1957 Bel Air vs. The General Lee

[CaptMarvel]

There are plenty of GL clones, if your in to clones, how about keeping the 57 and doing a Simon & Simon ragtop clone, now that was a really cool TV car!

[73dodge]

Personally I get the Charger and if I had my druthers I would not bother with a GL IMO.

I like the Chevy though but hey get the Charger everyone know what a 57 chevy is and if you don't get a GL and just get a nice 69 you can have all sorts of fun with people when they come up to you and call your car a Cuda or Road Runner or ask why you don't paint it orange and put a 01 on the door like they did when they came from the factory.............

[GreenMachine]

 My vote is to build another garage, however if that isn't possible I'd get the Charger. I think a '57 Chevy can be built from scratch by mail order now can't it? I would have to eventually paint it a non General Lee color and swap out the Vectors. The push bar and CB could stay though.

[bull]

The '57 Bel Air is better-looking than a 2nd gen Charger? No. No way, Jose. Not even close.

[Brock Samson]

ya' know how regga music is only listenable if your smokin weed?... 
well delorians are cool if your high on coke...     

a hundred and thirty h.p. engine behind the rear wheels?...
oh my goodness! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRV_engine     



and it's metric too!   

[mauibarber]

Well if you want to get into the heart of the matter...The cocaine belonged to the federal goverment who like Tucker, set Delorean up.  In fact the informant for the goverment actually testifed FOR John Delorean because of how dirty the whole thing was.  John Delorean was aquitted of all charges and the FBI had to change the way they conduct sting operations ever since.

As far as horse power goes, everyone knows the Delorean is a bit anemic.  However, If you look at a 1981 Corvette it only had 50 more horses than the Delorean.  In 1984 a "Twin Turbo" version of the Volvo V6 was to be offered which would have made it faster than the corvette.  Unfortunately, due to our wonderful federal goverment and that of Margaret Thatcher*  the world would never get to see the future of the Delorean Motor Company.

*After being aquitted of all charges, John Delorean announced that he along with some investors were going to start building Delorean DMC-12's in limited production.  The next day Margaret Thatcher had ALL of the body dies cut up and thrown in the river and sold as scrap.  $50 million dollars worth of dies destroyed.  Government at work.. isn't it great.

...I never said the car was fast, I said it was fun to drive.  Oh and porsche 911  engines are behind the rear wheels too.  Whats wrong with that?  Lotus did all the enginering for the suspension so it handles wonderfully (for a 25 year old car).

[Brock Samson]

  Go on...
i'm learning somthing here..
what did margie have against the DMC?..

[mauibarber]

In 1979 the  Delorean plant was built in Ireland and 200 million dollars worth of British taxpayer money was used to build the plant and cars.  At the time Ireland's unemployment rate was around 45% and the Protestants and Catholics were fighting and killing each other.  Britain was being ruled at that the time by the Labour Party.  The Labour party liked the idea of increasing jobs in Ireland believing that people who are happily working and making money are less likely to shoot and bomb each other.  The plan (for the most part) worked.  In fact the factory had two seperate entrances, one for catholics and one for protestants.
In 1980 the Labour Party lost out to Margaret Thatchers conservative party.  Margaret Thatcher was opposed to using taxpayer money to fund a automobile company.  She told John Delorean that she would not give any more money to the Delorean Motor Company.  In 1982 only three car companys posted a profit as we were in a bit of a recession.  This is what led John Delorean to seek more money and become entrapped by the Federal Goverment. 
I am sure John Delorean and Margaret Thatcher had other "behind closed doors" issues with each other and she probably wanted to show him who was boss.  When he said he was going to make the cars again, I imagine she wasn't pleased the whole cocaine thing and the prospect of his business still being part of the British goverment so she had the body molds cut up and sold as fishing weights and the rest dumped in the Galway bay in Ireland.
If you want to see some pics of the dies cut up and used for scrap check it out here.  It makes me ill to look at it.
http://www.dmcnews.com/Resource/bodydies/bodydies.html

I don't want anybody to think that I think John Delorean was a perfect angel.  He made many mistakes that hurt Delorean Motor Company.  I just belive it is my job as a Delorean owner to present all the facts.
-Alex

[Brock Samson]

Gee, I feel ill now too,..
wow,.. what can you' say?... 
  An excellent post Alex thank You.
BTW:  out of respect to the automobile, it's workers and the car's fans and Mr. John D. himself, no longer will i disparage the DMC 12.
   on a different subject,..  is your shop near a radioshack?.. It's looking very familiar to me..
dave

[mauibarber]

I'm not near a radio shack but you would have passed by the center on your way to your hotel.  We are caddy corner from Kmart on Dairy Road.  If you went to the Kihei or Lahaina sides of the island you would have to pass by my building.  Thats probably why the building looks familiar.

