And Speaking of Corvettes ...
Of the 6,339 '57s sold, 4,706 had an optional V-8 engine. That's almost 75 percent. According to published data, the 245 horsepower, twin four-barrel 283 numbered 2,045. The 270 horsepower, twin four barrel, solid lifter 283 sold the aforementioned 1,621. The 250 horsepower, fuel-injected engine sold only 284 and the 283 horsepower fuel-injected 283 tallied a whopping 713. There was one other 283 horsepower Corvette which had a road racing fiberglass "air box" and a cable-driven AC tachometer. This F.I., air-box and cable-tach set-up cost over $725.00 retail. A total of 43 '57 Corvettes were so-equipped.
The Rarest of Them All
It was deemed to be the "station wagon with a sports car flare." Ironically, the 1957 Nomad sold only 6,534 units. It seemingly just could not find its nitch. This was roughly 2,000 cars less than what sold in 1955 and 1,500 less than 1956 totals. The three year production run totaled 23,167 units. Nomads cost $200 more than a four-door Bel Air and over $250 more than a Bel Air convertible. A Corvette cost about $400 more than a Nomad.
Station wagon buyers generally needed utility-at-a-price. To most, that meant four doors. Two doors did not equate nor did the Nomad's high price tag. While the Nomad did not sell well, it did receive considerable national editorial over its upscale styling and flare. A decade later in 1967, no one knew these production numbers. We searched for months for a '57 Nomad then for a '55-to no avail. We then bought a two-owner '56 and owned it for many years along with a gaggle of other '55 and '56 Chevys. They made great tow cars in the 1960s.
Mission: Transmission
Chevrolet indeed really showed the performance way in 1957. Its optional engines were all front-runners, especially the mechanical lifter versions. The engineers also knew that proper driveline components were also needed to let their performance engines work to maximum potential. A properly geared transmission would let the '57 Chevrolet lead the way and boy did it ever.
Chevrolet contracted with Borg-Warner Automotive to create a four-speed transmission. It became available on April 9, 1957, about six months into the '57s calendar year production run. It featured full synchromesh gearing and a cast iron main case. It was said to have cost about $188 as an option, slightly more over-the-counter. Perhaps a few thousand passenger cars were so-equipped by the end of the model year production.
A total of 664 Corvette were special-ordered with the new four-speed gearbox. We should note that many passenger cars were retro-fitted either at the dealership or by the owner at home or in a private garage. Manual transmission three-speed column-shift mechanisms were the scourge on all cars, including Chevrolets. Writers of the day highly recommended first that the Corvette three-speed floor-shift linkage be installed in Chevy passenger cars-then recommended the complete Borg-Warner four-speed transmission assembly.
Chevrolet coined the word "Positraction" for "Positive Traction". This meant both rear tires were getting the same amount of power to each one, not to just the right rear tire as was the case without Positraction. Prior to 1957, one had to either "shim" the spider gears tighter to help transmit power to the left rear tire or weld the spider gears together. The latter was a no-no on the street because now both tires turned at the same ratio. Good when going forward in a straight line but not good when cornering. Posi cost just over $48 retail. You could also select what gear ratio you wanted, be it 3.70, 4.11 or 4.56. Some ratios were factory-installed while others were dealer-installed.