HAPPY FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY TO THE QUINTESSENTIAL NOSTALGIC CHEVROLET... THE 1957 CHEVROLETS- 150, 210 and Bel Air models.

“Super Turbo Fire V-8” Trivia Question of the Week:TM 1. If a friend lent you his low mileage, concours quality ‘57 Bel Air convertible for the day and you had to fill up the tank, would you know where to find the gas cap? 2. Fill in the blank to find the name of this nineteen fifty-seven hit song: “Oh, please stay by me, ______.” And, can you name the artist who wrote and performed the song? Consider yourself a master music trivia buff if you know for whom he wrote the song? 3. While you’re in the fill in the blank mode, here’s a fifties Burma Shave jingle: “The big blue tube’s... Just like Louise... You get... A thrill... From every _______... Burma-Shave.” 4. Denouncing the so called “cult of personality” in his famous “Secret Speech,” this chap was named Time Magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’ for 1957. At the age of 28, he married his second wife who was “just seventeen” at the time. (Okay Peon, a round of electronic applause please!) His youngest son, Sergei, is currently a professor at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies. Name this fellow. 5. On June 15, 1957, a time capsule was buried in Tulsa, Oklahoma that was opened on June 15th of this year. It contained a brand new 1957 automobile. What was the make and model of that car? 6. Can you name, in order, the top five selling American automobiles for 1957? 7. How close can you get to guessing the price of these commodities in 1957? A loaf of bread; a gallon of milk; a first class stamp; one year’s tuition at Harvard. 8. The critically acclaimed movie The Bridge on the River Kwai premiered on December 18, 1957. What was the name of the book the movie was based on and what famous march did the soldiers whistle? Can you name the movie’s top four stars?

NOTE: Chuck-A-Burger’s St. John location was erroneously reported as having been closed down. Nothing is further from the truth. It is business as usual at the historic site. Although Chuck-A-Burger’s lease has expired, the property owners have not yet found a buyer and the burgers and shakes keep coming. With no buyer in sight, there is a CHANCE that Ron Stille will be able to work something out in order to continue operations at the original site in St. Johns. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the new (2005) location in St. Charles on Elm Street. It is outstanding.

What can I say... what can anyone, for that matter, say about the ‘57 Chevy that hasn’t already been said? This is perhaps the most recognizable fifties vintage collectible automobile on the planet... heck in the whole dang universe for that matter! Google “images” for “1957 Chevrolet” and in .22 seconds the site pulls up “about” 630,000. Do the same for “1957 Studebaker” and Mr. Google, scratching his atomic head, comes up with a mere 39,600. If you don’t recognize those fins on the beautiful, black ‘57 Bel Air above (owned by Ron Stille of Chuck-A-Burger fame), then maybe you should turn to the movies or recipe section of the Post. 1957 Chevrolet “styling cues,” as they are often called, include a stylish grill complete with bumper dagmars (black rubber tipped on Bel Airs); hooded style headlamp bezels with black mesh air intakes at the top; a pair of rocket inspired hood ornaments; a gold toned grill insert; a trio of gold chevrons on the side of each front fender; flashy, tri-spoked wheel covers; large “V”s front and rear on V-8 equipped models, and most notably those narrow, high flying fins adorned with striped, anodized aluminum “beauty panels” between the two rear branches of the body side molding. This would be the final year of a three year body series which started in 1955, and although most panels were nearly identical, if not interchangeable, the General’s design team did wonders giving the fifty-seven models an entirely new and distinctive look. You’ll find images of “five-sevens” emblazoned on everything from lunch boxes to pocket knives... post cards to tin signs, key chains, wall clocks, place mats, cardboard kiddie meal boxes, greeting cards, coffee mugs; t-shirts; table cloths; mail box covers; wrist watch faces, baseball caps, door mats, album covers... need I go on??? Many consider the ‘57 Chevy the consummate fifties American automobile and I suppose I’ve been derelict in not writing about this hugely popular automotive icon before now. Believe it or don’t, in all the years I’ve been writing The Fin Man Chronicles, this is the first story which I’ve written about the venerable ‘57 Chevy. Why? I don’t know... perhaps its because I’ve been trying to give the underdogs a fraction of the fame and notoriety– or maybe it’s because I’ve been, subconsciously, holding this story as the ace up my sleeve, for when I’ve gotten to the point that I can’t possibly think of one more car to write about. I don’t think that day will ever come, but whatever the reason, here’s my story for all you ‘57 Chevy lovers out there, and there’s a passel of “you’ins” as my father-in-law (who once owned a ‘57 Chevy back “in the day”) would have said.

1957 was a good year for most, if not all, auto manufacturers. The industry was still riding high on the wave of the record setting 1955 calendar year. Competition was fierce between long time rivals Ford and Chevrolet. So close was the race that, of the roughly 1.5 million cars sold by each auto maker, Chevy outsold Ford by a scant 136 units. To Ford’s credit on the other hand, they manufactured 155,458 more 1957 models than did the bow tie boys. Those who chose Chevy over Ford for ‘57 were the lucky ones, however, as the 1957 Fords, beautiful as they are, were plagued with mechanical and electrical problems more so than most any other year.

