The 1957 „Black Widow“ Chevy was a modified, stripped-out Chevy 150 equipped with a 283-hp V8. Very few were officially built, possibly as low as six.
The 1957 „Black Widow“ Chevy arrived as a result of a horrendous accident at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race, which saw a crash take the lives of over 80 people. This tragic event was far from the greatest moments of Le Mans history, and led to the Automobile Manufacturers Association formally banning auto racing in 1957. This association consisted of numerous American automakers, who decided that they would ban racing before the government could make the same decision.
From here, automakers such as GM then looked to see how they could bend their own rules and indulge in a little motorsport. GM’s answer was to launch the Southern Engineering and Development Co., or SEDCO, which was run out of the Nalley Chevrolet dealer in Atlanta by ex-Hudson lead race engineer Vince Piggins. He decided that Chevy’s best course of action would be to take its lightest car, strip it back, and pair it with the firm’s largest engine.
