1957 Chevy 210 Wagon (modified)

LQ4-Powered 1957 Chevrolet 210 4-Door Wagon for sale on BaT Auctions - ending July 20 (Lot #79,151) | Bring a Trailer

 

A real beauty. Very tastefully done.

 

Agreed. Still like my stock one, but if I had a taste for modifications. Think this would be a crowd pleaser.

 

Ugh. I would have to kindly and respectfully disagree. To me, it's just another cookie cutter resto-modded, LS-swapped classic with a modern interior. The cars of this era had so much style, character and class from the factory, which is a great part why they are so endearing to begin with. I'm not sure why anyone would want to strip all of that out and replace it with an interior that will just wind up looking like any other modern car over time, or worse: dated to whenever the car was modified. Whereas the original character and charm of these cars are timeless. I just can't get over the replaced gauges either. Like, god forbid you ever suffer the "embarrassment" of pulling up to a stoplight next to another stock looking 1957 Chevy wagon! These cars are cool just the way they are. I always get more excited to see a car with an original-style interior (restored or not) and its original engine, or at the very least, an engine that is roughly from the era (I am always strongly in favour of keeping the original engine though). Resto-modded cars are always the ones I walk right by at car shows.

I don't know, I'll just never understand the whole resto-mod thing. To me, they just look gaudy and out of place with the look and era of the car. I respect that people like them, but I just don't get it.

 

Well wagon the dog. I guess that was my point. Even if it’s something I would never do to the car in a million years. I guess if he saved it that would be one thing. I do hate when people take great originals and screw em up. That bothers me. I just figure the title is in their name. But, man do they limit their audience when they do junk like that. Like I said. Love my original 210

 

I can't agree anymore with all of the above!.....Longroofs Rule!

 

And that's what makes for lively discussion on the SWF.

 

I think it's tasteful the way it was done, even if a decent amount of character was removed. I'm not a huge LS swap fan of any car that wasn't already a basket case from the field or a collection of parts, because I feel original drivetrains have way more character than modern computer controlled ones, even if they're less efficient.

But *all* that said...

In this day and age it is truly hard to actually own and drive regularly any car from before about 1967-1968 that hasn't been modified in ways. A single line manual drum brake car with manual steering, no seat belts, and vintage automatic transmissions are all difficult to live with. A questionably functional choke on a 1 or 2bbl engine that hates modern fuel and overheats doing anything more than 60MPH for extended periods of time? Hope you like the journey and not the destination. Driving a 6V car? So many problems with electrical and starting, you're gonna be fiddling with the starter and generator a bunch. I have owned and driven "old" cars with all of the above and I'll be honest, I won't do it anymore. Manual drums SUCK. No seat belts? Taking your life in your hands. You can be the best driver in the world and still get plowed by some idiot on their cellphone in a Tahoe. People will cut you off and expect you to stop on a dime because they obviously can. Your slimjim or dynaflow or hydramatic starts to slip or refuses to shift? Good effing luck finding a shop that knows how to work on them - and many of them are WAY complicated and stupid heavy for what they do compared to a later Turbo-Hydramatic, C4, or Torqueflite 727 which are pretty much bulletproof if you aren't dumb with them. It's not surprising that you find a bunch of these nicer classics having been modified to be safer and easier to drive. Sadly a lot of character gets removed in the process, but sometimes the owner just wants a cool car to drive around in and not spend all of his time fixing it. We're a much smaller crowd that enjoys the vintage experience, warts and all ;-)

 

Amen brother. Thankfully we all have different tastes and perspectives.

 

Would be pretty boring if we all had identical tastes.

 

Right?

 

Couldn't agree more.

Well, my original post was more in regards to the modifications that had been done to the interior. I didn't mean to imply that I think every component in a classic car should be kept 100% original down to the last nut and bolt, nor that I'd want to drive a car with manual drum brakes, manual steering or no seatbelts. Unless someone is doing a 100-point full concourse restoration, I am all in favour of upgrading safety-related items, as long as the overall outward look of the car itself isn't modified (wheel choice is exempt). Again, just my preference. But all those things can be upgraded without changing the outward look and vibe of a classic car. Even in the case of a disc brake swap, unless someone has an open wheel design similar to the ones in the first post of this thread, they don't change the outward look of the car. With the exception of seatbelts, all of those components are pretty much hidden, so they don't detract from the overall original look of a classic car at all. But safety is important and needs to be addressed, especially in the case of a driver, so I have no problem with that.

Ultimately, my initial comments were more specifically about the modifications made to the interior, as well as many of the other outwardly obvious modifications that are often made to resto-mod cars that I just can't stomach. Changing safety-related items in particular is one thing, but I just prefer the look and vibe of a classic car as it came from the factory.

These cars are artifacts of automotive design that, IMO, will never be equalled. They're worth preserving and cherishing them the way they are, which again, is one of the biggest reasons why we all love them so much, and became drawn toward them in the first place. To me, what's the point of having a car that's supposed to represent a step back in time if all we're going to do is modernize the aesthetics of it? It just all seems odd to me, and honestly, in the long run I don't think the look of these modified cars are going to age well.

Again, these cars have a timeless character and charm that should be preserved. Not only because they are beautiful the way they are, but because in a modern world of constant change, their steadfast charm, their timelessness and that step back into a different time period holds so much merit.

Oh, I totally agree. It's just that I think there is already more than enough variation within the originality of these cars to cater to those differences in taste. But I guess it's a matter of perspective. I just wish more people would see the merit of just how special these cars are, the way they are.

Anywayyyyy, that's about as much as I feel I want to say on the subject, but there's nothing wrong with a little healthy and respectful sharing of opinions.

 

I love original cars. I love modified cars. I love original looking modified cars.
There are also original cars that I find boring, and modified cars that I think were ruined by the modifications that were performed. But I am neither "team stock/original" nor "team modified" It all just depends.

This (other) 57 really does it for me:
http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/threads/1957-chevy-townsman.58136/
Looks great with the period correct paint color and scheme and interior. Although it's not everyone's cup of tea, I like the wheel and tire package. Modified and modernized in function, yet still classic in fashion.

As elB alluded to, many older vehicles can become a chore to drive and therefore not very enjoyable. It's why you see so many people leave their classic car in the garage and instead drive their 2018 camry to check out the Saturday morning cars and coffee.

The reason I own classic automobiles is to drive them. So I modify them. Mostly for safety and reliability, but modified/modernized just the same. Disc brakes and dual-pot master cylinders make it onto all of my cars. Didn't come with seatbelts? Guess what, seatbelts are going in. Fuel injection for better fuel economy and reliability? You bet. I could expand on the subject, but you get the point.

I just like to see happy people enjoying themselves and their classic automobiles, regardless of whether they are stock, modified or somewhere in-between. Because when it comes down to it, that's really what this hobby is all about.

 

I guess I don't know enough about the originals to know what exactly was wrong with it ;-) I mean the carpet is obviously more plush and the seat seems definitely nicer than I remember these cars being (last one I was in was an original '55 and it was beat). It looked way more tasteful and in line with what was done from the factory back then compared to the diamond tuck & roll and other overdone tropes you see on so many cars of this era.

 

I could see updating the suspension/brakes. If the original motor could be refurbished, I'd go that way. if you got it without an engine, I'd upgrade to modern, same with trans.

dashboard I'd keeps same look. if updating seats to leather etc., I'd use same design as original.

My 2 cents.

saying that, if you like custom cars, buying 1 you like, that someone already spent the $ on is the way to go