Rod & Custom Feature Car
Chris Morrison
Kennewick, Washington
1962 Chevrolet Bel Air
Owner contact info: brigzee@verizon.net
Chassis
The stock X-frame was retained but modified to get the Chevy as low as possible. The rear was C-notched, the shock mounts were relocated, and the center X-member was raised to clear the driveline. Air Ride Technologies tubular upper and lower A-arms and Shockwaves were used up front along with Baer 13-inch discs and a CPP power steering box. The rear suspension is made up of Air Ride Technologies tubular control arms and bags securing the stock Chevy rearend housing which is now equipped with Moser axles and 12-inch Baer discs.
Drivetrain
Chris intends to drive the bubbletop and wanted late-model reliability so he found an '02 LS1 backed by a six-speed trans and left it mostly stock with the exception of a Weiand intake, a Street & Performance air cleaner, and March Performance pulleys. Chris fabbed some custom coil covers to clean it up. Sanderson headers and Flowmaster mufflers handle the exhaust duties.
Wheels & Tires
Chris had a plan for the wheels and tires right from the start; he wanted to go big. Fitting the Intro Phantom 5 hoops took a little finesse but the 22x10.5 rears and 20x8.5 fronts fill the wheelwells while still getting the body down deep in the weeds. Pirelli P-Zero rubber (245/30ZR20 and 285/30ZR22) keeps the billet from scraping the ground.
Body & Paint
Most of the time was spent just getting the body solid again, but the door handles and emblems were removed for a custom touch. The body was then covered in PPG Willow Green over Charcoal Pearl by the owner.
Interior
The original dash was retained but fitted with a custom insert with gauges from Classic Instruments. An ididit tilt column with a Billet Specialties GTX01 wheel was added along with '97 Camaro buckets. The seats, custom door panels, and fiberglass console were covered in two-tone leather by Todd Kramer. Vintage Air A/C and a Sony sound system were installed to keep Chris and his passengers comfortable and entertained.