FAST FISH
August 9, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Locked Up
Now that the typical Chevy buildup cars (Novas, Camaros, El Caminos, Chevelles and so forth) are well over 30 years old, most have had several owners and lots of abuse. One important yet often overlooked area during a car’s lifetime is its locks, and by now, most early Chevys have mismatched or missing keys. Some don’t even have any keys or locks when you buy them. If you do find a car that still has its original keys, it is very unusual.
CIMTEX RODS SUPER CAMEO: PART 8
In part seven of our Cimtex Rods Super Cameo Buildup series, we covered the installation of our Stainless Works four-tube ZR1 headers and Cimtex Rods-fabricated 3-inch custom exhaust system, as well as the fabrication and installation of our Cimtex Rods-constructed 22-gallon fuel tank and the accompanying MagnaFuel fuel system. Now we’re going to cover the mockup of our Powerdyne BD-11A SilentDrive twin supercharger system. But first let’s digress and take a look at the big picture. One of the key criterion in our Cimtex Rods Super Cameo buildup was to elicit that all-important “wow” factor throughout the entire series. When it came to the engine, we didn’t want to install just any old run-of-the-mill, multi-carbureted GM small or big block, much less a late-model GM crate engine straight out of the catalog. Going in we figured that the Cimtex Super Cameo powerplant should be something special.
THE BIG SHOW AT 58
When a particular car show carries a popular tradition for nearly 60 years, it’s really saying something about the organization that puts the show together. For 58 years, hot rod enthusiasts have been attending the Grand National Roadster Show, now located in Pomona, California, to witness the finest cars in the country.
Spotlighter
Beech Bend’s Best at the Tri-Five Nationals 2025
Our picks from the Top 25 and beyond that demanded a closer look
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
A 70-Year Legacy Roars into Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky, shook with the sound of small-blocks, big-blocks, and boosted beasts as the 10th Annual Tri-Five Nationals rolled into Beech Bend Raceway Park—and this anniversary party didn’t just meet expectations, it blew the doors off. For three sun-soaked days, the grounds became a living museum of ’55, ’56, and ’57 Chevrolets, packed tighter than the Friday night cruise at your favorite burger stand.
This year marked 70 years since the 1955 Chevy hit the streets, kicking off a three-year run that forever changed the automotive landscape. And judging by the rows of spotless Bel Airs, hardtop sedans, wicked gassers, and full-tilt pro-touring machines, the legend is alive, well, and meaner than ever. Everywhere you turned, there was another masterpiece—whether it was a flawless restoration, a ground-shaking drag car, or a radical custom that pushed the envelope.
The Best of the Best
With so much iron on display, the judges had their work cut out for them, but the Top 25 list delivered the cream of the crop—cars that blend killer craftsmanship with that undeniable Tri-Five soul. We also spotted plenty of non-award builds that deserved a second (and third) look, proving that sometimes the best finds are off the trophy list.
Tri-Five of the Year Winner – 1955 Chevrolet Cameo
Owner: Curt Wittman
Builder: Curt Wittman & McLin Paint Works
Fresh off its June 5 completion, Curt Wittman’s 1955 Chevrolet Cameo “Fine Whine” rolled into the Tri-Five Nationals and drove away with Tri-Five of the Year honors. Built by Curt and McLin Paint Works, this pro-touring masterpiece rides on a full Bodie Stroud chassis with Ridetech coilovers, Wilwood brakes, and Schott wheels. Power comes from a Whipple-supercharged GM LS3 pushing 672 rwhp through a 4L80E, with custom stainless exhaust singing out back. Draped in Axalta Red Merlot trim coat, the Cameo features a full leather interior by Elegance Auto Interiors and an audiophile-grade system from The Art of Sound and LIS Audio. Stunning from every angle, it’s a showpiece that’s every bit as potent as it looks.
1955 Chevrolet 210
Top 25
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
Top 25
Owners: Mike & Brenda Krampe
1955 Chevrolet Nomad
Top 25
Owner: George Michel II
1956 Chevrolet 210 Sport Coupe
Top 25 & Coolest Tri-Five- Presented by Matson’s Custom Radiator
Owner/Builder: Brent Lovern
1956 Chevrolet Nomad
Top 25
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible
Top 25
Owner/Restorer: Marv Duryee
Standouts Off the Scorecard
Killer builds that didn’t crack the Top 25—but still stole the show
1957 Chevrolet 3100 “Genesis”
Builder/Owner: Chris Stafford of Stafford’s Garage
Some trucks look tough. This one is tough. Odie Hughes’ 1957 Chevrolet 3100, built by Stafford’s Garage in the middle of a Mississippi cornfield, is what happens when you take a brand-new Premier Street Rods body, drop it on a fully detailed Roadster Shop RS4 chassis, and throw subtlety out the window. It’s lifted, loud, and dripping with the kind of details that make other builders quietly mutter “well, damn.” One-off Greening Auto Company wheels and taillights? Check. Molded drip rails, radiused doors, welded seams, and a fuel filler trick enough to make a machinist grin? All here. Under the hood, a 525-horse LS3 pretends to be a big-block thanks to custom valve covers and a slick air cleaner, while the engine bay is so clean you could eat off it—though the owner would probably tackle you before you tried.
Inside, it’s pure bespoke luxury, right down to the scratch-built interior and electric running boards that vanish when the doors shut. The bed’s stained wood floor wears automotive clear, the tailgate letters are hand-brushed like they were in ’57, and every inch of trim is Cerakoted to match those killer Greening wheels. This ’57 was a Goodguys Truck of the Year Early finalist, landed in the Top 3 in SEMA’s Battle of the Builders 4×4 class, and cracked the Top 12 overall. Sharp, capable, and dripping with craftsmanship, it easily earned its spot as one of our favorites at the show.
