1955 Chevy 2dr Sedan Delray
Back in 1977 I traded my 1973 Pinto squire wagon with a blown engine even for my first classic Chevy. The previous owner drove the 55 to my parent’s house and towed the Ford. My 55 Chevy spent the next 6 years in the back yard while I went off to college and started my career.
In 1980 I decided to drive my classic to my first Classic Chevy convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. My average judging score was 239 points out of 1,000. Looking back on this event, I was crazy to ever attempt to drive it out of state. I had only one bucket seat attached with 2 bolts, multicolor shag carpet covered the front only, and multiple color primer. I remember coming back to the hotel from the racetrack and the headlights went out every time I hit a bump in the road. I also remember a terrible storm came through Cherry Hill with high winds. Many beautiful Classics were pelted with small rocks from the roofs and ruined many classics.
In 1983 I decided it needed to be painted before it really starts to rust. I was using cheap spray cans of primer to cover the rough spots. I started by having MAACO do some bodywork and paint, installed a Cidella interior package, and began having some fun driving it. The drive train started with a 327 then a street 350 with Muncie 4-speed. In 1997 I discovered my engine had a cracked block. I took this opportunity to go ahead and build a stock 350 engine with an aluminum intake and 600 cfm carb. My wife and I were now into some serious cruising with our new club and the 71 Mustang bucket seats were very uncomfortable for weekend cruises. I purchased a stock seat and had it recovered to match the interior. I also went ahead and switched to a turbo 350 automatic so my wife could drive it if necessary. With the drivetrain out and the front clip removed I decided to rebuild the front suspension and detail the engine compartment. I upgraded to a direct drive 2 speed wipers and rewired the entire car. Every electrical accessory is now wired through a fuse panel which is now located in my glove box. After 25 years I have a gas gauge that works.
We have driven our classic to conventions in Baltimore, MD, Atlantic City, MD, Virginia Beach, VA, Buffalo NY, Columbus, OH and Cromwell, CN. We have won a few awards over the years but we know that it really is just a weekend cruiser. If I really wanted to go for a trophy I can always enter my 57 truck. The real reason to own a classic is to just drive it and appreciate the thumbs up while cruising on the highway.
