John's '55 Chevy Convertible

Looking at the beautiful ’55 Chevy convertible on our catalog cover, you might make a couple assumptions. First, you might think that John Vecchio started this project with a nice car, or at least a solid body. Then, you might assume that he hired the work out to a professional shop in order to end up with a car this nice. Well, you’d be wrong on both counts. This car started out with a body so rough that John was afraid to even open the door for fear it would all cave in on itself. And all the work was done by John, with a little help from his friends and family, over the course of the three-and-a-half-year build.

John has a long history with ’55 Chevys. The sedan that he drove in high school is still sitting in his garage, and it’s tricked out with all the 70’s necessities like a hot small block, diamond-pleated interior, and Cragars. So, when it came time to pick a build style for his convertible, he was ready to fast-forward a few decades. The engine in this one is an LS3, backed by a 4L80E. The suspension features some modern touches with disc brakes, coilovers, and a power steering upgrade, all from Speedway Motors.

You might make one last false assumption about John and his ’55. After all of that work and a result this nice, this might look like a car that will live its life in the garage or on a trailer. Instead, we’re happy to report that John built this car to drive. He has plans to hit the road to some regional shows this summer, then keep racking up the miles after that. A happy ending for a car that many people would have left to rot.