1957 Chevy Bel Air fiberglas fenders

[Herby]

Would anyone know if Chevy ever made any 1957 Bel Airs with fiberglass outer front fenders, perhaps a factory race car?

[CarlLaFong]

I doubt it. The Black Widows had steel fenders

[car crazy]

49 minutes ago, Herby said:

Would anyone know if Chevy ever made any 1957 Bel Airs with fiberglass outer front fenders, perhaps a factory race car?

The only fiberglass modifications to the '57 (and '56) Chevrolet that I've aware of was the custom El Morocco that was produced in limited numbers, and was a modified non-factory custom..   

Edited September 12, 2021 by car crazy (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

9 minutes ago, car crazy said:

The only fiberglass modifications to the '57 (and '56) Chevrolet was the custom El Morocco that were produced in limited numbers, and were a modified non-factory custom..   

 

Not a bad looking car but if a person wanted a Cadillac, why not just buy one?  Was the custom really that much cheaper?

[car crazy]

The El Morocco was around $3100 vs. approx $4700 for the base series 62 1957 Cadillac. The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was priced at a stratospheric (for the time) $13,074 and,as the 4 door El Morocco was based on that car, at $3100ish it could be considered a "bargain Brougham"- but still a Chevrolet. It was apparently one of those ideas that sounded better on paper than it did in reality.

Edited September 12, 2021 by car crazy (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

33 minutes ago, car crazy said:

The El Morocco was around $3100 vs. approx $4700 for the base series 62 1957 Cadillac. The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was priced at a stratospheric (for the time) $13,074 and,as the 4 door El Morocco was based on that car, at $3100ish it could be considered a "bargain Brougham"- but still a Chevrolet. It was apparently one of those ideas that sounded better on paper than it did in reality.

 

Yeah, I suppose the customizing wasn't expensive as it wasn't extensive, mostly replacing rear fenders and side trim.  Like i said, not bad looking but I wonder if it got sneered at as a "poor man's Cadillac."

[Rusty_OToole]

Fibreglass fenders were a VERY common aftermarket replacement or repair part in the sixties  seventies and eighties in the rust belt. Anyone with a chopper gun could buy a fender, splash a mould off it and be in business. They were sold by every auto parts store. Cheaper than a steel fender from a dealer and they didn't rust. I expect there are still lots of fifties and sixties cars with such replacements and the owner may not even know it.

[Rusty_OToole]

So far as I know the only Chevrolets of the fifties with fibreglass body panels were the Corvette and Cameo pickup truck with its fibreglass rear fenders.

[JoeShmoe]

I bought a pair for my '58 BelAir in 1969 from J.C. Whitney. My "Eyebrows" over the headlights were rotted out again further back after the previous Bondo job. Impossible to find solid ones anywhere in the midwest (Wisconsin) even back then.  I remember that car when people opine about 50's Chevies about the old "They don't make 'em like that anymore". Joe G.

[Herby]

Thank you for answering, good information.