 Chevy a classic. Fourteen-inch wheels replaced the fifteen-inch wheels from previous years to give the car a lower stance, and a wide grille was used to give the car a wider look from the front. The now famous '57 Chevy tailfins were designed to duplicate the wide look in the rear. Bel Air models were given gold trim: the grille, front fender chevrons, hood, and trunk script were all rendered in anodized gold. The base engine was an inline 6-cylinder called the Blue Flame Six. The engine was smooth running and more fuel-efficient than the V-8. Carburetion came from a single one-barrel carburetor.

Body choices for 1957 included 2- and 4-door sedans (identified by the "posts" between door windows), the two-door hardtop (also known as a sports coupe; the car has no post between the front and back window when the windows are lowered), the four-door hardtop (also known as a sports sedan), the utility coupe, a two-door sedan with a package shelf instead of a rear seat, the Delray "club coupe", which was a 210 model 2-door sedan, two styles of two-door station wagon, the top-of-the-line Bel Air Nomad with a sloped pillar behind the hardtop door and sliding windows at the rear seat, and the basic Handyman with an upright sedan B-pillar and a C-pillar, where the four-door wagons have one, available only in 150 and 210 trims. The four-door, six-passenger station wagon, the four-door, nine-passenger station wagon (both called Townsman in the 150 series and Beauville for the Bel Air version), and the convertible. Unlike most competitors, the Chevrolet 4-door hardtop featured a reinforced rear roof structure that gave the car added rigidity and a unique appearance in silhouette. The 1957 Chevy was called by some a "Baby Cadillac", because of many similar styling cues to Cadillacs of the time.

Under the hood Chevrolet had achieved an engineering milestone, Ed Cole worked magic developing Chevy’s small-block V8 engine. The original edition was enlarged to 283 cu, with several optional power packages available, pushing it up to 283 hp. The Super Turbo-Fire 283, a $550 option, produced the advertised 283 horsepower with the help of Ramjet continuous-flow fuel injection. On the outside the Bel Air was distinguished with more chrome and featured a golden grille set off with a heavy chrome bar that included parking lights. The rear fins were capped with chrome moldings and highlighted with anodized aluminum side trim panels. The fuel-filler door was concealed in the left rear chrome fin trim, a small but convenient detail that helped clean up exterior lines.

Several versions of a 283 cubic inch V8 were offered for 1957 (two-barrel, four-barrel carburetors, and a fuel injected version) in addition to a two-barrel version of the 265 cid V8 from previous years and the inline six cylinder. The fuel-injected engine represented the first time that an internal combustion gasoline engine in a passenger car reached the one horsepower for each cubic inch benchmark. In NASCAR racing the 283 with its increased horsepower gave the '57 a dramatic advantage over the smaller 265 v8 the '55 and '56 had. NASCAR held the competition, especially the '55-'57 Chevys to a cubic inch restriction because of all the races the '57s were winning. This restriction stayed with the '55-'57 till they were grandfathered out of the lower NASCAR divisions in the 1970s as the '57 was still beating virtually all in their class.

There were many options available, most of which were designed to make the car more comfortable and luxurious. Air conditioning was offered though rarely ordered, as was a padded dash. Power steering and power brakes were available, as well as a signal-seeking AM radio and power antenna. Power windows and power seats were also available. A rear speaker could be purchased which required a separate volume knob to be installed in the dashboard, beside the radio — this rear speaker was touted as providing "surround" sound. An "autotronic eye" was offered; it was a device that bolted onto the dashboard and sensed the light from oncoming traffic, dimming the headlights automatically. One unique option was an electronic shaver, connected to the dashboard.

Another dashboard-mounted item was the traffic-light viewer, a ribbed plastic visor that was installed just above the speedometer. Because the roof extends so far forward of the driver, it is hard to see overhead traffic lights. The traffic light viewer captured the reflection of overhead traffic lights so that the driver didn't have to lean forward to see past the edge of the roof.

1957 was the first year that Chevrolet ever offered fuel injection as an option. A 283 cubic inch engine fitted with solid lifters and fuel injection was rated at 283 hp (211 kW). Solid lifters were designed to allow the engine to achieve higher RPMs, but proved too temperamental for non-racers. To accommodate more casual drivers, a 250 hp (186 kW), hydraulic lifter version of the fuel injected engine was also offered.

Fuel injection continued as an option throughout the early 1960s. However, most mechanics of the time didn't have the experience to keep the units running properly. This prompted most buyers to opt for conventional carburetion. A single four-barrel carburetor rated at 400 c.f.m., coupled with a dual-exhaust package, was known as the "power pack". Two four-barrel carburetors could also be ordered. The "dual quad" engine could be ordered with hydraulic lifters producing 245 hp (183 kW), or with solid lifters producing 270 hp (201 kW). The dual quad configuration required a special breather assembly that has been nicknamed the batwing breather. The prices averaged around 2000 dollars during this era. Standard carburetion on V-8 models came from a single two barrel carburetor, coupled with a single tailpipe.

In 1957, Chevy started to add safety features such as "crash proof door locks"(first added in 1956), padded dash boards, safety-styled steering wheel with a recessed hub (though not as much as Ford's), seat belts(also first in 1956) and shoulder harnesses. However, unlike, Ford, Chevy did not promote these safety features heavily. 1957 was also Chevrolet's first offering of a turbine transmission, known as the Turboglide. It was a design concept that Buick had developed with their Dynaflow transmission. However, due to a reliability reputation caused by its complexity, most automatic transmission buyers shunned the Turboglide in favor of the two-speed Powerglide that had been offered since 1950. At the time the Turboglide casing was the largest cast aluminum component ever put into mass production, but it never recovered from the reputation in 1957 and the option was discontinued in 1961. Manual transmissions were limited to three-speed, column shifted units (with syncromesh in second and third gear only). An overdrive unit was available as an option on the three speed manually shifted transmission cars. A four speed manual transmission was also offered at a price of $188.00. A '57 equipped with this transmission mated to the 270 horsepower engine and limited slip differential was the one to beat on the drag strip and street into the early 1960s.