Ben Gabbe/Getty ImagesHow would you like to own the first car that Bruce Springsteen ever bought? No, it’s not a pink Cadillac — it’s a yellow ’57 Chevy Bel Air convertible, and it’s up for bid now at eBay.
According Springsteen historian Michael Crane, the Boss purchased the vehicle in May 1975 for $2,000, and wrote his classic songs “Born to Run,” “Thunder Road” and “Backstreets” in the car. The hot rod, which features orange flames painted across its hood, appeared in articles about Springsteen in Time and Newsweek following the release of his Born to Run album.
Springsteen sold the car in spring of 1976, supposedly because it drew too much attention to him. It later went on display from 2008 to 2010 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in New York City, and then was part of a huge Springsteen exhibit that opened at Cleveland’s Rock Hall in 2010.
The vehicle is said to be in excellent running condition, and has had its mechanical and electrical systems updated.
The winning bidder for the car also will receive the vehicle’s original registration and an Allstate insurance card issued in Springsteen’s name. Also included in the sale will be an 80-page book compiled by Crane, titled Out in the Street: Bruce Springsteen’s 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible. It features details about the car and its history, as well as a variety of rare photos.
The auction is scheduled to run until this Monday, December 19, at 11:50 p.m. ET. As of Tuesday afternoon, the bidding stood at $10,300, although that figure is below the current owner’s reserve price.
By the way, in his song “Racing in the Street,” the Boss sings about owning a Chevy, but it’s a ’69, not a ’57.
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