1957 Chevrolet (Chevy): Hottest of 'The Hot Ones' with video

October 30, 1:41 PMClassic Autos ExaminerJim Cherry

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1957 Chevy is considered the hottest of "The Hot Ones" as Chevrolets were called from 1955-57

The 1957 Chevy is considered the hottest (and the coolest) of a three year series that used the same body shell, engines and chassis from 1955-57. General Motors originally wanted to produce an all new car for '57 but time ran short, so they loaded the '57 models with as much style and power as they could. Gold anodized grills, soaring tail fins, an available Corvette fuel-injected motor, and decorative aluminum panels on Bel Airs added to the dramatic line up.

GM design chief Harley Earl told his crew to style Chevys as "baby Cadillacs" and that's just what they did for 1957. The gold trim, fins, and deluxe four-door hardtop models added up to a Cadillac for every man. But, as popular as the 1957 Chevrolet is amongst car buffs now, it wasn't as popular as Ford in 1957. The warmed over '57 Chevy was actually outsold by Ford's all new cars for the first time in decades.

Engineering chief Ed Cole wasn't slacking, besides the remarkable fuel-injected 283, he designed an innovative ventilation set-up that funneled fresh air for the interior from grills surrounding the cars' headlights.

Chevy's history making small block V-8 was again offered in the 265 cubic inch displacement, but joining it were an optional 283 c.i. version and a fuel-injected 283 as found in the Corvette. The fuel-injected motor was trouble-prone, but it achieved a break-through as the first U.S. engine to achieve a one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch rating. 

'57 Chevys' power and beauty guaranteed it a place in automotive history and collectors have embraced them fiercely. Restored examples can fetch six figures at auction. This is one car that truly deserves the much over-used title of icon. Here's hoping the new GM can reconnect with its roots to bring us more cars with the appeal of the last of The Hot Ones. 

Here's a couple of commercials for the '57 when it was the newest thing on four wheels: