1196 Wigwam Parkway
Henderson, NV 89074
702.369.7037
Reach us at
Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Our shop is open
Henderson, NV 89074
Reach us at
Our shop is open
A supercharged LSX on a frame we built in-house, sitting low on 24 and 22 inch wheels. Here’s what went into it, and how to start a 57 Chevy of your own.
The 1957 Chevy Bel Air is the car most people picture when they hear the word classic. We build them to drive, not just to park. Nostalgia Hot Rods is at 1196 Wigwam Parkway, Henderson, NV 89074, just outside Las Vegas, and you can reach the shop at (702) 369-7037. This page walks through our own 57 Bel Air build, part by part, and what a build like it takes from the first call to the day the car ships.
Chevy sold three Tri-Five years: 1955, 1956 and 1957. The 57 is the one with the tall fins, the chrome and the wide grille. It is the shape people know from across a parking lot.
That shape is the reason to keep the body. What sits under it is a different story. A stock 57 rides on a 1950s frame, and stops on drum brakes. It looks right. It doesn’t drive like a car you’d take on a long trip.
A custom build keeps the look and replaces the parts you feel from the driver’s seat: the engine, the frame, the suspension, the brakes and the cabin. That’s the work we do, and almost all of it happens under one roof in our shop.
Every part listed here comes from our own build notes for this car. Where we don’t have a figure to share, we leave it out rather than guess.
| Area | What we built |
|---|---|
| Engine | LSX V8 with a Whipple supercharger |
| Frame | One of our own custom frames, built in-house |
| Suspension | Four-link setup with sway bars, set up to sit right down on the frame |
| Wheels | 24 x 15 in the rear, 22 x 12 in the front |
| Interior | Custom upholstery, a modern audio system and CNC laser cut parts |
| Paint | Bodywork and paint done in our own shop |
The original 57 came with a small block V8. Ours runs an LSX, a modern V8 block built to take far more boost and power than the old engine ever could.
On top sits a Whipple supercharger. A blower like this forces more air into the engine, so it makes more power at every speed, not just at the top of the rev range.
Why go this far? Because a build should be fun to drive, not just fun to look at.
All Chevy Performance put it plainly in June 2024: our builds are meant to be driven, with horsepower, driveability and comfort all taken seriously. A car that only works on show day is not finished.
This Bel Air does not sit on the 1957 frame. It sits on a frame we built in our own fabrication shop. Building the frame ourselves means we control the stance, the wheel fit and the strength from the start.
The suspension is a four-link setup with sway bars. A four-link holds the axle in place with four arms, so the car tracks straight and stays settled under power.
The car is set up to lay frame, which means it can sit with the frame almost on the ground. It is the low, wide stance people stop to look at.
The wheels are big: 24 x 15 in the rear and 22 x 12 in the front. Fitting wheels that size under a 57 body takes careful sheet metal and suspension work, and it is one of the reasons the frame had to be ours.
Every 57 Chevy build starts with a few choices. You don’t need every answer on the first call, but it helps to think about them.
First, the car. You might already own a 57 Bel Air, or you might want us to build from a car you haven’t found yet. Either way, we’ll look at what’s there. Rust and old repairs change how much metal work a body needs.
Second, how you’ll use it. A car built for long drives needs comfort, cooling and a ride that doesn’t wear you out. A car built for shows can lean harder on stance and finish. Most owners want a bit of both, and that’s fine.
Third, the stance and wheels. Big wheels and a car that sits on the ground look great. They also drive the frame, suspension and sheet metal decisions, so we settle them early.
Last, the cabin. Seats, gauges, audio and climate control are where you’ll spend your time. It’s worth getting them right, because you’ll feel every choice on a long trip.
Tell us the car you have, or the car you want, and we will talk through the build.
Inside, the car has custom upholstery and a modern audio system. Some of the interior parts are CNC laser cut, so panels and brackets fit the first time and match side to side.
Paint is done in-house too. Bodywork, primer, color and clear all happen in our shop, so the same team that fits the panels also paints them. Nothing leaves the building to be finished by someone else, and that’s on purpose.
Keeping fabrication, paint and interior in-house is how the shop has worked for years. Street Trucks magazine noted it when it featured Dustin Hacker’s own 57 Chevy pickup in October 2023.
Most builds start with a phone call or the quote form. We ask what car you have, or want, and how you plan to use it: shows, long drives, or both.
From there we plan the build: engine, frame, suspension, wheels, paint and interior. Then the work starts in our shop. Our projects typically take 9 to 12 months, as All Chevy Performance reported in June 2024. A car with more fabrication can take longer.
You don’t need to live near Las Vegas. Our builds ship to collectors and enthusiasts across the country and overseas. When the car’s done, it ships to you.
Want to see more of our work first? Our twin turbo 1969 Camaro and our 1949 Willys Jeepster build show two very different cars from the same shop.
It depends on the car you start with and the parts you choose. We don’t publish prices. We quote each build after we talk through what you want, so call (702) 369-7037 or use the quote form.
Our projects typically take 9 to 12 months, as All Chevy Performance reported in June 2024. Builds with more custom fabrication can run longer, and we will tell you up front what to expect.
Yes. Our builds ship to collectors, racers and enthusiasts across the world. You do not need to be near Las Vegas to have us build your car.
Yes. We do classic car restoration as well as full custom builds, chassis work, suspension, sheet metal, body and paint, and interiors.
Tell us about your car and your plans. We will walk you through what the build involves.
Nostalgia Hot Rods · 1196 Wigwam Parkway, Henderson, NV 89074 · (702) 369-7037