Paul Myers proudly shows his Chevy Bel Air.
Paul Myers bought his Bel Air in 1976 and plans to pass the beloved car down to his daughters.
By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, October 2026
The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is widely considered one of the most iconic American cars of the 1950s. With rear tailfins, plenty of chrome and hooded headlights, the car is easily recognized and has remained a favorite among nostalgic collectors.
Paul Myers of Guthrie Center recently told the story behind his 1957 Bel Air.
“I’ve been a lover of them ever since I was a little kid,” he said. “The ’55, ’56 and ’57 were all really close-looking. They just changed the bodies some.”
Whitewall tires and tailfins were popular in the era.
In the 1970s, Myers owned an auto service station, and he let it be known that he wanted to buy one of the classic cars from his childhood years.
“A former business person in Guthrie Center named Bill Lloyd knew that I was always looking for a ’57 Chevy, and he happened to go to college with the guy that I bought it from,” Myers said. “The car’s owner was in the Air Force, out in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at the time. He sent me three or four Polaroid pictures of it. The car had just been repainted the color that it is now. I called and talked to him, and believe it or not, I bought the car for $1,025.”
Buying a car from Wyoming required a lengthy road trip. Myers recalled how that came about.
“Back in October of 1976, I had gone to a wedding. After the wedding was over, we took off for Cheyenne and drove all night. We picked up the car, and I drove it all the way back to Guthrie Center the next day,” he said.
A classic symbol of the 1950s.
After getting the car home, Myers was pleased with the overall condition but wanted to make a few improvements. He was pleasantly surprised to find no rust.
“It’s got about 98,000 miles on it, and what’s unbelievable is that it’s a completely rust-free car,” Myers said. “I’ve had the carpets out, and there’s no rust in the floor anywhere.”
Because Myers owned an auto service station at the time, he was able to do some of the work himself.
“I had a motor that I had overhauled, so I installed that and I put in a 350 automatic transmission,” he said.
Myers hired others to do the upholstery, painting and dashboard.
“The really good ones are very expensive, so I got the car at a very good price, and I’ve spent a few thousand dollars on it since to restore it,” he said.
The interior now matches the exterior.
Although it took many years, Myers feels the car is finally the way he wants it.
“As of Oct. 3, I have owned the car for 50 years. I haven’t driven it much. I probably haven’t put 2,000 miles on it since I found it,” he said. “I’ve been to a few conventions — one in Lincoln, Nebraska, and one in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.”
Myers shared the last major project he wanted to complete on the car.
“I had always wanted to get the interior redone. My wife, when we got together 14 years ago, she bought me a new interior, which included headliner, carpet, seat covers, door panels and everything,” he said. “It’s now ready to be driven. I’m not completely done with it. I have just a few things left to do on it. Nothing major. I’m looking forward to driving it a lot more now that it’s pretty much all done.”
Myers has shown the car at two recent events. One was the FFA car show on Sept. 12 in Guthrie Center.
“That’s the first show I’ve had it in. I also had it in the Guthrie County Fair parade back at the start of September,” he said.
After owning the car for 50 years, Myers plans to keep it in the family.
“Most definitely. It’s not for sale. I plan on passing it down to my daughters when I’m gone,” he said. “I hope they keep it and drive it.”