Brice’s Chrysler was consistently surrounded with excited admirers, which prevented getting any clear profile shots.

Visiting a number of car shows each year can make a person jaded. With so many great cars on display, only the best or the absolute horrendous will make the hardened veteran car show expert stop, and look. So it is fair to say that the ones that catch our attention are some of the very best. Such was the case last weekend when we froze in our tracks at the sight of Brice Graham’s 1957 Chrysler Saratoga.

First, a little history on the model. The Chrysler’s Saratoga model enjoyed a long history in the company’s history having been used from 1939 to 1942, 1946 to 1952, then again from1957 to 1960. The final iteration of the Saratoga has become one of the more popular nameplates amongst many enthusiasts.

A front three-quarter shot shows some of the detail work that went into the build.

When the Saratoga was re-introduced in 1957, the base engine was the poly head cast-iron V8 with a late year Hemi engine option. The body was designed by Virgil Exner, an often under-appreciated designer that was originally trained by GM’s Harley Earl. Exner did so well that he headed up the Pontiac styling team. He eventually ended up at Chrysler after a stint at Studebaker. His years at Chrysler produced some of the company’s best designs, none more acclaimed than the Saratoga.

The Saratoga was originally offered with two or four headlights in 1957 with more of the four-eyed versions hitting the street during the production run. Graham’s Saratoga was sporting the superior quad headlamp setup, which is how the car was initially designed by Exner.

Outfitted with the 354ci Spitfire V8 Hemi, that was credited with 295 horsepower with the 4 barrel carburetor. Graham’s car features a hand fabricated air cleaner that sets the tone for everything under the hood. It is likely that Exner would fully appreciate and endorsed this improvement, if he would have ever seen it.

The interior was far superior to anything that Chrysler, or anyone else for that matter, put out in the 1950s.

For the one that we caught at the Goodguys Del Mar event, we couldn’t find Brice the owner to get the details, but it was clear that the transmission hanging behind the V8 Hemi was Chrysler’s famous and virtually indestructible TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic. The interior was fully custom with a dash and steering wheel unlike any that we’ve seen in a Saratoga model before.

It is easy to see how this black beauty has already won two significant Goodguys awards in the car show season.

The car is done well, and the proof of that comes by way of winning two Goodguys’ awards so far in 2017. Starting the year by winning a Builder Choice Award in the Goodguys’ 8th Spring Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona. This was followed closely by taking the top honors as the 2017 Custom Rod of the Year Finalist at the Lone Star Spring Nationals in Forth Worth.

We won’t be surprised if this beauty doesn’t walk away with the Custom Rod of the Year for 2017.