“I had the utmost respect for the car,” Marty says. “The fact that it was bought new off the showroom floor by Bill’s dad, who then handed it down to Bill, then onto me after Bill’s [death], makes this car very special. With that in mind, I redid the car in honor of both of them. Although the Bel Air went through some fairly big changes, I was careful not to upset the history of it and even kept the Playboy Bunny in the clock on the passenger side dash.”

The small detail says everything. You can rewrite the horsepower, suspension geometry, and paint codes, but certain fingerprints stay—anchor points that keep the car’s history intact.

The Bel Air was already in remarkable shape, thanks to years under careful watch. For a car pushing seven decades, that’s no small feat. It meant Marty wasn’t chasing rust or unraveling past sins. Instead, he had the rare opportunity to focus forward. The transformation took just seven months, a blink in restoration time, made possible because the bones were solid.

With the heavy lifting minimized, the attention shifted to refinement. Marty leaned on friends and trusted craftsmen, including the crew at Bump & Grind Auto Body in Homer Glen, Illinois. Their job wasn’t to rescue the car, but to elevate it. They smoothed the body, tightened the lines, and created a surface worthy of something special.

That something came in the form of Spies Hecker Custom Champagne mix, laid down by Marty himself alongside William Arnold. The color walks a fine line. Without being obnoxious, it glows under the light yet still commands attention in the shade.

Underneath that refined exterior sits a chassis that has been cleaned, smoothed, and painted to match, a detail that signals intent. This isn’t a throw-together cruiser. It’s a cohesive build where every piece talks to the next.

Gone is any notion of vintage power limitations. In its place sits a Patton Motor Services–built, LS3-based 408ci engine, packing 11.2:1 compression and a rotating assembly stout enough to handle whatever Marty asks of it. A Liberty 4330 crankshaft swings alongside H-beam rods and JE flat-top pistons, while a custom Comp Cams camshaft dictates the rhythm.

Air and fuel are delivered through a custom sheetmetal intake and Holley Sniper throttle body setup, giving the engine both visual punch and modern driveability. Chevrolet 243 aluminum heads cap things off, while MSD ignition components keep the spark sharp and consistent. It’s a combination that blends reliability with attitude.

Cooling and support systems follow suit, with a Mattson aluminum radiator and fan, a Powermaster alternator, and carefully selected accessories ensuring the car runs as clean as it looks. Exhaust exits through Sanderson headers into a custom 3-inch system, finishing with Flowmaster mufflers that announce the car’s presence before it’s seen.

Backing the engine is a Chevrolet 700-R4 transmission, assembled by TRS Automotive, paired with a PTC, 3,000-stall converter. It’s a smart choice, balancing highway manners with punch off the line. Power travels through a 3-inch chromoly driveshaft to a Strange Fab9 rearend loaded with 3.73 Richmond gears and 35-spline axles. Translation: it’s built to be driven, not just admired.

Suspension upgrades bring the Bel Air firmly into modern territory. Up front, CPP tubular control arms, 2-inch drop spindles, and Viking coilovers work together to sharpen handling without sacrificing ride quality. A CPP sway bar keeps things planted, while the rear benefits from lowering springs and Viking shocks that complete the stance.