By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
The 1955 Chevy holds iconic status for so many reasons, boasting striking aesthetics with clean lines and classic chrome accents, a distinctive front grille offering a sporty appearance, drawing the attention of consumers. But it wasn’t just the look—the car marked the introduction of Chevrolet’s first small-block V-8 appearing underhood. The 265ci engine was a powerhouse at the time and set the foundation for Chevy’s long-standing reputation for delivering reliable horsepower in affordable vehicles.
Today, that design and performance make the 1955 Chevy a harvestable piece for customizers and hot rodders looking to infuse their own style and options to this timeless-looking hot rod. High accolades for sure, but what got Ted Stoneburner hooked on the car was seeing Bob Falfa’s souped-up 1955 on the big screen in the 1973 film American Graffiti. “I was a young, impressionable high school teen at the time, and that car, along with Harrison Ford’s character as a cocky street racer, just resonated with me and I’ve wanted one ever since,” Ted recalls.
Though it took years, Ted finally found his dream car in 2005 through an eBay listing. It was advertised as a California car that was living in Nevada, so all indications pointed to it being a rust-free example, which Ted reports it pretty much was. Hailing from Wethersfield, Connecticut, Ted is more than familiar with the havoc East Coast winters can inflict on classic cars, so finding a survivor from the West Coast was like a diamond in the rough.
Once the Chevy arrived, it lived up to the description: minimal rust, and it came with a 327, 700-R4 transmission, and “peg-leg” 12-bolt rearend. “I drove the car like that for a while,” Ted says. “It didn’t have enough power to spin the tire, but the lack of strength wasn’t a problem as I was about to change everything in the car by way of a full frame-off restoration along with a suspension and powertrain upgrade.”
Ted took the car over to Bill White’s shop in Southington, Connecticut, and the two got busy building up the scrap pile by replacing basically everything underneath and under the hood. The anemic 327 was swapped out in favor of a 407ci Dart small-block built by Phil Molski at PMR Performance in Berlin, Connecticut. Molski also did the machining prior to stuffing in 8.71 slugs, steel Eagle crankshaft, and Eagle rods. A Comp Cams solid roller orchestrates the valve timing, and AFR 215 heads provide excellent airflow. The crowning touch is the original 1960’s Hilborn injector hat atop a 6-71 blower from the Blower Shop perched on a TBS intake manifold. The polished hardware also features Moon valve covers to complete the 1960s vibe.
Custom 1 7/8-inch tube headers with 3½-inch collectors feed to a custom 3-inch aluminum exhaust and Superflow 44 mufflers. Ted occasionally delegates the NOWEEDS electric exhaust cutouts to allow the 540hp small-block to announce its presence with authority.
Delivering power to the rear wheels is a TREMEC TKO 600 five-speed transmission beefed up by Forte’s Parts Connection in Framingham, Massachusetts, and is backed up by a RAM twin-disc clutch. A Detroit Locker along with 4.11 gears and 35-spline Dutchman axles reside in a Strange Engineering 9-inch housing. The proven combination propels the hard-launching Chevy without breaking a sweat.
A Fatman Fabrications front subframe is mated to an Art Morrison Enterprises GT Sport four-bar rear suspension system. Bill White put his mad welding and fabrication skills to work and performed subtle frame modifications to tie all together. Strange coilover shocks ride on all four corners while up front is an AME rack-and-pinion steering system. A PBS Bosch Hydro-Boost brake system activates the Wilwood binders for smooth and effective transition from speed modulated by the Clayton Machine Works brake pedal. The Raceline one-off custom wheels adhere to the Chevy’s classic style while the Goodyear Eagle rubber offers excellent road-gripping performance.
The interior boasts a seductive backdrop featuring gray leather seats and door panels along with gray loop carpet accented with a host of aftermarket gauges to monitor operations while complying with the classic Chevy tone. Rich Perez at R.P. Interiors (Horseheads, New York) is responsible for the custom installation work and keeping the Chevy true to its vintage roots. The factory dash was treated to a Boese Engineering insert populated with Auto Meter Vintage Series gauges. The signed Don Garlits Dixco tach strapped to the Ididit steering column takes us back to the early 1960s drag racing scene, while the original 1960s Lakewood bolt-in rollcage keeps us there. Korek Designs in New Berlin, Pennsylvania, color matched it to the car’s exterior hue prior to installation.
