One of the most iconic and widely modified American cars is the 1957 Chevy Bel Air. So many have been modified to the extremes that it is difficult nowadays to find one that will really stand out from the crowd. This show car example, which is driven regularly, is one that does. Owned by Red Line Oil’s Tim Kerrigan, this car has been lavished with the best of what is available in the hotrodding scene, and the results speak for themselves.
Starting with a custom Art Morrison chassis, commissioned builder Dominator Street Rods installed a custom twin-turbo big block that produces 1590 horsepower and over 1500 lb-ft. of torque. A 4-speed custom automatic transfers power to the wheels via a custom driveline that includes Strange Engineering axles. These axles are used widely in pro drag race cars for their unbreakable reputation, which is what 1500 pounds foot of torque will do to lesser components. In fact, the engine was reportedly de-tuned to make it more streetable and even at 70 mph, digging into the throttle will still smoke the tires. The rest of the build includes Wilwood brakes and rotors with 6-pot calipers, 3-inch custom exhaust, electronic traction control, a bladder-type fuel tank and custom leather interior.
The original Chevy Bel Air weighed from 3,200 to 3,400 pounds. Assuming a weight of 3,500 pounds, performance calculations for this car put 0-60 mph in something like 2.6 seconds. The quarter mile would be done in less than 8.5 seconds, which is not bad for a street-driven show car. Many critics have scoffed that this car can’t do corners, and compared with today’s hot hatches, it would probably have a difficult time of it. But as the saying goes, “different horses for different courses”, so in the area of performance that the builders and owner of this car had in mind, this car is a standout example.
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