Chryco69
Well-Known Member
While standing at the counter in the local parts store, a man came in and ordered a starter for a 454 in a Chevelle. Always nice to make car friends, even if they are not Mopar ones. I inquired about the Chevelle, in which he stated that he didn't have a Chevelle just the motor and trans that came out of one. I then told him I had a 1969 Dodge Coronet with a built 440, and exchanged info and stories.
He told me that his dad had been a big drag/street racing freak in the 60's & 70's, and had multiple fast Chevys he built throughout the years. He said his dad had passed about 2 years ago from cancer, and had left his sister and him his possessions in the will. When they were going through his house and property, he found a 454 and 4 speed in the shed his dad had held onto over the years.
He had always wanted to build a radical street car, but never got around to it. Now that he is recently retired, he decided its time. He said he had been looking on EbaY and Craigslist a lot for something to put it in, but like most all older cars and trucks they are expensive and most need restored. Hard to find a decent roller at a fair price these days, at least around here.
So this is where the conversation became even more interesting, he proceeded to ask me if I had scene the movie Two Lane Black Top? Which I responded, "Is the Pope Catholic?" He told me he loved the movie, and always wanted to build a bad *** street car like the 55 Chevy in the movie. He told me he found a short bed 2WD 1995 Chevrolet S10 on Craigslist for $600.00 that was solid and needed a motor and trans. He said he bought it and replicated it like the 55 from Two Lane Blacktop.
He said putting it together has been pretty simple due to the access of the internet. He then showed me pictures that he had on his cell phone of it. Astonished I asked to see it in person. Right in the center of the small city I live in, he led me to his house where it is located in the older district. We walked out to his detached small two car garage, where he was working on the truck. Was really neat to see, it looked just like the 55' from Two Lane Blacktop. The front end was a one piece tilt with a white homemade hood scoop, identical to the 55's. The wheels were the exact American Daisy Spoke's, he had plexiglass side windows and a 3 point roll cage. There lay the orange 454 with custom made powder coated white headers and a 4 speed.
Excited, I told him he should contact Hot Rod magazine, and that they would probably do a small article on it but he wasn't interested. He didn't even really feel comfortable about me taking pictures with my phone so I held off.
I know its not a Mopar story, but I really did think that it was a pretty sweet build. He did in fact say that he would have it out at the local car shows this summer and did want to race it at the strip if I wanted to meet up. Of course I had to recite this line in my version while smirking, "Well, ordinarily I'd jump at the opportunity, but the thing is, I'm just not in the habit of seeing the Mopar work against a two-bit piece of junk Chevy."
-Chryco69
He told me that his dad had been a big drag/street racing freak in the 60's & 70's, and had multiple fast Chevys he built throughout the years. He said his dad had passed about 2 years ago from cancer, and had left his sister and him his possessions in the will. When they were going through his house and property, he found a 454 and 4 speed in the shed his dad had held onto over the years.
He had always wanted to build a radical street car, but never got around to it. Now that he is recently retired, he decided its time. He said he had been looking on EbaY and Craigslist a lot for something to put it in, but like most all older cars and trucks they are expensive and most need restored. Hard to find a decent roller at a fair price these days, at least around here.
So this is where the conversation became even more interesting, he proceeded to ask me if I had scene the movie Two Lane Black Top? Which I responded, "Is the Pope Catholic?" He told me he loved the movie, and always wanted to build a bad *** street car like the 55 Chevy in the movie. He told me he found a short bed 2WD 1995 Chevrolet S10 on Craigslist for $600.00 that was solid and needed a motor and trans. He said he bought it and replicated it like the 55 from Two Lane Blacktop.
He said putting it together has been pretty simple due to the access of the internet. He then showed me pictures that he had on his cell phone of it. Astonished I asked to see it in person. Right in the center of the small city I live in, he led me to his house where it is located in the older district. We walked out to his detached small two car garage, where he was working on the truck. Was really neat to see, it looked just like the 55' from Two Lane Blacktop. The front end was a one piece tilt with a white homemade hood scoop, identical to the 55's. The wheels were the exact American Daisy Spoke's, he had plexiglass side windows and a 3 point roll cage. There lay the orange 454 with custom made powder coated white headers and a 4 speed.
Excited, I told him he should contact Hot Rod magazine, and that they would probably do a small article on it but he wasn't interested. He didn't even really feel comfortable about me taking pictures with my phone so I held off.
I know its not a Mopar story, but I really did think that it was a pretty sweet build. He did in fact say that he would have it out at the local car shows this summer and did want to race it at the strip if I wanted to meet up. Of course I had to recite this line in my version while smirking, "Well, ordinarily I'd jump at the opportunity, but the thing is, I'm just not in the habit of seeing the Mopar work against a two-bit piece of junk Chevy."
-Chryco69