Speaking of the exterior, the Korek crew smoothed the sheetmetal and gaped the gaps prior to laying down the captivating two-tone mix of PPG Brandywine and Pure Black, which pays homage to the car’s vintage spirit while utilizing a more modern color scheme. In another old-school move, Korek cut the factory hood to make room for the Hilborn injector hat—it’s a time-honored exercise designed for form and function. Further custom touches include a one-off aluminum tube grille, shaved driprails, removed door and trunk locks, one-piece custom front bumper, and a modified 1955 Nomad bumper out back. Bar Plating in Meriden, Connecticut, meticulously brought the chrome bits back to a showroom shine.
“Doing a frame-off restoration was a lot more work and money than I had bargained for, but with the help of my friend Bill White, we got it done,” Ted says. “Yeah, it took nearly seven years, but it’s the car I’ve wanted since my high school days. It came out exactly how I wanted—sleek, low, and fast. On top of that it looks absolutely awesome.”
“The car has brought along some great memories—from spending the day with my kids at car shows, to letting them have a chance behind the wheel was priceless. It’s a car I still enjoy today, and if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Ted’s 1955 Chevy is nothing short of spectacular. It’s full of swagger, old-school flair, and a whole lot of horsepower—a car that even Bob Falfa would be proud to drive.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Ted Stoneburner, Wethersfield, Connecticut
Vehicle: 1955 Chevy 150
Engine
Type: Dart block
Machining: Phil Molski PMR Racing (Berlin, CT)
Assembly: PMR Racing
Tuning: Paul Albino at Total Induction Tuning (South Windsor, CT)
Displacement: 407 ci
Compression Ratio: 8.7:1
Bore: 4.156
Stroke: 3.57
Cylinder Heads: AFR
Rotating Assembly: Eagle crankshaft, Eagle H-beam rods, JE Pistons
Camshaft: Comp Cams hydraulic roller
Induction: The Blower Shop polished 6-71 blower (4 pounds boost), original Hilborn injection hat, TBS intake manifold
Fuel Injection: Dan Fodge Injection
Exhaust: Custom 1 7/8-inch headers, 3-inch aluminized exhaust by Billy White, Superflow 44 mufflers
Valve Covers: Moon with M/T faux breathers
Accessory Drive: Street & Performance SBC blower serpentine system
Ancillaries: PRC aluminum radiator, Corvette reverse-flow water pump, Spal dual electric fans, Big Stuff 3, MSD 6 AL box, Rock Valley 19-gallon fuel tank
Output: 540 rwhp at 5,500 rpm, 529 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm
Drivetrain
Transmission: TREMEC TKO 600 five-speed by Forte’s Parts Connection (Framingham, MA)
Clutch: Ram
Shifter: M/T
Driveshaft: FleetPride 3-inch
Rear Axle: Strange 9-inch housing, 4.11 gears, Detroit locker, Dutchman 35-spline axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: Fatman Fabrications subframe, Strange coilover shocks, AME rack-and-pinion steering
Rear Suspension: Art Morrison GT Sport four-bar, Strange coilover shocks
Brakes: Wilwood 12-inch rotors, six-piston calipers front, Wilwood 11-inch rotors, four-piston calipers rear, PBS Bosch Hydro-Boost brake assist
Frame Mods: Welded and fabrication by Bill White
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Raceline one-off custom 18×7 front, 20×10 rear
Tires: Goodyear Eagle 225/40R18 front, 305/35R20 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Gray leather
Door Panels: Custom
Carpet: Gray loop
Installation: R.P. Interiors (Horseheads, NY)
Seats: Custom bench
Seat Belts: Juliano’s three-point
Steering: Ididit column
Shifter: M/T
Pedals: Clayton Machine Works
Dash: Stock with Boese insert
Instrumentation: Auto Meter Vintage Series, Don Garlits Dixco Tach
Wiring: American Autowire by Paul Albino
Sound System: Secret Audio, JBL speakers installed by Paul Albino
Exterior
Bodywork & Paint: Korek Designs (New Berlin, PA)
Painter: Ryan Korek
Paint: PPG Brandywine and Pure Black
Hood: Factory, modified by Korek Designs
Grille: Custom aluminum by Korek Designs
Front Bumper: Custom
Rear Bumper: 1955 Chevy Nomad modified
Headlights: LED
Plating: Bar Plating (Meriden, CT)
