Chevrolet’s 1957 ‘Million-Dollar’ Car Has Been Electrified For Modern Drivers
Image via Chevrolet
One of the most iconic cars Chevrolet ever made was the 1957 Chevy, otherwise known as Project X.
Purchased for just US$250 in 1965 by the editors of MotorTrend’s HOT ROD, the “testbed” car has seen more than 50 years of weathering the test of new products, technologies, and trends. Because of this, it’s also often known as the “million-dollar Chevy.”
Today, its latest test catapults it straight into the modern age of—you guessed it—electricity. At the SEMA show, the electrified Project X was unveiled by Chevrolet Performance, MotorTrend, and Cagnazzi Racing to “prove that the electric future of driving doesn’t require leaving the past behind.”
“Project X has always served the car community by pushing the envelope with groundbreaking technologies,” says Douglas Glad, group content director of MotorTrend Group, in the news release.
Image via Chevrolet
“As the auto industry shifts rapidly toward electric vehicles, this Project X build is just the latest in its celebrated legacy of adapting hot rodding to the powerful technology of tomorrow.”
Despite its previous lives with inline-six and V-8 engines, carburetors, fuel injection, and supercharging, this swap gives Project X its first electric engine: a motor that delivers around 340 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. Its 400-volt lithium-ion battery can store up to 30 kilowatt-hours of electricity, which Chevrolet says is “enough range for weekend cruising.”
The brand has also stated that the battery was built around a “modular concept,” which would allow its customers to “scale the pack capacity based on range, cost, packaging and weight considerations.” Apart from this, not much else is divulged except for the fact that it’s “being evaluated for potential use as a next-generation Chevrolet Performance product.” So perhaps we’ll be seeing more of this soon.
Image via Chevrolet
Additionally, the car’s final-drive ratio can be adjusted based on how it’s being used, thanks to a quick-change differential. With a shorter final-drive ratio, drivers will enjoy quicker acceleration, while a taller gear will extend the range and relax performance.
Cagnazzi Racing is to thank for the motor swap, and it also gave Project X softer front springs and stiffer rear springs in order to balance the car’s weight better. Now electrified, less weight is carried under the hood with more on over the rear axle as compared to how it was previously built.
On the outside, Project X still has the “same classic look that it’s worn for decades.” But once inside, the driver will notice that the unsuspecting EV now incorporates the same push-button gear selector that the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette has.
“It’s a subtle clue that this timeless project car is once again doing things differently,” Chevrolet concludes. Who knows what Project X will get up to next?
Image via Chevrolet
[via CNET, all images via Chevrolet]
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