The Timeless Appeal of the ’55 Chevy

Upon its introduction, the ’55 Chevy became an instant success, and over the years, it has remained a favorite of Chevy enthusiasts, with the ’55 Bel Air hardtop being one of the most popular.

A Search for the Perfect Bel Air

In 1955, a total of 185,562 people ordered a Bel Air hardtop, and because of their popularity, many of them survived over the years. Even with the large number of cars produced, finding a nice hardtop is getting more difficult 52 years later. That fact didn’t keep Thor Goff from wanting a really nice one, so he contacted Doug Klann, owner of Slim’s Body Works in Freeman, Michigan, about finding and building him one. He was very happy with a ’34 Victoria that the shop built for him previously, so he was confident that they could build him an ultimate ’55.

Securing the Right Components

Goff talked to Klann and told him that he wanted a ’55 Chevy hardtop on a Paul Newman chassis. Fortunately, Klann knew where to find a good ’55 Chevy starter car, so after several negotiations, Goff purchased it. The car was scattered all over the original owner’s garage, so it was gathered up and brought to Slim’s Body Works, where the parts were organized. Klann contacted Newman Car Creations in Templeton, California, and ordered a ’55 Chevy chassis.

Building the Chassis

Newman’s Car Creations chassis are completely new and feature Corvette C4 front and rear independent suspension. The chassis was delivered to the shop and detailed to perfection. The framerails were painted champagne, and the Corvette suspension components remained bare aluminum for contrast. What’s nice about the chassis are all of the components. For example, the steering and brakes are top-of-the-line Corvette components and provide the ride and handling of a sports car. The brakes were upgraded with Baer cross-drilled rotors. Goff really didn’t like the huge wheels and tires being used on many of the cars today, so he limited the Chevy to Budnik 17×8-inch wheels on the front running Nitto Extreme 235/45R17 front tires and Budnik 18×10-inch rear wheels running Nitto Extreme 295/45R18 tires.

Choosing the Powerplant

Several different engine choices were considered to power the ’55 Chevy before the Gale Banks twin-turbo engine was selected. Goff wanted a powerful ’55 Chevy, and with the Gale Banks setup, his small-block is capable of producing 1,000 hp. The four-bolt-main Dart block features 8:1 compression with Dart heads. A Comp Cams hydraulic-roller cam activates the valves, and an Accel ignition lights the fire. The Gale Banks twin-turbos pump pressure through an Accel fuel injection system. While the engine was being built to handle the horsepower, it was also detailed to perfection with an array of chromeplated and polished aluminum parts. Wayne Bloomfield in Saginaw, Michigan, built the strong-running engine and hooked it to a Corvette six-speed manual transmission.

Bodywork and Paint

When the Chevy was purchased, it was obvious that it was driven in at least a few harsh Michigan winters, so some bodywork was required. Slim’s Body Works incorporated two new rear quarters, worked out all of the small dings and dents, and performed a few body modifications. Changes included removing the hood ornament, peaking the hood and removing several emblems. After the repair work and modifications were complete, the body was prepared for paint. After all of the panels were block-sanded and smoothed to perfection, the body was painted Corvette Sunset Orange and Honda Champagne using Glasurit urethane. The Chevy also features a one-piece front bumper and a one-piece Nomad rear bumper. After the paint was applied and rubbed out, the Chevy was assembled, and the Auto Wire electrical system was installed.

Crafting the Interior

The next stop was Auto Interior Decorators in Saginaw, Michigan. Glide Engineering front seats were installed and covered with beige leather. The stock dash was restored and painted to match the body color, and a custom gauge panel that was filled with Classic Instruments gauges was installed. Some other nice creature features include a tilt steering column topped with a Budnik steering wheel, Vintage Air climate control system and a Pioneer stereo system with CD changer.

The Finished Product

The ’55 Chevy took a year to complete, but the wait was well worth it. After the completion of the car, Paul Newman of Newman Car Creations was a tremendous help in getting the ’55’s ride and handling as good as possible, and after the chassis was set up properly, it exceeded all of Goff’s expectations. He couldn’t be happier with how the car turned out. It looks fantastic, accelerates like a rocket sled and handles like a Corvette.