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Some of the almost-imperceptible mods can be seen in the rendering. The side trim has been raised, the door handles have been shaved, the grille is custom-built, and the list goes on and on.
The American dream is one of those things that everybody is chasing, and fortunately, we’re not all chasing the same one. It’s a good thing that most everyone wants different things out of life, and since there are many different ways for each of us to get what you want, we aren’t in each other’s way. When it comes to the car hobby, while many might think that the choices are limited, it’s what you do after you make your choice that counts.
Although it would have been easier to start with a reproduction body, Kim is a firm believer in saving an original classic.
Let’s take for instance the 1957 Chevy. The car is a staple at any car show, and unless you are looking at a restored gem, the personal tastes of the car owner are truly what sets each car apart. You can look at a row of restomodded cars, and no matter how hard you try, no two will be built exactly the same. The Art Morrison chassis delivers 3 to 4 inches of lowered ride height, a double A-arm with increased positive caster adjustability, adjustable coilovers and sway bar, and rack-and-pinion steering. The rear suspension uses a triangulated four-bar with coilovers, and an adjustable sway bar.
Most of the body work has been completed. If we hadn’t told you, would you realize that the side trim has been raised 2 inches?
If by taking a look at the car as it rolled into North Port Auto Body in North Port, Florida, you got the feeling that the body was almost beyond repair, you would be correct. According to Russ Crump, owner of the shop, “It would have been easier and less expensive to start with a newly-stamped body.” While that is a true statement, according to car owner Kim March, saving an original classic was the only way to go, “When deciding on how to build this car, I wanted it to be the real thing, not a duplicate. I guess it is all in my mind, but it makes me feel good, and isn’t that what our cars all about”?
The smooth firewall and dash are just a few of the time-consuming modifications that are being perpetrated to the classic Chevy.
We decided to take a trip to North Port, and see just how this project was progressing, and when we walked into the shop, the progress was immediately apparent – so was the amount of work remaining. What the following images do not show, is that in order to get the body to this point, the craftsmen at North Port had to replace both quarter-panels, one fender, the floor, reconstruct a new firewall, and spend countless hours fabricating brackets, mounting locations, and basically rebuilding the body.
When was the last time you saw a radiator in a Tri-Five that was a mere 8 inches tall? The custom radiator was built by Mattson's Custom Radiator, so that the radiator support could be modified and lowered, making the March Performance accessories easily visible.
The LS7 features a March serpentine kit with with a billet alternator and P/S pump, as well as a low-mounted A/C compressor, and billet valve covers and air cleaner.
The Morrison chassis is built using 2×4 tubing, adds modern suspension geometry, and a lowered ride height. Overall, it sounds like a true upgrade. But add in that the chassis works with any engine and transmission, and it’s a no-brainer. To summarize, the front suspension consists of a double A-arm configuration, while the rearend is supported by a triangulated four-bar suspension.
The car will be powered by an LS7 engine, and since Kim is the proprietor of March Performance, will be outfitted with March Performance accessories, making this new-age small-block look like a true gem under the hood. Behind the engine will be a TCI automatic transmission.
Like we said, the car does have a long way to go, but Kim and Russ are planning to have the car ready for the 2016 SEMA show in Las Vegas, and we plan to follow along with the build, and show you guys how things are progressing. Stay tuned to see the progress of the soon-to-be show-winning Tri-Five Chevy.
