Bruce Schwartz' 1958 Chevrolet

The Chevy as it appeared with its stock paint. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

The Bel Air as it appeared after Joe Andersen had painted it pearl ice blue. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

Joe's Bel Air in front of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop at Florence Avenue. By now Joe and Bruce have added candy blue paneling and pinstriping to the car. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

Jim Andersen and Joe Andersen next to the Bel Air. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

The Bel Air after it had been fit with an Oldsmobile grille.

A later, lower, version of the Bel Air in front of a redone version of Joe's Florence Avenue shop in Los Angeles. Bruce lived in the building that the car is parked in front of. while working for Joe. Photo from Colors by Joe Andersen

The Bel Air at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1964. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

The Bel Air as it appeared after it had been painted pearl blue with a candy blue Metalflake top by Joe. This was the last paint job before Bruce sold the car to Jack Shishido. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

The Bel Air in front of Joe's Gardena shop. Photo provided by Bruce Schwartz.

1958 Chevrolet Bel Air owned by Embers member Bruce Schwartz of Los Angeles, California. Bruce bought the car as a stocker in 1959. It was silver blue and powered by an inline 6 when he got it. Bruce used to race the car at Lions, and the Bel Air was actually Bruce's introduction to drag racing. About the same time as he bought the car, Bruce met Joe Andersen of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop. Bruce was impressed by Joe's paint jobs, and went to work for Joe at his shop. Bruce's first Andersen paint job on the Bel Air was Pearl Ice Blue. Before painting the car, the door handles were shaved, and dual spotlights were installed. Electric hidden buttons were used to operate the shaved doors.

Not too long after the car was painted Pearl Ice Blue, Bruce and Joe added candy blue paneling and pinstriping to the car. This version was shaved for emblems as well. As time went by the car was further restyled by changing the taillights, replacing the stock grille with a 1960 Oldsmobile grille and lowering the car. Inside, it was fit with a custom made white tuck and roll upholstery. A matching upholstery was installed in the trunk as well. As a bonus for his effort at the shop, Joe bought Bruce a set of chromed wheels.

By 1964 Bruce's Bel Air had received another paint job by Joe Andersen. The car was now blue with pinstriped panels and some darker blue fadeaway paint. As time went by, Bruce became more interested in drag racing and went to work as a crewman on a fuel dragster. Other crew positions on other dragsters followed, and he lost interest in the show car scene. He sold his Bel Air to a guy named Jack Shishido of Gardena, California, and eventually lost track of the car. When Bruce sold the car it had received yet another Andersen paint job, and it was painted pearl blue with a candy blue metalflake top when Jack bought it. This version did also have dual frenched in antennas.