1957 Bel Air vs. The General Lee

[mauibarber]

Hey everyone,
I own a very nice 1957 Chevy Bel Air and I am considering selling it and buying a very nice General Lee.  Am I crazy?  Or do you think I will enjoy the "General" more.

I realize this may be a weird question to ask a bunch of mopar nuts but I thought I would anyway.  Any and all information is appreciated.
Thanks,
Alex

[Ghoste]

Yes, buy the Charger!

[daytonalo]

Yes indeed buy a moper , it will apprecatie faster than any other brand . I have a hemi daytona clone , I just don't understand the whole genaral lee thing

[Nacho-RT74]

I would understand the doubt about that deal JUST IF THE BELAIR is convertable... if not, then the Charger without doubts.

Oh well I'm a convertables fan, specially if the are 50s ones...

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

Make a general lee daytona!!!!!!!! nah im jus joshin ya-MATT

[dodge freak]

I am going against the grain but I say keep the 57 Bel Air.

1-you have way more room under the hood to even run a supercharger UNDER the hood.

2- a ton of parts to choose from and most will be cheaper.

3-no smog crap what so ever-theres no way anybody can give you a hard time registering it, any smog stuff did not show up till around 1964

4-no seat beats needed, sure you can put some in but you won't get a ticket anywhere if you forget to wear it.

5-looks more like a sleeper-those cars can be very fast-remember the movie two lane blacktop-but it will not look as fast as a charger but it can be, maybe even faster if you want and can $

Ok you going to need to do more-brakes-they HAVE to be upgraded to disk, Steering needs to be changed over to a newer set up -like the charger has, the rear end has to be beef up also , same with motor, trans maybe seats, radio, heater, lights-thats 6 volts needs to be 12 volts.

Its a lot more work but thats what I would do if I had the time and money.

[Silver R/T]

I like bel airs myself, hard decision

[71bee]

I'll make this easy on you.....

sell the freakin' shoebox and buy your Charger. theres way to many reasons why you would benefit from doing so. 

[mauibarber]

My Bel Air is more of an "original" cruiser and not a hot rod.  In the Bel Air world its cheaper to buy a Chevy already hot rodded then it is to take a stock car and convert it.



The chevy's big pluses (to me) are that it is super easy to get parts for and its probably the best looking American Hardtop every built.

But...the charger would be faster, more fun and probably turn more heads.  Its tough because the Chevy is such a beautiful automobile. 

[dodge freak]

A Charger would drive much better too if both were left stock. That car does look nice but it take a lot of work to make it drive better than a Charger. Its up to you I guess, how about looking and taking a Charger for a test ride and see how you like it ?

[rusty lee]

what motor is in the charger?

[dodgecharger-fan]

I think it depends a lot on what turns your crank as far as owning a classic car is concerned.

That's a really nice car and I'd have a hard time parting with it if it were mine. (Still, I'd be working to figure out a way to own both.  )

If your intent is Sunny-day cruises and the occassional show, either would work fine.
However, I think with the Chev, you'd be just another car in those shows. There'd likely be some more Bel Airs and just in genera, more Chevs. You'd tend to blend in.
With a General, you'd garner more attention.

With regards to speed, the Charger is your better bet, IMO. But, again, what's the intent? Occassional track days? Sunny-day cruises?

You'd have more fun at the track with the Charger.
You'd get more attention at the shows with the Charger.
You can still go for a nice drive for the sake of going for a nice drive. The enjoyment here would depend a lot on how the car is set up though. With the right exhaust note and the relative ease of swapping out gears (or a gear splitter), the Charger can be a nice drive and still be fun at the track without too much effort.

Parts aren't that tough to come by for the Charger - again depending on what you want. All stock and all original? Maybe a little tougher. And while there aren't as many aftermarket choices for Mopars, you can find what you need if you look. (Just don't crease your fenders.)

[mauibarber]

I would love to be able to keep the Bel Air and buy a Charger.  The problem is I only have two parking spots and the other spot is being taken by this....

[PocketThunder]

two of my favorite movie cars.  The Heavenly Kid and Back to the Future. 

I owned a 55 Chev that i did a frame off on for 5 years, then drove it for another 5 years, then i was bored with it and i sold it to by my '69.  I do miss the 55 on occasion, but those times are few and far between.  It was fun to drive but the Charger handles much better.  And the Charger is pure sex and muscle..

Maybe sell the Delorian?

[Charger_Fan]

Nah, just build a bigger garage & keep them all! He who dies with the most toys WINS!

[Brock Samson]

Mauibarber:

Now you say the chevy is the best lookin american hard top?... 
Sir,.. 
   I beg to differ!
It's purely a matter of taste of course,..  but If i were you?.. I'd dump that Deloren and get the Charger...
I dont know that I'd go the General Lee route myself, but i do know the DMC is about 973 down on my cars to own list,
     behind the 1970 AMC Matador and ahead of the 1975 Mustang II.

love your Island BTW.. 

[Brock Samson]

 oh i nearly forgot..   

[mauibarber]

Don't knock it till you tried it.  The DeLorean is a lot fo fun to drive and is a huge crowd pleaser.    I would miss my Delorean a lot more than the Chevy. 

There is no denying the beauty, balance and form of the 57 Chevy.  Its a damn beautiful hardtop.

Mauibarber:

Now you say the chevy is the best lookin american hard top?... 
Sir,.. 
   I beg to differ!
It's purely a matter of taste of course,..  but If i were you?.. I'd dump that Deloren and get the Charger...
I dont know that I'd go the General Lee route myself, but i do know the DMC is about 973 down on my cars to own list,
     behind the 1970 AMC Matador and ahead of the 1975 Mustang II.

love your Island BTW.. 

[mauibarber]

...Oh and how are you gonna compare a Delorean to a Mustang II? 

Stainless steel body (no rust), Counterbalanced gullwing Doors, Handling and Suspension by Lotus, Created by the father of the muscle car,  famous movie car, designed by Giugaro of Italy, Less than 8000 exist in the world, and a hell of a lot of fun. 

But I understand, Its always been the cool thing to bash the Delorean.  Why, I will never understand.

-Alex

[Brock Samson]

o.k. fine,..
When i get back across the pond you can demonstrate...   

[Ghoste]

Brock, is that pic from in front of your house?  I thought you were supposed to be some kind of struggling musician?

[Brock Samson]

yeah, i live in the bushes... 

[Charger_Fan]

yeah, i live in the bushes... 

More like you pee in the bushes, but you live under a rock.



(sorry, couldn't resist! )

[Ghoste]

According to the environmentalists, we're all living under a rock.

Btw, don't take that "struggling musician" comment as an insult, it was just meant as good natured ribbing.  I should have included a smiley.

[Brock Samson]

i'm not sufferin