The 1957 Chevrolet was available in three trim levels. The entry model line was the “150,” followed by the “210.” The Bel Air was the top-of-the-line model and had the most “whistles and bells.” Just to give you an idea of how “bare bones” the 150s were, the passenger side sun visor was optional at additional cost and there were no armrests on the doors. An outside sun visor was also offered but few buyers chose this option as by 1957 it was becoming a rather dated feature, associated with older cars.

All Chevys rode a 115” wheelbase, just as they had since 1949, but this would be the last year for that length as the wheelbase crept up about two inches on the 1958 models and again on the 1959s settling at 119” where it would remain through the 1970 model year.

Standard power on all Chevrolets for 1957 was provided by the venerable “Blue Flame” six. Fed by a single barrel Rochester carburetor, it produced 140 brake horsepower at 4,200 rpms. If that wasn’t enough to get your mojo runnin’ you could opt for the base “Turbo-Fire” V-8, a 265 cubic inch mill producing 162 horses with standard three speed manual or ‘Touch down’ overdrive, and 170 horsepower with the Powerglide, 2-speed automatic.

Chevy buyers wanting a bit more excitement in their driving experience could chose from six versions of the hugely successful 283 cubic inch small block V-8 which, in varying displacements, would power a raft of Chevy models all the way to model year 2004. This basic small block (or mouse motor as it is often called) is still being produced to this day for over the counter engine replacement and race car projects. In 1957 the 283 cubic inch “Super Turbo-Fire” V-8 produced 185 horsepower at 4,600 r.p.m.s in base format. Five additional upgrades were offered in ratings of 220, 245, 250, 270 and 283 horsepower. The latter was a mechanically fuel injected engine that Chevrolet advertised as the first American car to provide one horsepower per cubic inch. (Chrysler crossed that line the following year as their 300 model wrenched 355 horses out of 354 cubes.)

Convenience options for 1957 included power steering at $70.00; power brakes at $38.00; Powerglide at $188.00 and Turboglide at $231.00. Heaters and defrosters were still optional at this juncture and you could also opt for a Harrison (GM brand) air conditioning unit and heater and defroster. (Gen X’ers may find this hard to believe, but heaters and defrosters were not yet standard equipment on many cars in the mid fifties.)

Other options, which we take for granted these days, included back up lamps; glove box lamp; oil filter; radio; rear view mirrors; trunk light; under hood light; dual electric windshield wipers (the standard type were vacuum operated); safety seat belts and shoulder harnesses. On the more frivolous end of the order form were such niceties as under dash slide out tissue dispenser; a continental spare wheel carrier; windshield washers (in automatic or foot pump operated form) chrome license plate frame; a ventilated seat pad and even an electric shaver!

The least expensive Chevy you could buy in 1957 was the 150 model 2-door “utility sedan” with a factory base price of just $1,885.00. At the other end of the scale, was NOT the Bel Air convertible, but the Bel Air “Nomad” wagon, a sporty job with a base price of $2,757.00 in six cylinder format or $2,857 with the Turbo-Fire, 265 V-8. In 2007 dollars that 150 model would calculate to $14,409.00 and the Nomad, $21,074.00. Chevy had a lineup to suit the needs of just about anyone in the market for an automobile, from aunt Dorothy to Hot Rod Moore. Little did we know just how big a deal the fifty-sevens would come to be fifty years later. Had we known then, what we now know, we’d have been begging dad to buy a Bel Air convertible and put it up on blocks in the garage. Wouldn’t that have been nice?!?!

Ronnie’s coupe, shown above is all dressed out in Onyx Black, one of fifteen colors on the 1957 palette. Four carry over colors from 1956 were also available by special order.

The only fifties car that comes even close to having the general public recognition level of the ‘57 Chevrolet is the ‘59 Cadillac. Its fins have also garnered celebrity status in the last few decades, but far less were built and therefore far fewer survivors exist today. A perusal of the latest Old Car Trader, turned up thirty ‘57 Chevys for sale and only two ‘59 Caddys. Chevrolet was the every man’s car... priced for the masses while Cadillac was, and still is, for the most part, an automotive status symbol– affordable only by a privileged few. With fewer being restored, the demand for parts is lower, consequently it costs a great deal more to buy a hood crest for a ‘59 Cadillac, for example, than it does a 57 Chevy. Another result is that the popularity of the readily available ‘57 Chevy has led to a host of suppliers manufacturing very high quality reproduction parts for nearly every piece of the ‘57 Chevy.

