1957 Chrysler Saratoga – Fins for the Win

This 1957 Chrysler Saratoga went from a Texas cotton field to the upper echelon of resto mods we have seen lately. It has been on quite a ride since its discovery in that field, but it’s back and better than ever. The car was built by four guys; Mark & Brice Graham, Joel Puentes and Shannon Jackson, at SNS Hot Rods in Amarillo. The stock body lines have been kept intact as well as the ornate moldings. But that stance tho!

Other than a ride height adjustment, the big Chrysler looks similar to when it left the dealership long ago but obviously a full restoration was done to bring it back to life. Shannon Jackson sprayed the acres of steel in BASF Black and Cortez Silver before reinstalling the truckload of chrome trim.

The stock chassis was upgraded with an independent front clip from Fatman Fabrications and a four-link out back along with a Ford 9-inch rearend. A set of 16-inch Wilwood big brakes with Hydroboost are tucked behind the big Circle Racing wheels while Toyo tires get sticky when the temperatures rise.

Under the hood, Mopar fans are pleased to find a 354c.i. Hemi looking like the Jewel of the Nile. The drive train was built by Don Thomas at Panhandle Performance Engines while Jason Gibson fitted the block with Hot Heads and factory valve covers. Under the dual-element batwing air cleaner lies a FAST EFI throttle body on a powder-coated intake. The sanitary engine bay was cleaned up showing very few visible hoses and wires along with outstanding paint and detailing.

While the exterior is stock, the cabin is not. Troy Anderson at Auto Stitch whipped up a two-tone interior using diamond-pleated European stitching and soft black leather. The custom seats and a padded center console match the one-off door panels. The stock dash was kept, though now padded. Its gauges were replaced with custom multi-function dials from AutoMeter. Check out the stunning one-off steering wheel from Colorado Custom. Our favorite feature? That would definitely be the factory Torque-Flite pushbutton tranny.

This slick Saratoga shows you exactly how a rare midcentury Mopar should look, sound and feel. It is one of our favorite cruisers in recent memory.