Coming from a drag racing background, they went to Strange Engineering for a number of parts. A Strange Ford 9-inch rearend with 3.70:1 gears, Truetrac differential, and 35-spline axles hang via a four-link and Panhard bar setup. Strange single-adjustable coilovers sit at all four corners, as do four-piston caliper Baer brakes fed by a Remaster master cylinder. Eric found Bogart Racing D-5 wheels perfectly fit the look he was after with 17×4.5s on the front and 15x10s on the rear, all wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber (26x6R17 Sportsman S/R front, 295/55R15 ET Street S/S rear).

Eric chose a 376ci LS3 from BluePrint Engines, making a healthy 530 hp and 508 lb-ft of torque. To keep things tidy in the engine bay, he went with a Holley mid-mount setup for the accessories and a PRC aluminum radiator and core support. The Church Boys Racing by Stainless Works headers with 1.75-inch primaries and 3-inch collectors, dump into stainless 2.5-inch Dave Favor’s Performance Exhaust and MagnaFlow mufflers. A GM 4L80E outfitted with a TransGo valvebody kit from Wathen’s Transmission in Owensboro, Kentucky, receives the power through an FTI billet converter before transferring it to a Driveline Plus driveshaft.

With the chassis now in roller form, Eric delivered the car to Reisinger Custom Rebuilding to give the body some attention. He installed new floors, hung new fenders, and got the body ready for paint before sending the ’55 back to the Meads. Realizing the timetable was stretching and that his standards were higher than his skills allowed, Eric started looking for a reputable shop to finish the build. On a trip to the Tri-Five Nationals in 2021, they met Andy and Amanda Meadows of Andy’s Hot Rod Shop in Mulkeytown, Illinois, and knew they found their shop.

After discussing what was left to do, Andy promised the Meads that if they entrusted him to finish the ’55, it would not only be at the 2022 event but would also be featured in his booth. Andy’s Hot Rod Shop received the car essentially as a rolling shell with all the parts to finish it. Andy and his crew had their work cut out for them, but he’s no stranger to Tri-Fives as he has one of his own.

Andy attacked the wiring first, using an American Autowire chassis harness to talk to the E38 Engine PCM. Next was finishing the bodywork to ready the car for paint. Andy’s go-to painter didn’t have room in the time frame Andy needed to finish the car, so he bribed a primarily Mopar guy to paint a Chevy. Luckily, James Smith, of Road Runner Restorations in Johnston City, Illinois, didn’t paint it Plum Crazy Purple! Instead, it was Sateen Silver and white.

When it returned from paint, Andy and crew got back to work installing the Auto City Glass and many Danchuk parts to the exterior before it was shipped off to Holtsclaw Custom Upholstery in Francisco, Indiana, to install the Cars Inc. black carpet and black-and-white vinyl Delray interior. Upon its second return, the race was on for Andy’s Hot Rod Shop to button up the build before the Tri-Five Nats. An Eddie Motorsports steering wheel was affixed to the Summit Racing steering column and a Dakota Digital VHX gauge panel resides behind. The last step was to charge the Vintage Air system for those hot August dates for the Tri-Five Nats.

Eric says the most memorable experience through the entire process was hearing Earl’s ’55 fire up for the first time in nearly 50 years at Andy’s shop on July 2, 2022. There were still details to be completed, so Andy sent them home and told him he would see them (as promised) at their trailer in the vendor area in Bowling Green a month later. True to their word, Andy’s Hot Rod Shop had Grandpa Earl’s ’55 sitting there front and center when the Meads arrived.

It was an emotional reunion for Eric and Steve to be able to hop in and drive Earl’s old Chevy around. They are so grateful to Andy, Amanda, and the crew back in Mulkeytown. Eric wanted to find a shop to get the car done so he and his father could enjoy the car longer. He never thought he would make new friends out of the deal. Now the Meads are racking up the miles, going to shows, and loving every minute. We’re sure Earl is proud of the legacy he left behind.