If only one of us had the money…this thing would be good as sold. I promise you that. This 1957 Chevy four-door is sitting on the frame of a World War II weapons carrier, most likely a Dodge Power Wagon. It’s powered by a 283ci small-block punched out to 301ci, has a four-speed manual transmission, and has a presence that would be very hard to duplicate.

From the listing:

The engine is a Chevrolet V8 283 cubic inch small-block engine oversized to a 301 displacement.  If I had to guess the engine itself has around 30,000 miles on it from when it was last overhauled.  The car was kept in running condition yearly since parked before two years ago and my father did do a few minor repairs.  My father told me he installed new wheel brake cylinders along with the master brake cylinder and the clutch slave cylinder.  The car doesn’t have power steering and it doesn’t have power brakes and the original undercarriage didn’t come with shocks but just leaf springs for a suspension. 

I parked the car running in 1993 and thought that someday in the future I would be willing to spend the time and the money to restore the car again and but next time around that I would remove the body from the 1 ton weapons carriage to a later model chevy 1 ton truck chassis along with all new modern electronics and climate control.  Well time flies doesn’t it.  One year after another and after another and here we are 22 years later.  And as you can see,  the car needs some definite attention.  

My dad bought this car for me to have on my 16th birthday in the year of 1987 and bought it from his brother.  My uncle restored the car in the early 1980’s.  The interior was completely redone from top to bottom and the outside exterior body was repainted, re-chromed and polished.  The car looked great back then and it was such a complete center of attention when it drove up to places.  The car is a complete one-of-a-kind and it stands-out so much when pulling up to stop signs, stop-lights and parking lots.  Everyone around seems to be attracted to what seems like something you would never see ordinarily. 

My uncle built the car in a small garage with one of his best friends and neighbors.  The 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air 4 door hard-top car body was removed complete and then was lowered very carefully and with good planning; onto an original 1941 1 ton military weapons carriage.  And when the car was restored they sprayed the interior metal structure and external structure and undercarriage with a heavy duty black tar-like under coater to prevent it from rusting.   

The undercarriage was installed original from the military but my uncle changed the hubs to Warn Locking Hubs.  It also has the original granny low 4 speed transmission.  It also has the four wheel drive shifter that when you pull up or push down it will go in or out of two wheel drive or four wheel drive.  The rear end has positive traction and has floating axles. Back when the car/truck was in running condition, this thing would climb the steepest hills and moved like a tractor, it was Fun Stuff! 

Today’s present condition is that does have body rust in some areas.  And the car does have an area of rust where the truck lid meets up with the body at the top seal area.  I believe its from water being able to puddle and from not being opened every now and again.  The original gas tank for the weapons carriage is still underneath the car, but it needs to be replaced with a new one. 

This was a great car and could be an awesome project for a full restoration.  It’s definitely an eye catcher.  Everywhere this car travels; stop lights, freeways, intersections, every where and anywhere, all day long and all night long everyone can’t help but notice; it’s a one in a million car!!!  

After all, let’s face it, there wasn’t very many 4 door hard tops (sports sedans) made and it’s the total SUV now and NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE A CAR LIKE THIS, EVER!!!

Ebay Link: 1957 Chevrolet Trar