A best friend shared a cool picture with me recently. This is a photo of his father's 1953 Chevy taken in early spring 1956 in Lafayette, Indiana. Obviously a lot had already happened to this car in the few short months of it's existence including new side trim, extended quarters, different tail lights, a continental kit, a pan extending to the bumper, some accessory lighting, slight lowering in the rear, frenched antenna, bumper guards, fender skirts, Cadillac interior accessories, etc. I don't have a shot of the front, but I suspect there was a custom grille and some other goodies. Maybe you will spot some things I missed? The owner, Jim, was a young man in 1956 and I am sure he was dreaming of Cad wheel covers and wide whites and maybe even 55 Chevy eyebrows, which might come later. I heard that his Mom and Pop might not have been too happy with him when he returned home from the body shop with the fenders extended and the continental kit added! What a great time period to be able to purchase a new car off the lot and turn it into a beautiful mild custom automobile, much like what was being done by other enthusiasts all over the country during that era. Check it out and let me know what you think. I will p*** your thoughts along to Jim who I am sure will get a big kick out of them. PS: Check out the "underground" garage built into the front yard across the street with the wooden carriage doors! Click on the picture for a much better view.
"Also it's stock counterpart going by in the background..." I noticed that! I wonder if that was done on purpose or an ironic accident? Either way, it is cool to see the other car streaking by in the background!
I was just going to ask the same thing. I dig the extended quarters. They make that ****er look loooooooooooowwwwww
Belt line trim in Pontiac. Or at least teh swoop down is at the rear quater window. And the side trim is stock 53 Bel Air trim just extended t the front fender.
50mercfan, I believe the gentleman who did the modifications and paintwork to the '53 was Jim Senesac, who actually p***ed away this past year. I went with my friend to his auction and there was a lot of neat old history present in the yard. We stood in the rain and watched people pick through the stuff. Someone actually had the balls to steal a 1932 license plate off of a table and the auction guys caught onto the theft along with some other things that were disappearing, but I don't think they ever actually caught the guy(s). It is sad to watch someones collection of "stuff" get torn apart even though it is just "stuff"... I did not know Mr Senesac, but I remember people talking about him, as he did much of the hot rod, custom and cl***ic car work around the area for many years. God Speed to him...
The Jalopy Journal
