Father-Son Duo Repair An Abandoned American Classic - Here's How Much It Can Go For

• Cars
• Classic Cars

A father-son restoration project sounds like a wholesome and rewarding experience, but in reality, it's more accurately described as daunting and costly. Even the lowest-mileage barn find will need considerable work to get back into a roadworthy state, with perishables like tires, rubber hoses, belts, and fluids requiring replacement after years out of service. Furthermore, in my experience at least — and I've been fortunate enough to return a fair few time-forgotten classics back to the road in recent years — there is almost always a good reason why the car was stashed away for years in the first place. Whether it be a failed transmission, a shot head gasket, or electrical gremlins, the reason for abandonment usually rears its ugly head at some point along the rebuild.

That's what makes the effort of Jack and his father, known as Speed Bump Garage on YouTube, most admirable, as they attempt to return a barn-stashed '57 Chevrolet Bel Air back to the roads after a lengthy slumber. The car is in a sorry state when they first stumble across it: flat tires, bird droppings across the entire vehicle, a thick layer of dust, and dents adorning the once-striking lines. However, while these points might detract from the car's overall appeal to many, a diehard enthusiast can look past such minor points and see the solid bones that lie beneath. The Bel Air looks to be largely complete, and mostly rust-free too, which makes it a prime candidate for reviving.

Having been sitting for around 40 years, as confirmed by the 1985 inspection tag, the pair knows the task ahead is a decent one. However, with an estimated value of between $21,000 and $55,000 in good condition, depending on the exact specification, these old Bel Airs are well worth the effort required.

A closer look at the work required

There are a few missing items, such as the V8's rocker arms and valve covers, plus there's no sign of the car's passenger headlight. The pair doesn't let that put them off too much, though Jack's father would prefer it hadn't been messed with. The lack of valve covers has allowed all sorts of dust and debris to get in among the engine's internals, and there are signs that mice have been making a home in the engine bay, too.

So the to-do list is already looking pretty long. Any perishables will need replacing after 40 years in a barn, missing items need replacing, the classic V8 will need tending to, the wiring will need inspecting to see if mice have been gnawing on it, and that's before the car's even been pulled out of its resting place. Oh, and there's a vinyl-covered patch of rust on the front fender, too, so the guys are looking at welding and paint bills, too.

That's why projects like these really require an element of love for the owners to see them through. Attacking such a project with a goal of making money will often lead to heartbreak and headache; it'll cost twice as much as you first estimated, and it'll take three times as long, too — if you're lucky. However, it is rewarding to know that the finished article will be worth a good amount when all is said and done, even if it does cost more to actually get it there. With the majority of smart '57 Bel Air changing hands for between $20,000 and $35,000, it's certainly worth the duo's time and effort to bring it back to life.

The future looks bright for this '57 Bel Air

Despite the pair's best efforts, the original 283ci V8 just wouldn't play ball, and with an 80-mile drive between the Chevy's resting place and home, that just wouldn't do. So, they return with a rebuilt 305ci V8, finished in the BelAir's color scheme of black and gold, and go about dropping the new mill in place. It fires up first try, a three-gallon gas canister is hooked up as a temporary tank, and the radiator has been cleaned out and 'treated' to a whole lot of stop leaks so they can try and keep things under check for the drive home.

A quick drive around the local area reveals that the brakes work well enough for the pair to attempt the drive home, and the three-speed seems to be shifting sweetly enough to — although it appears to slip a little when Jack's dad lays a couple of black lines down, courtesy of that fresh 305 and some new rubber in the corners. The drive home goes fairly well, save for some unplanned stops on the highway when that three-gallon temporary tank expired.

There is a long way to go before this '57 Chevy is worth big money, especially with the 'wrong' engine and inches of barn dust. However, it's an original example still wearing its factory paint, and the color scheme of black and gold with a red interior is arguably the BelAir at its best, so there's plenty of collector appeal to it already.