ALL THE WAY
May 23, 2023
THE AUTO BUILDER
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Cornering Camaro
Chris German knows his way around a Camaro. He currently owns two—the car you see here and a ’69 Pace Car. He’s owned six more of them in the past, and he’s built 10 of them at American Muscle, his shop in Cleveland, Tennessee. When he came across this car, it was in great shape. It had been the focus of a restoration about 20 years ago, and German says he probably could have started and driven the car with almost no effort at all. But the Camaro wasn’t the way he wanted it. He wasn’t after a restoration or a drag-style car. His Camaro would have to be able to handle the corners well, and he wanted to be able to autocross it at Goodguys shows, and autocross it well.
BLOWN AWAY
In 1994, Denny and Dawn Johns picked up a ’55 Chevy two-door sedan. Along with Dale Johns, the couple runs Van Buren, Arkansas’ D&D Specialty Cars (479/414-2654), so it was no huge deal to think they would quickly rebuild the ’55 into something very special; after all, they had sold the car and its rebuild to Ed Johns, Denny’s father.
But about a year later, a major tornado tore through Van Buren, and along with most everything else, it left the ’55 demolished from bumper to bumper. Since the car wasn’t the only thing destroyed in the tornado’s path, it took a back seat as the Johns family rebuilt their homes and their business. Then in 2003, Ed sold the ’55 back to Denny and Dawn, and the couple decided to rebuild the car for themselves. Apparently the original plan was to build a nice driver, but once under way, Denny says, “We couldn’t find a good stopping point.” So they didn’t—stop, that is—until three years later.
DRIVING A DREAM
It’s often said that perception is reality, and yet our perception varies greatly depending on our vantage point. As children, our hopes and dreams often seem so far off, almost beyond reach. As parents, it seems as if our children and the dreams we have for them come overnight, passing as if in fast-forward, and yet there is middle ground.
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.
