Like most people, I'm totally in love with the Tri-Five Chevrolets. I came home from the hospital as a baby in my father's two-tone green '56, became infatuated with them on the silver screen in classic films like "Hot Rods To Hell" (did I really just call this movie a classic?), "Two-Lane Blacktop," "Return to Macon County" and "American Graffiti," and watched as they raced and cruised. Sad to say, I've never owned one. But last week I got to do some "after" slalom testing with my friend Ron's '57 210 2-door.

Unlike most, Ron's car is still basically stock. That means 283 4-barrel Power Pack engine, 3-on-the-tree manual transmission, bench seat, manual steering and brakes. The only upgrades (besides the stereo) are Rally Wheels, Goodyear radials, and the sway bars we installed for an upcoming article. We had already done some "before" testing with it.

You haven't lived until you've manhandled a '57 through a 420-foot slalom. If the manual steering—dialed up with a huge stock steering wheel—doesn't make you crazy, the flat bench seat and lack of seat belts will certainly keep you entertained. This is the first car I've tested where I thought I could reduce by elapsed time by added a rudimentary lap belt. Every time I cranked the wheel I had at least one butt cheek off the seat. I think there's a permanent mark in my leg from the chrome door handle. It was like wrestling a bear!

But we did pick up mightily through the cones with the simple addition of a set of sway bars. How much? Whose bars? Stay tuned to a future issue of Super Chevy to find out.