Chevrolet Bel Air Fuelie (1957) in Lilac (1:24 scale)
- In 1957, most Bel Airs® were equipped with factory-installed carburettors. Most, but not all. The relative few fitted with Ramjet fuel injection went on to become bona fide classics, coveted by discerning collectors to this day. This incredible precision model sports all the features that made the Fuelie a true legend of the Fabulous Fifties—from the dual gun-sight hood ornaments & fully detailed Super Turbo-Fire >283> V-8 engine to those iconic tailfins. H&-painted in Imperial Ivory & Dusk Pearl, it"s every inch a classic, just like the real car.
The year was 1957 & America was in love with the car. Main Street, USA became a place for cruising. & no car on Main Street turned more heads, or raised more eyebrows, than the 1957 Chevy® Bel Air®. Almost from the day production ceased, it"s been coveted not only as a Chevy® >classic, > but as one of the best examples of design & engineering in the Fabulous Fifties.
The 1957 Bel Air® made significant advances to automotive technology at the time, but the biggest auto news of all was the introduction of the Ramjet fuel injection manufactured by GM"s Rochester carburettor division & developed by John Dolza, E.A. Kehoe, Donald Stoltman & legendary Corvette® chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. The Ramjet Fuel Injection delivered several advantages: increased power, instant accelerator response, faster cold starts, smoother engine warm-ups & better overall fuel economy. In standard trim, the 283 engine delivered 220 hp but with the Super Turbo-Fire 283 V-8, a $550 option, it produced an advertised 283 horsepower with the help of this innovative injection system.
The "57 model also introduced an automatic transmission, called Turboglide. With three turbines, this new system delivered silky flow & power. & Turboglide, combined with the Bel Air"s® new 14-inch wheels filled at the lower pressure of just 22 pounds, delivered a level of comfort that drivers of the day quickly came to appreciate.
Technical advances aside, what many remember about the "57 Bel Air® is the look & presence of this significant car. The front bumper with the aluminium grille screen & inset parking lamps, the dual gunsight hood ornaments & the unique rolled aluminium panels that formed the tail of a lean, horizontal spear which swept the length of the car all contributed to the dynamic design of the 1957 Chevy® Bel Air®. The Bel Air® came in a dizzying array of colours, with names like Canyon Coral, Matador Red & Sierra Gold. There were 16 colours in all, plus fifteen distinct two-tone combinations, such as this model in Imperial Ivory & Dusk Pearl. & of course, there were the fins––the feature that perhaps defined automotive design of the "50s.
You"ll find each of these details faithfully captured in your 1957 Chevrolet® Bel Air® > Fuelie> limited edition
- the car that became a classic the day it rolled off the assembly line.