FEATURE
Images by THE AUTHORnce you experience the satisfaction that comes with driving a car that you’ve customized with pride, there is no going back—especially if you’ve been reliving the experience for 40 or more years. That is certainly a long time to be involved in this lifestyle, but for a guy like Scott Mittelsteadt from Buena Park, California, it has become second nature.
Scott’s love affair with all things automotive started way back when he was in junior high school. His group of friends were already certified gearheads before they even had their learner’s permits. This formidable exposure at school was only magnified at home for Scott since his dad was also into cool old cars. In fact, there was one vehicle that resonated enough with Scott to lead him into buying and restoring one of his own years down the line.
With the car finally in hand, Scott put his plan to restore it into motion—although he was unaware of the speed bumps that were lying just around the bend. You see, he began his project smack dab in the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown. Like a lot of other enthusiasts who were desperately trying to get their hands on essential parts and materials during that time, Scott had to be OK with waiting longer for things than before when things were “normal.”
To turn the new frame into a complete rolling chassis, upgraded Wilwood brake packages were quickly assembled. Recreating nostalgic street appeal are sets of 15×5 and 15×8 Rebel wheels that were rightfully paired with style-appropriate tires, which included a pair of Pie Crust Cheater Slicks at the rear.
Updating the 1955’s fuel system while maintaining a vintage aesthetic was important to Scott, and to help him pull off what he had in mind, Mike Chrisman at Chrisman’s Cars in Santa Ana, California, joined the project at just the right time. “We were able to utilize a vintage four-port from the 1960s by converting it to electronic,” Scott exclaims. “It was a challenge to hide all the wires to the sensors and still make it work but Mike was able to pull it off and keep everything looking clean and unassuming. He deserves a lot of credit for converting the fuel system so the car could perform reliably on the street.”
Vehicle: 1955 Chevy 210
Type: BluePrint Engines Chevy small-block
Displacement: 454 ci
Cylinder Heads: BluePrint HP8103 aluminum 220
Camshaft: 638/622 lift and 252/259 duration roller
Induction: Mooneyham 671 blower, Hilborn four-port injection converted to electric by Mike Chrisman of Chrisman Cars (Santa Ana, CA)
Cooling: Aluminum Mattson’s Custom Radiator with electric fan
Assembly: Scott Mittelsteadt
Exhaust: Anvil Speed Shop 1⅞-inch custom stainless steel headers, 3-inch stainless tubing and mufflers
Dressup: GM high-performance valve covers, Eddie Motorsports hood hinges
Fuel Tank: Stock 14-gallon tank relocated to center of frame and back 8 inches
Transmission: Richmond five-speed with McLeod twin-disc clutch
Driveshaft: Custom
Rear Axle: Ford 9-inch with Eaton diff, 4.10 gears, and 31-spline axles
Chassis: Custom 2×4-inch frame
Front Suspension: Old-school leaf in front, 1938 Ford spindles, QA1 shocks, Aluma Matic coilovers
Rear Suspension: Four-link, QA1 shocks and Aluma Matic coilovers, stabilizer bar
Brakes: Wilwood 11-inch disc brakes with four-piston calipers and master cylinder
Wheels: 15×5 and 15×8 Rebel wheels
Tires: 15×4 and 15×10 Firestone Pie Crust tires
Upholstery: Black leather by Westminster Auto Upholstery (Anaheim, CA)
Seats: 1965 Chevelle buckets
Steering: Vega steering box, stock steering column, 1953 Corvette steering wheel
Instrumentation: Classic Industries in-stock dash
Pedals: Stock/Lokar
Shifter: Long
Bodywork & Paint: Mark Mahood of Mahoods Auto Body (Anaheim, CA)
Hood: Stock modified for scoop
With most of the project completed, the last item for Scott to address was his car’s interior, which was in dire need of rejuvenation. To get that taken care of, Westminster Auto Upholstery in Anaheim recovered the rear bench and 1965 Chevelle bucket seats with supple black leather. The painted factory dash was then stuffed with instruments from Classic Industries, which Scott was able to handle on his own. A 1953 Corvette steering wheel has even made an appearance to give the confines of Scott’s 1955 a harmonious balance of clean vintage style and straightforward function.
Even though Scott’s patience was put to the test throughout the nearly three-year build process, he never lost hope—not even for a second. “I’d like to thank all who played a part in helping with this car, and to my friend Ron Reece who was there from the very beginning,” Scott says graciously. “In the end, the car turned out great and if I was given the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”