[deputycrawford]

I heard the DMC cars were to be much better for the next model year. I also think the 57 Chevies are georgus. If you decide to off it and get a Charger, then make sure its the best looking one, 69 , and make sure the budget allows to paint over the Orange and the 01.

[Ghoste]

I know the tri-5 Chevies are supposed to be a 50's icon, but I always thought the 57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer was a far, far, far better looking car than the Chevy.  Just my opinion though.

[71bee]

I know the tri-5 Chevies are supposed to be a 50's icon, but I always thought the 57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer was a far, far, far better looking car than the Chevy.  Just my opinion though.

best lookin' shoe box ever!

[Charger_Fan]

In 1979 the  Delorean plant was built in Ireland and 200 million dollars worth of British taxpayer money was used to build the plant and cars.  At the time Ireland's unemployment rate was around 45% and the Protestants and Catholics were fighting and killing each other.  Britain was being ruled at that the time by the Labour Party.  The Labour party liked the idea of increasing jobs in Ireland believing that people who are happily working and making money are less likely to shoot and bomb each other.  The plan (for the most part) worked.  In fact the factory had two seperate entrances, one for catholics and one for protestants.
In 1980 the Labour Party lost out to Margaret Thatchers conservative party.  Margaret Thatcher was opposed to using taxpayer money to fund a automobile company.  She told John Delorean that she would not give any more money to the Delorean Motor Company.  In 1982 only three car companys posted a profit as we were in a bit of a recession.  This is what led John Delorean to seek more money and become entrapped by the Federal Goverment. 
I am sure John Delorean and Margaret Thatcher had other "behind closed doors" issues with each other and she probably wanted to show him who was boss.  When he said he was going to make the cars again, I imagine she wasn't pleased the whole cocaine thing and the prospect of his business still being part of the British goverment so she had the body molds cut up and sold as fishing weights and the rest dumped in the Galway bay in Ireland.
If you want to see some pics of the dies cut up and used for scrap check it out here.  It makes me ill to look at it.
http://www.dmcnews.com/Resource/bodydies/bodydies.html

I don't want anybody to think that I think John Delorean was a perfect angel.  He made many mistakes that hurt Delorean Motor Company.  I just belive it is my job as a Delorean owner to present all the facts.
-Alex

That's some cool info! I didn't know any of that before, thanks for sharing that & the link.
I scrolled through some of the members rides...this pic is particularly interesting.

[deputycrawford]

Mauibarber, don't let anybody beat up this post. Tons of good info and ALL old cars are beautiful. The more on the road the better. That 57 is awsome.

[mauibarber]

I know the tri-5 Chevies are supposed to be a 50's icon, but I always thought the 57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer was a far, far, far better looking car than the Chevy.  Just my opinion though.

best lookin' shoe box ever!

Definitely not a bad lookin car but it would be a nightmare to get parts for.

[Ghoste]

True enough, but all the Chevy's seem to be much much much easier to find parts for than any Mopar.

[mauibarber]

I think that will change in the next 10-15 years.  I don't see mopar popularity going anywhere.  And as the cars rise in value there is more demand for quality parts and owners that can afford them.

[Ghoste]

I don't know.  I often think that the Chevy owners with money are going to suddenly step up to the plate and we are going to be 3rd fiddle again one day.  Doesn't matter to me either way, I was Mopar when it wasn't cool and I will remain so tomorrow.

[Nacho-RT74]

I know the tri-5 Chevies are supposed to be a 50's icon, but I always thought the 57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer was a far, far, far better looking car than the Chevy.  Just my opinion though.

best lookin' shoe box ever!

[JMF]

What's the difference between the 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevy Bel Air?

[Lostsheep_01]

I don't care what you have to give up or keep, just get a Charger!  Coolest cars on the planet!

[mauibarber]

What's the difference between the 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevy Bel Air?

The 55 and 56 are very similar a little more boxy then the 57, the 57 has larger fins, rocket bumpers and rockets in the hood.  I find most guys prefer the 55 or the 57.  It depends if you like a simpler more refined car (55) or a glitzy more showy car (57).
-alex

[JMF]

So how is the 1956 different from the 1955?

[Brock Samson]

somewhat more trim..
got google?