Hillbilly Wes's 1950 Chevrolet

Returning from the 2002 Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, Hillbilly Wes and cousin Sheila knew a hot rod was in their future. After looking at a lot of really rusted east coast cars, Wes finally found a potential project in the Hemmings Motor News: a 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe. The old beater was located at Limerick Classic Cars. Sitting only 1/4mile from the Limerick nuclear power plant, Wes knew this had to be a hot one.

Wes and Sheila went over to check it out the same morning. They found the car sitting under a tree with a cover on it. They were told about the history of the car being found in Colorado and that it had been hotrodded by the previous owner. He had louvered the hood and dropped a 401 nail head in it. Wes pulled off the cover and got his first look. That was it for him, even though the interior was rotting enough to gag ya when doors were open, and the installation of the engine was rough at best. He knew he wanted this piece real bad. Wes went up and talked to the owner and made a deal, 2500.00 including delivery that day. Wes followed the delivery truck home, helped him unload it at the garage and that's how it all started.

Wes and Sheila really intended to just clean the chevy up and drive it the way it was. But once it got inside the garage the project took on a life of its own. Wes has loved hotroddin as long as he can remember. After getting out of High School he started building street racing beaters. He continued racing in NHRA Modified and Comp Eliminator through the 70's. Wes' team was a member of the UDRA Pro Gasser circuit. He drove the car in the North East Division and national event competition. After his retirement from driving, Wes went on to be a crew member and crew chief on alcohol funny car teams. So as you can imagine, The Fleetline is Wes' latest manifestation to the incurable hot rod disease.

The whole build was done in Wes' own barn, except the windshield, sand blasting, bodywork, pinstripes and paint. He completely did this project with help from other club members. From pushing it in to the garage the first day, to jackin it up and completely disassembling it. The body and frame were stripped down, before Wes chopped the roof 3.5 inches. Major modifications were done to fit the truck and rear body back together. Wes gotta give credit to one of the best customizers in his area Bill Hirth. Bill is a super person and was Wes' mentor for the chop.

Wes got the idea for the fins at a road agents show 5 years ago. "This guy I think he was from the indy road rockets had a pink business coupe, with some fins. They looked like some part of a 1965 caddy." After the project got started Wes ran across a caddy junk yard called Bobbys Caddy Parts. "Ya know , cars sittin around chicken coupes about 1/2 submerged, what a great place. So I went over with saws and extension cords and cutem off. It took about 6 times of weldin on and knockin off till the position was right." The old suspension was modified with Air Ride all the way around. Fatman in front, air ride tech 4 link in rear. The frame was cut and notched, before the body was channeled over it.

Ruggerios Auto Body painted the blue primer. The scallops were done by Senor' , a great friend of Wes, and also a fellow member of the Magnetos. Senor' and Wes went in with a couple of six packs and didn't return before the cars was taped and masked ready for paint. Then Lumpy came over and laid the color. A couple days later the resident pinstriper finished them off.

It took 3 years and 1 month from start, to driving this wild creation down the road. The engine was fired up the night before the Magnetos car show 10th of June 2005. Wes is still working on some modifications and changes, but this summer has been one of the greatest one for Wes so far. Wes has made his dream come true. "The feeling after creating something like this is very satisfying. You know winnin trophies is not why I built it , I built it to run the road, it is great to be flyin down the road in the middle of the night , pipes a purrin, your gal sittin by your side and when you get to the show, meetin the best kind of people in world, hot rodders. People that talk cars and music." During the summer, this bad bomb was honored as Best Kustom at the Pirate Kustom Picnic, best Home Buillt Kustom at the Hotrod Hoedown, and Badest Bomb and Best Custom at the Mob Town Grease Ball . Hats off to Wes.