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Simplicity Over Luxuries

Big billet wheels, air suspension, and a kickin’ audio system—all are great additions, but you won’t find them on this car. Power steering, a smooth hydraulic clutch, and air conditioning—again, great additions, but this black ’55 doesn’t call upon such luxuries to get the job done. Simplicity is the key here, as this ’55 Chevy perfectly embodies the sleeper theme with a no-frills look and monster power. It doesn’t even feature all the stainless Bel Air or 210 trim you normally find on most tri-5 models; but even though this is a plain-Jane 150 devoid of trim, Ernie Lankford’s all-black ’55 certainly doesn’t get overlooked.

Evolution of the Build

Lankford’s initial plans called for a gasser-style ’55 street car with the obligatory fenderwell headers, radiused wheel wells, and nose-high stance, but plans changed as the build progressed. Originally wanting a flat-black budget beater, the car was just too good to cut up and cover in satin paint. So the project snowballed into this truly sinister ’55 that even looks mean sitting still and really shows its teeth when the rowdy big block is fired.

Under the Hood

The nearly stock ride height is an intentional attempt to make this two-door post look like a base-model stocker, but any Chevy guy worth his salt would know better than to expect a 235ci Blue Flame six to still be under the hood. One might expect a small block, even with mild modifications, but lifting the smoothed hood reveals a healthy 402ci big block. Inside is a well-equipped rotating assembly featuring domed pistons for an 11:1 compression ratio and an aluminum single-plane intake that draws air from the 750cfm Holley carburetor, sending the charge through ported GM heads. A Comp hydraulic camshaft moves the valves with a 310-degree duration and 0.540-inch lift, while a set of Comp roller rockers decreases friction in the valvetrain. Even with its internal upgrades, the engine is rather simple in terms of style, with old-school valve covers and lack of belt-driven accessories—no power steering and no air conditioning.

Driving Experience

If you’re behind the wheel of this bare-bones ’55, it immediately becomes obvious you’re in an old car—a firm clutch pedal actuates mechanical linkage and applies power to a Saginaw four-speed. Lankford wanted that old-car feeling, so you won’t find urethane bushings, big sway bars, or a quick-ratio steering box; you will, however, find a rebuilt suspension both front and rear with new rubber bushings and all the essentials to make this Chevy drive just as it did in the mid-’50s. Up front, a slightly lower stance is achieved from the additional weight of the big block, and a pair of late-model disc brakes rides behind the steel wheels on either side. Nothing drastic here—just plain and simple upgrades, the way hot rodding got its start.

Rear End and Rolling Stock

Out back, Lankford’s Chevy uses an original front-load rear housing packed with 3.36 gears and a Positraction differential. Original plans called for a 9-inch Ford, but that was when Lankford wanted an old-school gasser. Once he concluded the car was too nice, he also decided to keep it all GM and bolted the original-style rearend to the modified leaf springs. Drum brakes ride on either side of the rear housing and assist the front discs in bringing this two-door post to a halt. Another step to making Lankford’s Chevy look the sleeper that it is, is the simple and bold rolling stock. Steel wheels measuring 15×6 and 15×7 inches are covered in DuPont black acrylic enamel to match the body and wear ’68 Nova caps to finish off the look. Slightly larger tires out back give the ’55 a nice rake, and the tall sidewalls are old school all the way.