1955 Chevrolet 210

Description

High-end, showstopper resto-mod/pro streets don't turn out this cool without a lot of planning and a lot of effort. Featuring brilliant green paint, a built 350 crate small block, and a modernized interior, this California 1955 Chevrolet 210 Pro Street is the perfect cruiser to take on a cross-country jaunt this summer, and will knock 'em dead at any car show it enters.

Building a cool Shoebox is easy, but making it look unique without obnoxious alterations is a trick in itself, one that Rick Reed, the expert who built this 210 post, seems to have mastered. It was finished to a very high standard not long ago and it features an extremely smooth look and a little custom trick work, which give this '55 a subdued, one-off look that will earn both respect and admiration on the street. Bodywork is extremely well done, especially for a big car, and with that miles-deep, custom blend Alpine Green paint, the effect is both contemporary and timeless. Single-color 210s tend to be pretty rare, but nobody will argue that it doesn't give the car a more serious look, especially with a few tasteful tricks like shaved front and rear emblems, shaved antenna and moldings, the custom single spear trim down each rear flank, and smoothie Danchuk front and rear bumpers. During the nut-and-bolt restoration, all the remaining trim was replaced with brand new stainless, and the cool smoked glass is all brand new as well. The finish is spectacular, with almost no evidence of use, proving once again that there really is no downside to any Shoebox Chevy when it's put together this well. And while it was designed to be more of a sleeper, this sweet little Chevy gets its attention when you're up close and can really see the expert attention to detail.

Perfectly complimenting the sinister exterior is a basic and pin-neat, upgraded black leather interior from the pros at Westminster Auto Interiors in California; a beautiful combination that would look right at home in a much more expensive modern vehicle. The heated bucket seats up front are from Pro Car, a custom middle console splits them and houses the Hurst short-throw shifter that manages the 4-speed below, and the rear bench matches the front buckets and doesn't look like it's ever been sat in. Beautiful door panels and custom kick panels were tailored to match too, and a custom black carpet kit lines the floor with the added protection of heavy-duty mats, controlling noise and heat so it feels luxurious inside. The beautiful original dash is intact, with a Classic Industries vintage gauge cluster ahead of the driver that keeps a modern eye on the engine's vitals. Vintage A/C has been added using discreet vents and utilizes the factory control unit, and that neat-looking Con-2-R custom steering wheel rests atop a painted tilt column. There's a stereo connection hidden in the middle console that powers speakers and an amp hidden throughout the interior for a clean look and great sound. The trunk is also beautifully finished, with plush carpets and custom side and back panels, and offers plenty of room for just about any travel arrangements.

The powerful engine under the hood is a built 350 cubic inch V8 from Year One that pumps out 415HP, augmented with ported Dart Iron Vortec heads, a roller camshaft, and tri-Y headers, and the block is fed by a Holley 750CFM double pumper 4-barrel carb that is mounted atop a Pro Products Crosswind aluminum intake. All the equipment was new when the car was built and was expertly installed, so it starts instantly and idles well, yet still delivers a big-horsepower punch. Doug's longtube headers feed a custom H-pipe dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers, and things like power steering and power CPP front disc brakes were added during the build. The chassis is quite tidy and clean, with the floors protected by spray-on bedliner material, and a Muncie M-21 4-speed manual transmission combined with Gear Vendor Overdrive makes highway cruising easy. It's plenty punchy, too, with 4.11 gears in the posi-traction rear end, so you can stand on it with confidence, or cruise with ease. The stance is absolutely wicked thanks to 3-inch drop springs with block from CCP out back, and 3-inch drop spindles up front. Vintage Wheel Smith "Steelies" with custom pinstriped center caps are staggered and wrapped in 165/50/15 front and 255/70/15 rear blackwall radials for a killer look.

With a high-quality build and an A+ list of components, this '55 210 is a rod you can buy and drive with confidence and show with pleasure. There's so much more to this build than we could list in this finite space, so give us a shout if you'd like a more thorough rundown of this showstopper build. Call today!