Did you know that you can now build a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air convertible replica completely from scratch? There are two prime sources for fifty-seven Chevy body parts. C.A.R.S., Inc. supplies fabricated metal body panels so that you can take grandpa’s old rust bucket* and turn it into a show winning ‘57 clone. Then there’s newcomer, Frese Motorcars of Utica, Ohio who has taken the process to an even higher level offering complete bodies made from composite, plus a tubular frame in case you don’t have a starter car. The benefits of composite panels are, of course, lower cost, far better performance due to the forty percent reduction in weight over the steel bodied versions, better fuel economy, a more reliable drive train and chassis and you’ve got a ‘57 Chevrolet (albeit a clone) that will never rust! These cars are precisely replicated and even though your grandpa may have owned a ‘57, he’d have to look real hard at one of these replicas to tell it’s not the real McCoy.

That said, if you think you’re going to get into the ‘57 Chevy club on the cheap– think again. The Frese drop top will set you back about fifty to sixty grand, and that’s if you can do most of the work yourself. I’m told the C.A.R.S. fifty-sevens can run upwards of 120k.

So, what are your other options if you have your heart set on crusin’ Chuck-A-Burger on the next car show? Well, according to the Old Cars Price Guide, you should be able to pick up a basic, number one, show quality ‘57 Bel Air rag top for around seventy grand. If, however, the car is equipped with a/c and fuel injection (or dual quad carbs) the figure could move into the mid nineties– that’s IF you can find someone who wants to part with theirs. A coupe, like Ronnies (but with out mods), might be had for roughly half those figures or slightly more.

*Speaking of grandpa’s old rust bucket, every car buff has heard tale after tale about someone who discovered a wonderful old car, under a blanket or covered by years of accumulated “stuff” in someone’s garage or barn. In a just released book The Hemi in the Barn, by Tom Cotter, he shares 39 such tales from around the world. Cotter says, “that moment of discovery is almost spiritual.” Jay Leno, who penned the Foreword, would agree. Whether it’s the ‘31 Duesenberg Leno found in a New York City parking garage or the Plymouth Superbird that was buried under a hedge in Alabama, there’s a story in this book bound to touch the heart and soul of any car nut who picks up this book. the book is a fascinating read and one that you can enjoy as time permits, since it is comprised of individual discoveries. Each story is accompanied by photos of the subject car, most are in color. The Hemi in the Barn, is a hard cover book containing 126 color illustrations. You can find it by going to www.motorbooks.com or calling 1-800-826-6600.

If you’re interested in learning more about Chevys, including the ‘57 models, visit The Fabulous Fifties Car Club at: http://fabulousfifties.org. For answers to this week’s trivia questions plus more on this week’s featured automobile, visit The FIN MAN’s web site at http://www.thefinman.com. While there, check out the FIN MAN’s Nostalgia Store where you can purchase shirts and other car related items (more coming soon).

Here’s some late season events you won’t want to miss:

1. Friday, September 21st - Chuck A Burger’s 50th Anniversary Blast! Cruise to the Rock Road location for live music by Jimmy Lee 636-916-1957
2. Friday, September 28th - Chuck A Burger’s 50th Anniversary Blast! Cruise to the St Charles location for beer specials and live music featuring Steve Davis as Elvis 636-916-1957
3. Saturday, October 13th - Chuck A Burger at the 2007 EPC Classic Carfest. It’s time to hit one of the best outdoor charity Car & Motorcycle events of the year! It’s the EPC Classic Carfest in St. Charles, at the corners of I-70 and Cave Springs! Chuck A Burger will be there serving up the grub and hopes that you’ll attend to raise awareness and funds for The Center For Autism Education! Check out the EPC Classic Carfest Website for more details - it’s a show that we truly love attending and you shouldn’t miss it.
For information on these events and more go to www.chuckaburger.com.

Do you know the difference between antique, collectible and Classic Cars? The FIN MAN can explain that and much more about the interesting cars of the late twentieth century. Bruce Kunz is available for your group’s meeting or special event and is currently booking engagements through December, 2008. During his appearance, he presents an overview of the collector car hobby plus a detailed look at late 20th century American automobiles. His program includes a PowerPoint presentation with images of collectible automobiles and various associated nostalgia and Americana, particularly from the fifties and sixties. Guests also have the opportunity to play “FINS for FUNTM,” the video car trivia game he produced in 1987 which inspired his nickname “The FIN MAN.” The game involves identifying the year, make and model of fifties and sixties cars by viewing just a small section of the rear quarter. Contestants compete for auto related prizes donated by supporting Fin Man sponsors such as Fast Lane Classic Cars, Chuck-A-Burger, Gateway Classic Cars, Meguiars auto care products and Advance Auto Parts. For more information, click on this link: http://groups.msn.com/the-fin-man/seminaragenda.msnw.

Bruce Kunz is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians, the Gateway Chapter of the Buick Club of America and the Monte Carlo Owners Association of America. He welcomes your kudos, comments, complaints and suggestions. To e-mail him, click here > mailto:the_fin_man@msn.com.

Copyright 1987-2007, Bruce Kunz, The FIN MAN, PH Enterprises.