Slide 1

Boy meets Chevy, boy works on Chevy for 7 years, boy gets award-winning Chevy. It’s a story we hear all the time. OK, not really—but that is how the story of Ed Williams and his gorgeous ’55 Bel Air played out. Ed bought the car with intentions of doing rehabbing it into a decent daily driver. Once he dug into the innards and found out how rotted it really was, Ed decided an all-out build was in order. Other than engine machining and upholstery, he did all of the work in his home garage. Ed even took the time to learn bodywork and paint; he got his schooling from Marvin Tinbrink, a bodyman with a great reputation around Ed’s hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan. All that work and learnin’ paid off handsomely. Ed has a killer custom Bel Air—and a shiny trophy from the 2007 Detroit AutoRama to prove it.

Slide 2

As a longtime rodder, Ed made sure the Bel Air had plenty of go-fast under the hood. He started with a .030” overbored Chevy 400 block, added a Scat  4" stroker crank, JE Ultralite forged pistons, and 5.78” Manley connecting rods to create 434 cubic inches. He stuck in a wicked .609”/.596” lift Comp Cams solid roller camshaft too. A Momar electronic fuel injection system with Weber-style billet aluminum throttle bodies sits between a pair of CNC-ported AFR aluminum cylinder heads. Other bits include Crane shaft rocker arms, ceramic-coated Hooker Super Competition headers, an MSD spark box, and a Billet Specialties accessory drive. What isn’t plated, polished, or coated was painted Tangerine Pearl to match the car’s paint scheme.

Slide 3

Hard to believe, but the ’55 started as a rusted, dented mess. Ed had to replace virtually every piece of sheetmetal from the firewall back—only the roof, doors, and trunk lid are original to the car. While he was working on the body, Ed was also figuring out what color was gonna cover it. Fortunately, he works at an auto paint supply store, so he had access to the mad paint scientist lab in the back. The top color is PPG Copper, the bottom is a very custom color based on PPG’s 2003 Lamborghini Tangerine Pearl. To get that Tangerine to really pop, Ed turned the pearl way up—and then added some more.

Slide 4

The Bel Air’s underside received almost as much attention as the topside did. The stock frame was boxed, smoothed, and powdercoated, with extra cross-bracing added to improve frame rigidity. The rear was tubbed 2 1/2” and the springs were moved inboard to gain clearance for the rear wheels and tires. The rear axle is a 10-bolt from a Chevy S-10 ZR2 truck (narrowed 4”) with Moser axles and 3.73 gears in an Eaton posi differential. Up front are Heidt’s 2” drop spindles with factory lower and tubular upper A-arms. Brakes are Baer discs all around; the wheels are 17” Boyd Coddingtion New Waves on Goodyear Eagle radials.

Slide 5

Ed’s wife Kathy picked out the tan leather upholstery and had Mike Smith do up the seats in a modern version of the classic tuck and roll. The dash is home to a set of Auto Meter Ultra-Lite gauges, billet vents for the Vintage Air A/C system, and modified control switches. A Billet Specialties steering wheel sits atop a chrome plated Ididit steering column, and Ed clicks off the shifts with a B&M Hardcore Street Bandit shifter attached to a modified GM 700-R4 automatic.

Slide 6

Michael Olney airbrushed flame graphics inside the Bel Air trim spears; he also airbrushed Chevy “crossed flags” emblems, designed by Ed, on the lower front fenders and inside the trunk lid. Touches like this is what earns those second glances by the judges.