June 30, 2005
Enjoying Your First Car Again - A 55 Chevy Story
Many of us remember our first car with fond memories. It’s hard to forget heading out to hamburger joint, Friday night football and Saturday nights at the movies. The automobile often represented our initial independence and break from the ties of the family. That’s why we all have a warm spot for our first car, no matter what it was.
Bill Rucker’s first car was a ’55 Chevy. He grew up between Fort Worth and Dallas Texas and he put plenty of miles on his Chevy during his high school years.
Bill decided to build the car that he would have loved to have back in High School. So he kept an eye out for a deal on a ‘55 and found it, albeit with hail damage.
Besides the hail damage, the car was sanitary without rust or mechanical issues. So the decision was made to focus on body work, interior, power train and braking.
Rucker Performance began working on the body and chassis upgrades while Bill focused on the new 300HP mill.
Bill dropped in a 427 big block with roller cam, Hooker headers, Holley 750 and NOS. To handle the horsepower a Phoenix transmission Turbo 400 with a 2800 rpm stall speed converter was bolted up.
The brakes were upgraded and a 12 bolt posi-track Chevy rear end was installed. After the upholstery was buttoned Rucker Performance blew on silver metal flake.
The ’55 not only looks fine, it will scream down the quarter mile in 12.40’s.