Great Potential: 1957 Chevy Panel Delivery
It’s a tri-five with only 2 doors! It’s looking really abused but perhaps there is hope. This sad old panel delivery has been sitting neglected for 30 years but perhaps someone with the resources has a vision for what it could be. It’s listed for $7,500 here on craigslist (and saved here)in West Palm Beach, Florida. There’s not much information and few pictures provided in the ad but what they do show looks complete. The small block and four-speed sound promising but questionable. NADA shows the low book on these to be $17,900 and average at $43,200. This Chevy is a long way from average but who knows how far.
At least we know that where’s there’s rust showing through the primer there’s no bondo. This side looks pretty straight. Perhaps it doesn’t matter what the interior or the engine look like because there is not likely to be much reusable. There are the usual “ifs” with this Chevy including rust and hidden body damage. Depending on what the buyer’s vision for this project is, some issues may not matter.
Some may imagine restoring the body and mounting it on a custom chassis with an LS engine. Others may want to do the necessary mechanical work and drive it like it is. What would your vision for this Panel Delivery? There are so many possibilities. There’s no way to know what it might actually be worth without a close inspection, of course. If the body is straight and not full of bondo and the rust isn’t too bad, what do you think this Chevy could be worth?
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Comments
I forgot how cool these cars are.
Pretty crusty though, Florida is known for salt air and swamps not dry cars. I’d hate see how much is hiding under all those coats of fence paint. I would look for a better candidate. You’d spend more on body work on this one than it’s worth.
Not to be too picky here but that’s a sedan delivery.
A panel delivery is a truck.
Ford Pontiac guy here but I like this Chevy project. Too bad they took it from my state to Florida. The last thing I would do to it would be what the seller says and make a Rat Rod out of it.
Exactly on the identification. Sedan Delivery. Anyway, I would definitely Resto-mod it.
Looks a lot like the primered ’57 my roommate in college had back in ’75. I routinely hot wired and moved it around when I needed to go somewhere. Drove him nuts. I think he paid 150 bucks for it. Inflation has taken its toll!
i believe those are pontiac rear lights/chrome bright work.. but i may be wrong.. mike
Emblem on hood and holes in the tailgate indicate this is/was a V8. If they’re original to the car, it’s fairly rare…
I know that a purest will scream bloody murder. And I would never think about doing it to a Nomad. But, make the roof crank up and the sides fold out (Like the Binder camper) for a unique pop-up camper. It would get tons of attention at the car shows and you could have an attached awning to keep you out of the sun. LS man will disagree. But power the thing with a supercharged 292 and a T5 speed gear box.
OK, I know I have strange dreams. It must be the pizza I ate last night!
Much prefer the ’55’s to the ’57’s but this rig really appeals to me.
I would source the OEM motor and transmission, replace, and drive. Love it just the way she is. Nice find.
well, if $$$ weren’t a problem, I can see this with maybe a pearl white w/ blue accents ( like on the 69 T/A) a crate 350, 400 turbo automatic with some sort of a nostalgic restaurant logo on the side ( for someone that owns such a restaurant_) of the 3 tri 5s my preference is 56/57/55 this has great potential! I really hope someone does this one justice!
Take it back to stock. Few were made and fewer survive. Don’t reduce the number of survivors even further!
I would go with 60’s-70’s NHRA Jr. Stock look. Screamin SBC, fenderwell headers 4sp. Muncie plain steel wheels. PERFECT!
Jr stocker my thoughts exactly. Maybe paint it up like John Diana’s 56 sedan delivery with some Stahl fenderwell headers, chrome cragar ss wheels, 7″ M&H slicks, Moroso 600-15 drag specials in the front with any small block chevy and a muncie 4 speed with a Hurst shifter. Doesn’t get any better for me.
Return it to original and preserve it for generations to see. every old car that’s turned into a hot rod is one less original.. Don’t get me wrong I love hot rods. But there are a few young people out there (in this current younger generation) ,they would like to probably see some stuff the way it was originally made