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By Brian Brennan
Photography by Chadly Johnson
Artwork by Highlander Concept Rendering

Building This ’55 Chevy Brought Back All of Those High School Dreams

By Brian Brennan
Photography by Chadly Johnson
Artwork by Highlander Concept Rendering

I

t was up to MetalWorks Speed Shop to find a solid-bodied ’55 Chevy–and they did, allowing John Wise of Indiana to build his high school vision and have his dream hot rod. His vision was to have a Pro Touring build with all the modern handling and performance but maintain the early looks of the ’55 Chevy.

The ’55 Chevy does have a distinctive look with its two-tone “darked out” appearance. The look comes from the all-black, in a satin and a gloss, finish effectively drawn up by Tavis Highlander and then executed by MetalWorks. Oh, did we mention that John is also fond of horsepower, hence the supercharged LS3 for power effectively controlled through the Art Morrison Enterprises (AME) GT Sport chassis with full independent suspension?

three quarter driver's side view of a black ’55 Chevy riding down a tree lined road

MetalWorks handled the build and, as is often the case, their customers purchase the AME chassis directly from MetalWorks. Why? They are the largest AME dealer and, as such, should you find yourself wanting an AME chassis, odds are they have already asked and have the answers for all the right questions. The chassis on this Tri-Five is an AME GT Sport with its Multi-Link IRS to accompany the supplied IFS. The IRS rear is based on a Strange Dana 60 centersection with Positraction 3.73 gears and an Inland Empire Driveline aluminum 3-inch tube driveshaft. Also found in the rear are Strange Ultra Series monotube coilover shocks.

Wheel and tire grouping is made up of Forgeline RB3C 19s in front and 20s in back. From here the rubber comes by way of Michelin Pilot Super Sport with 245/40ZR19 in front and 335/30ZR20 in the back. Additional corner appointments are made up of a Wilwood brake system that includes 14-inch drilled-and-slotted rotors and accompanying calipers. Operating the brakes is a Wilwood master cylinder and a Lokar pedal assembly.

Moving up front the AME IFS is comprised of Wilwood drop spindles, Strange Ultra Series coilover shocks, an AME sway bar, and a Detroit rack-and-pinion power steering operated by a Flaming River column.

driver's side interior view of the ’55 Chevy
the ’55 Chevy rear seating
the ’55 Chevy boot
the ’55 Chevy steering wheel and gauges
the ’55 Chevy digital radio
three quarter rear view of the the ’55 Chevy parked on a gravel road in a wooded area
Dropped between the ’rails is an LS-based Chevy V-8 from Wegner Automotive. The upgraded package now runs 427 inches with a Whipple 2.9L supercharged LS3 engine. It’s a custom handbuilt LS that’s based on a DART iron SHP (Special High Performance) Pro block that can push 1,000 hp and 900 lb-ft of torque. (More on the SHP Pro block: It features upgraded mains, cam and lifters, and is ideal for high-winding V-8s and ARP hardware.) Part of the package includes a Holley ECU, Wegner Automotive custom valve covers, and a WAK040 front accessory drive. Other components are Mahle forged pistons (9.6:1), forged I-beam rods, and a Callies Crank 4-inch stroker. You will also find the liberal use of ARP hardware throughout and a pair of ZL1 fuel pumps. The air cleaner is more handicraft by MetalWorks. A SPAL brushless electric fan assists with cooling. From here the exhaust is based on Ultimate headers with 1-7/8-inch primary tubes that then dump into a 3-inch collector linked to stainless steel 3-inch exhaust tubes working with a pair of Flowmaster 50-series mufflers. All this power is ushered rearward by a custom-built GM 4L80E with a 2,800-rpm stall converter, all provided by Automatic Transmission Design.

The interior is based in its simplicity and comfort. You will immediately recognize the stock ’55 dash with a smooth-over glovebox door. From here you will see the Dakota Digital RTX instrument package resting above the Flaming River column with a Budnik wheel. The wiring is handled by an American Autowire Highway 15 kit installed by MetalWorks that controls the Dakota Digital gauges, the Vintage Air Gen IV SureFit A/C, and all the other electrics. Jon Lind Interiors managed the upholstery and based the seating in a combination of black leather and Alcantara. (More on Alcantara: It is a suede-like material that is a synthetic textile made from a blend of polyester and polyurethane. It is durable and feels like suede with a microfiber pile and is known for its unrivalled durability.) The TMI six-way power bucket seats are upholstered in a combination of BMW Black Dakota grain (leather) and Alcantara centers. The rear bench seat is hand built and upholstered to match the front buckets. The headliner is Alcantara while the door panels and kick panels are a combination of the same BMW Black Dakota grain and Alcantara centers. The carpeting is the ubiquitous Daytona weave in black with matching mats.

the ’55 Chevy engine
a vector rendering of the ’55 Chevy
close view of a tire on the ’55 Chevy
close view of the ’55 Chevy's electronic taillight gas door open
The sheetmetal of this ’55 Chevy retains all the desired good looks with a few touches to make it even more desirable. Before the final build the sheetmetal underwent an acid dip to get off decades of accumulated road grime and prep it for the final body- and paintwork. For instance, the external fuel fill door and filler were moved and modified to look and function like a ’56 Chevy. Now an electronic taillight gas door provides access to gas filler tube. The Danchuk 3-inch-wide rear wheeltubs were added by MetalWorks to accommodate the oversized rear wheel and tire combo. Bumpers, grille, headlight trim rings, wheel centers are all Cerakote performed by Johnson Customs, LLC. As mentioned earlier, all the body- and paintwork was performed at MetalWorks.

This ’55 Chevy two-door post has all the “right” look for a modern-day hot rod coupled with the latest in today’s V-8 performance, ride, and handling.”

the ’55 Chevy engine

Modern Rodding

VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 30 • 2023
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