The Chevrolet Bel Air is as American as baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie. It’s also, especially in the flashy 1957 trim, one of the most recognizable stars of the 1950s. Chevy started their action by putting out their first OHV V8 in 1955, then made waves with the chrome-slathered styling just two years later. Augmenting that with the Dagmar front bumper points, classy knockoff style wheel covers, and dual antennas, they got plenty of attention from critics, and from the American public. Sales were fantastic, and Chevy hasn’t gotten their mainstream cars to be as stylish since then. GM hit the ground running in 1957–just like the Detroit Lions, who won their final (to date) championship that year. One could say that GM styling peaked the same year their football team did (although there are plenty of examples that prove otherwise). Enjoy the photos of this true American classic.

-Albert S. Davis