THE AUTO BUILDER
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BIG BLUE
When Ford introduced the Galaxie nameplate in 1960, the reasoning behind the new name was obvious. At the time, bigger was better, and short of GM introducing a car named the Universe, what could convey a greater sense of size than Galaxie?
Product Spotlight: BTR PLATINUM LS DUAL SPRING KIT
Alright, gearheads, if you’ve been chasing that extra performance edge for your LS engine, it’s time to step up your game. The BTR Platinum LS Dual Spring Kit – .660 Lift (SK001) from Brian Tooley Racing is the go-to upgrade when you’re running a high-lift cam and want to keep things dialed in tight. Let me tell you, this kit is more than just parts in a box—it’s the insurance policy your high-performance build demands.
Observations From the Field
Call ’em tech tips, building tips, details or whatever you like, but this is the stuff we see at events and shows while shooting features or doing shop tours, not to mention things we’ve discovered while working in our own shops. It’s like when you’re foot-cruising an event with the boys and pointing things out to each other, or when you have a stroke of genius while working on your own project.
Spotlighter
FREDDIE’S ’55
A Family Keepsake
Once a West Coast gasser, this ’55 Chevy made its way to Lebanon, Ohio, thanks to longtime Chevy enthusiast Freddie Green. That was back in 1978, when his son Jason was just four years old. Fast forward a few years, and Jason, professing to be a Chevy man since birth, took ownership of the car from his father at the age of 10.
Author
Doug Marion
Story and Photography
A Family Legacy: The Story of a ’55 Chevy Gasser
Once a West Coast gasser, this ’55 came to Lebanon, Ohio, by way of Chevy man Freddie Green. That was back in 1978. A family man, Freddie’s son Jason was then a mere lad of four. Professing today to be a Chevy man since birth, Jason acquired the ’55 from his dad at age 10. From that time on, the father and son duo saved their pennies and dimes and went to swap meets together looking for just the right parts. Talk about father and son fun!
That was back in 1978. A family man, Freddie’s son Jason was then a mere lad of four. Professing today to be a Chevy man since birth, Jason acquired the ’55 from his dad at age 10. From that time on, the father and son duo saved their pennies and dimes and went to swap meets together looking for just the right parts. Talk about father and son fun!
A Father-Son Project Begins
Seven years later, Jason, a conductor for the Norfolk Southern Railroad, decided to test his learned mechanical skills by rebuilding the entire front end and braking system himself. He then got the ’55 running and proceeded to snap the spindly rear axles, one after another. Sound familiar? As a direct result, a call went out to Jack Tekelue, a local rearend specialist. He then built a Ford 9-inch rearend, complete with 4.56:1 gears and Moser axles. Ansen Ground Grabber traction bars and station wagon five-leaf leaf springs were also installed on the ’55.
Power and Performance Upgrades
Jason then stripped the body to bare metal, prepped it and applied PPG flat black primer, code DP 90. It has been that way for several years. The powerplant is a healthy 350 small block with 2.02 heads and an Edelbrock Performer high-rise intake manifold with a Demon 650cfm carb. An MSD billet distributor fires the cylinders in conjunction with an MSD 6AL spark amplifier. Hooker competition 1-3/4-inch fenderwell headers sends the spent gasses through 2-1/2-inch diameter exhaust pipes, mounted under the doors to Dynamax bullet-type race mufflers with turndowns. A GM-steel flywheel rotates a Centerforce clutch assembly. Bolted to the bell housing is a stout Muncie four-speed built at Liberty Gears. It is actuated by a Hurst Competition Plus short-throw shifter.
Classic Styling and Interior Touches
The black vinyl tuck-and-roll interior was done at the famous Dixon Auto Trim in Lebanon. Interior extras include a Sun tachometer, Stewart-Warner gauges and a Cal Custom steering wheel. Cragar 4×15 front S/S wheels rotate 6.70-15 Firestone tires, and 8×15 S/S wheels rotate 8.20-15 Radar slicks in the rear.
A Tribute to a Beloved Father
When Jason was 27, his father, Freddie, suddenly passed away. As an everlasting remembrance to him, Milford, Ohio’s Josh Shaw lettered the ’55 just like you see it here. Over the years, Jason has also owned a ’57 Chevy wagon, ’62 Biscayne, ’66 El Camino and a ’31 Chevy rat rod pickup, but none as important as this ’55; it’s a family keepsake. Jason enjoys working with his wife, Angie, and their son Logan (who, ironically, is 4-years-old) to continue with this gasser-of-old, having great fun in the process. They earned a Doug Marion Editor’s Choice award at the 2005 Ohio Open Run event, and we thought you’d like this ’55 as much as we did.
