World Class Bel Air Convertible Pro Touring EFI LS7 V8 6L90E 6 Speed Auto PS A/C

SUMMARY

Over the past few years, many of the world's finest Bel Air drop-tops have graced our RK Motors Charlotte showroom. With that in mind, the Leather-lined, LS3-powered cruiser we sold a few years back is widely considered the nicest '57 we've ever had... That is, until now. Combining a mirror-like body and fire breathing LS7 with a fresh, frame-off restoration, this red-hot Chevy is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest tri-fives on the planet. Forget all that stuff about concours-correct, factory-authentic snooze mobiles... The goal here was to create one of the BEST Bel Airs the hobby has ever seen. And, judging by our staff's reaction, the builder's mission was certainly accomplished. If you're searching for a sizzling custom that features the absolute best of everything, you've found your next classic!

BODYWORK/TRIM

Designed and built at Tony's Kustoms in Lenoir City, Tennessee, this freshly finished Chevy does an excellent job of wrapping vintage style around modern technology. In what amounted to a systematic, no-expense-spared rebuild, the car's solid body was completely stripped, thoroughly massaged and layered in a liquid-smooth coat of bright red 2-stage. With that paint buffed to brilliance, gold Bel Air accoutrements and clever "Fuel Injection" emblems were complemented with small mirrors, professionally polished trim and dual antennas. With that profile dyed and detailed, Steve Holcomb of Knoxville's Pro Auto Interior capped fresh glass with custom-stitched cloth. And in late 2016, this triple-red tri-five stormed the scene as a unique, first class example of one of the hobby's most revered and desirable classics!

ENGINE

Hoist this custom's sculpted hood and you'll find $16,503 worth of Corvette V8 that was sourced directly from Chevrolet Performance. Twisting 505 SAE-certified horsepower into 470 lb./ft. of torque, the lightweight LS7 rumbling between the car's fenders is a 21st century testament to the bowtie division's enduring small block. Founded in GM's very successful Corvette racing program, the brutal mill utilizes a forged crank, titanium rods and hypereutectic pistons to flat out whip pretty much anything with four wheels. A perfect amount of oxygen flows from a clean Spectre filter element through a polished air tube to a GM-supplied throttle body. That wind mixes with fuel in a composite intake and progresses to CNC-ported cylinder heads that are built with lightweight titanium valves. Those valves get bumped by a GM hydraulic roller cam that, thanks to color-keyed Taylor plug wires, helps create stout 11 to 1 compression. Immediately following combustion, spent gases roar through ceramic-coated, long-tube headers. Charge comes courtesy of a polished alternator that, like the car's polished AC compressor and direct-fit steering pump, spins a Vintage Air Front Runner accessory drive. A polished PRC radiator centers a polished condenser and big electric puller fans inside a polished support and corrugated cooling hoses. And items like trick dipsticks and polished Eddie Motorsports hood bracing join a custom, "Bel Air" branded cowl to enhance the car's glossy, color-keyed engine bay.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

To adapt a fitting, albeit overused expression: 'custom is as custom does'. And when you throw this Bel Air on a lift, you'll find a thoroughly massaged undercarriage that embodies the same spirit as the car's brilliant profile and tweaked powerplant. Combining adjustable coil-over-shocks with tubular control arms and beefy sway bars, this drop-top's tailored Art Morrison GT Sport Chassis provides a comfortable ride that's spiced by improved handling. At the center of that silver and gray skeleton, a proven GM 6L90 6-speed sends torque to a stout rear end that spins Strange axles around friendly, 3.50 gears. At the front of that proven drivetrain, power rack-and-pinion steering makes quick work of tight spots and sharp turns. At the corners of the car, Wilwood 4 and 6-piston calipers, which milk fluid from a proven Wilwood master cylinder, squeeze 13-inch drilled and slotted rotors. At the center of the floor, spent gases float from the aforementioned long-tubes to polished pipes and polished turbo mufflers. All that mechanical goodness rolls on stunning Schott Mach Vs, which spin 225/45ZR18 Continental Extremecontacts in front of 275/35ZR20 Continental Extremecontacts. And everything from the car's fully finished floors to its reliable Rock Valley fuel tank unites to create one sharp and dependable cruiser.

INTERIOR

We've certainly watched a lot of customs roll through our showroom. With that in mind, this Bel Air's Steve Holcomb-installed cockpit HAS to be one of the nicest interiors we've ever seen. Silver-piped and French-stitched buckets don soft leather hides that display no significant wear. Between those seats, a contoured, full-length console hides a polished E-brake and chrome switches for Nu-Relics power windows behind metal cupholders and a modern, chrome-trimmed shifter. Above that console, a billet-trimmed dash hangs classy Classic Instruments telemetry over Custom Autosound audio and hardware for the car's Vintage Air climate system. At the sides of that dash, custom door panels anchor polished handles, stylish speaker grilles and two more cupholders between painted window frames and polished sill plates. Inside those sills, fresh California Carpet centers color-keyed floor mats under stylized foot pedals. In front of the driver, a polished and bowtie-branded steering wheel spins a half-wrapped rim around a tilting Ididit column. And behind the passengers, a custom upholstered trunk features plenty of cargo space.

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION

With a detailed, frame-off restoration that would take a second mortgage to duplicate, this Bel Air rolls on the far side of amazing. It's a highly desirable tri-five that's been carefully restored with all of the right stuff to be one seriously cool cruiser. If you're dreaming of the perfect blend of lavish '50s style and modern, breath-taking performance, you've found the ultimate classic!