Spectacular frame-off restoration. 270 horsepower dual quad, solid lifter EB-coded 283 V8 with 3-speed manual and Posi rear end. Formerly owned by Paul Teutul of Orange County Choppers. A stunning #1 quality ’57 Chevrolet built for combat.

You won’t see many #1 quality cars, despite what everyone says about the condition of their own hardware. Look at this spectacular 1957 Chevrolet 150 2-door sedan and then look at just about anything else—the difference in quality is tangible. It costs a fortune to restore a car to this level, even something as familiar as a ’57 Chevy. Having a celebrity bankrolling the job certainly helps, and Paul Teutul of Orange County Choppers probably knows a few things about quality workmanship, and it shows in the final result. The black paint is so deep that it feels like you could dip your arm in it up to the elbow. The sheetmetal (all original, by the way) is probably straighter than it was when it popped out of the presses in 1957. Panel gaps are exact and the doors swing closed with a gentle thump rather than a sloppy whack like so many other ’57 Chevys. They also invested a significant chunk of change in the chrome and stainless, which is all show quality, of course. It’s a car that was ostensibly built for combat, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful. This car literally stops people in their tracks when they see it in our showroom. In fact, we had to park it far away from the other black cars because it makes everything else look dusty and dull. This is a special car.

The two-tone silver and black interior is just as expertly restored. That funky fabric is correct for 1957, and the no-frills attitude of this 150 is appealing in today’s over-saturated technological world. Everything you can touch is new: seats, door panels, carpets, headliner, and all the hardware. The big steering wheel is connected to a manual steering box, but effort is remarkably low—this is how you know a restoration was done right, because they addressed the mechanicals rather than just making it pretty. The transmission is a 3-speed manual on the column, which is how it came from the factory, and the gauges are all operational. It shows 780 miles on the restoration, and they must have been careful miles because there’s not a mark on the car anywhere and the seats still feel firm and unused. The car does have a heater, but there is no radio as you’d expect from a car intended to carry as little weight as possible. Heck, there’s not even a clock! Rubber floor mats protect the carpets, but that’s the only deviation from stock equipment. The trunk is likewise properly finished with a rubber mat and matching spare tire with jack assembly.

The engine is a correct EB-coded 283 cubic inch V8, which uses proper 997 heads, dual Carter 4-barrel carburetors, and a solid-lifter camshaft to crank out 270 horsepower. Less complicated than the Fuelie, it was the engine of choice for street and professional racers alike, giving rise to the “Black Widow” nickname for cars similar to this. Rebuilt to stock specs, it starts easily, idles nicely, and has a wonderful mechanical sound thanks to those solid lifters. The “batwing” air cleaner gives it away the moment you lift the hood, and it wears correct Chevy Orange engine enamel for a bright contrast to the Onyx Black paint around it. Little stuff like the air cleaner decals, hose clamps, and firewall markings were all faithfully reproduced and installed during the restoration. Plated parts are the correct silver cad finish, the fasteners are accurate GM parts, and all the little stuff that makes it a #1 quality car special. Even the generator carries the correct oversized pulley to protect it at high RPM. The 3-speed manual transmission shifts cleanly with fresh bushings in the linkage so it feels tight and accurate, and clutch action is light. The undercarriage has obviously been restored to a very high standard, and the car carries an insanely rare factory Posi unit, which wasn’t available until late in the production year. The exhaust has an appropriate muted V8 burble and the brakes, while manual drums, are effective and properly set up. 14-inch steel wheels with 8.00-14 BFGoodrich Silvertown blackwall tires are exactly the right look for this nasty black brawler.

Documentation includes some restoration photos and images with Paul Teutul.

Beautifully finished, exceptionally well sorted, and just flat-out nasty in basic black, this isn’t your average ’57 Chevy. Where the others are pretty and over-loaded with accessories, this one brings big firepower and a flyweight curb weight to the party, making it a blast to drive. The quality speaks for itself and a little celebrity ownership history doesn’t hurt, either. If you want one of the finest ’57 Chevys we’ve ever seen, this is it. A truly fantastic car in every way. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.