Rodney Rice's 1955 Chevrolet

Photo by George Barris

The Astorian at an indoor car show in Toledo, Ohio in 1965. Photo from the Phil Alloy Photo Collection.

Photo from the Phil Alloy Photo Collection.

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1955 Chevrolet restyled by the Alexander Brothers of Detroit and Fostoria Customs in Ohio for Rodney Rice of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Rodney used these two shops to realize his dream car to come true. The top was chopped and a set of canted quad headlights were installed. A new grille opening was made up front and fit with a tube grille. The rear end was heavily modified, they were extended and the top and bottom of the rear fenders reached forward from the rearward tip on the body centerline and used 1964 Oldsmobile taillights turned upside down on the lower edges. The fender tips were all shaped from sheet metal and the trunk lid was pancaked as well. The hood was peaked and shaved, the deck lid was shaved and the door handles were flushed. All the chrome moldings were removed, except the side spear. Twin antennas were installed and frenched on the left rear quarter.

The interior was installed by Holland Trim Shop in Holland, Michigan and featured custom swivel-mounted sports bucket seats covered with silver Metalflake Naugahyde stripes on the passangers' side, custom center console, door panels, and carpet. The car was fit with a hopped up tri-powered Corvette V-8 that Rodney decorated with a ton of chrome, polish, and paint.

The build was completed in 1964, and the car was shown as the Astorian.

Sold to Hus Drizake

Hus Drizake owned the Astorian in the 1970s. According to Scott Gracie, he took good care of it, before selling it back to Rodney Rice in the 1980s.

Sold to Mark Moriarity

Mark Moriarity of Mound, Minnesota bought the car in 2015.