David Sgambellone's 1952 Chevrolet

Dave's coupe outside Gordy Brown's San Fernando shop in the mid 1960s. In this photo they were getting the car ready for a Los Angeles area car show. The 1963 Ford Thunderbird in the background was Gordy's personal ride. The chopped truck with the drop shaded pearl paint belonged to another customer. Photo courtesy of Gordy Brown.

Photo courtesy of Gordy Brown.

A photo of Dave with the Chevy after he had rebuilt it. Photo courtesy of Dave Sgambellone.

Photo courtesy of Gordy Brown.

Photo courtesy of Gordy Brown.

Photo courtesy of David Sgambellone.

1952 Chevrolet Coupe David Sgambellone.

Hydraulic Lifts by Dick & Ron

Circa 1965 David had Dick & Ron's Custom install hydraulic lifts up front on the car. In 2018 David told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that before the lifts were installed he had to have the lower A-arms Z-ed to allow room for the hydraulic cylinders, cups and springs; "This work was done by Smokey at Cohen Muffler in San Fernando, California."

Custom Paint by Gordy Brown

After Dick & Ron had installed hydraulic lifts on the car, David took it to Gordy Brown at House of Customs for a custom paint job.

Sold to Mike Davis

David sold the car to San Fernando Valley Illusions member Mike Davis. In 2015 Mike told Kustomrama that the Chevrolet was the first car he ever bought; "I was 16 and paid for it in a bar drinking a beer. I was fixing it up when it was stolen. They stripped it and left it sitting on the ground in East Los Angeles. No interior, radio, steering wheel, battery, and tires and wheels. I brought it home with 4 different size tires sitting on a milk crate and a steering wheel from a 1956 Chevrolet car. I sold it to Dave for like $25.00 bucks, He rebuilt it from the frame up doing all the work himself."