Drawing the Dream Car of the Month is always a thrill for me because I get to reach deep down into the murkiest depths of my hot rodder psyche, pull out the craziest stuff I can imagine, then put pen to paper, and show off my crazy custom visions to all of you. I've always been a fan of Chrysler products, so when I found out that this issue would showcase '50s customs, I knew I had to come up with a really wild rendition of a Penstar product.
Some of the most popular body styles of all time were born in the mid '50s, but while the Chevy Bel Airs and Ford Victorias have fan clubs across the country, most people overlook the clean and simple lines of the '55 Plymouth. Although the Plymouth looks like a mild custom in stock form, I thought a ground-up rebuild inspired by the Hirohata Merc might be in order. There are several ways to achieve the stance shown here, including cutting coils and adding lowering blocks, but I would like to think that anyone going this far could afford to slip a brand-new Art Morrison frame under the car, complete with airbags, polished stainless independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. A built 354ci baby Hemi capped off with Hilborn fuel injector stacks converted to EFI would provide lots of power and a killer look under the hood, and a 700-R4 trans could make for pleasant highway driving.
The real work in accomplishing this vision lies in the body mods. Besides the normal nose and deck shave, this ultra custom Plymouth features a peaked hood, a stock grille fitted with '53 Chevy turn signals and custom-made big 'n' little teeth, and a 3-inch chop on the roof. The cowls around the headlights have been peaked and lengthened 3 inches, and a custom wraparound windshield was slipped between custom curved front pillars. The polished stainless side trim was lifted from a '55 Ford Victoria, and the taillights are from a '55 Lincoln. Smooth rear skirts and a plated and molded rear bumper lend a finished look to the tail. Candy apple red paint always looks great when done correctly, so I thought a two-tone candy apple and vanilla shake job would suit this custom perfectly. Wide whites and Caddy Sombrero caps finish things off.
Admittedly, this wouldn't be a cheap or easy car to build. However, jaws would certainly drop in its wake, and you can be sure that this Hemi-powered cruiser would stand out in a crowd of '55s built by the "other" brands. So what are ya waiting for? Start choppin!