Phil Curry's 1957 Chevrolet

1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air originally owned and restyled by Teddy Zgrzemski. Teddy bought it in 1961, while he was working at Barris Kustoms. In 1962 he traded it to Phil Curry for a 1962 Ford Thunderbird. Photo by Pat Brollier.

Teddy bought the Chevy in 1961, after selling his 1954 Ford custom. In 2019 Teddy told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that the Chevy was a one-owner cherry Bel Air that he paid 1100 USD for. Photo from The Brad Masterson Collection.

Teddy and Steve Hill working on the Chevy. The photo, taken at Junior Conway's shop on Lakewood Blvd, captures Teddy in the driver's seat with Steve working on the front. Steve Hill's 1940 Ford can be seen in the background. As Teddy recalled, "Larry Watson was in the front building," with Paul's Kustom Interiors next door and Howard's Boats nearby. "Junior was across from Howard's, and across from Larry was Gene's Muffler Shop. It was a commercial complex. Great days!" Photo from The Steve Hill Collection.

A photo of Phil's Chevrolet next to Danny Dingillo's 1958 Chevrolet Impala. Both cars were painted at Junior's shop, and the photo was taken right after they had been painted. Photo from The Junior Conway Photo Collection.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Photo by Pat Brollier.

Terry's Chevy on the cover of Rod & Custom July 1963

These photos, taken by a friend of Terry shows the Chevrolet as it looked after the paint cracked and crazed badly. Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

Photo provided by Terry Crary.

1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air originally owned by Teddy Zgrzemski of Rockwood, Michigan. Teddy bought the car in 1961, after selling his 1954 Ford. In 2019 Teddy told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that the Chevy was a one-owner cherry Bel Air that he paid 1100 USD for.

Teddy's Car

Teddy, who in 1960 had come to California with his uncle Bill Hines, worked at Barris Kustoms when he bought the car. After buying it, the car was nosed, decked and shaved for door handles. The louvers on the front fenders were filled in before the hood was scooped. When the scoops were made, Teddy had tubing welded in with chrome bullets. At Barris Kustoms, Teddy worked as Junior Conway's helper, so he had Junior paint it Blue Candy over a White Pearl base for him. Teddy did also have Eddie Martinez do the headliner and package tray for him with the original fabric.

Traded for a Thunderbird

In 1962 Teddy traded the car to Phil Curry of Compton, California for a 1962 Ford Thunderbird. "Phil did a few more things to it because he got in an accident," Teddy told Sondre. After the accident, Junior repainted the car in the same color at his Junior's House of Color. After it was completed, Phil's iteration was featured in Rod & Custom July 1963.

Rod & Custom Cover Car

Phil's Chevy was also featured on the cover of Rod & Custom July 1963. Modifications at the time included a shaved body. The hood was molded and scooped, and the original grille bar was replaced by a 1957 Buick grille, giving the car a massive appearance. The rear end was kept untouched except for replacing the stock bumper with a 1957 Chevrolet station wagon bumper. The scoops in the hood had received pearl outlining. Underneath the hood, the engine was almost completely chromed. Eddie Martinez fit the car with a black sculptured leather tuck and roll interior. The interior was sewn into a pattern utilizing both horizontal and vertical pleats. The trunk received the same treatment, and it was fit with a full array of tools secured to the floor. Phil's Bel-Air rolled on chromed and reversed wheels with baldy caps.

Sold to Terry Crary

Early in 1964, Phil sold the car to Terry Crary of Palm Springs, California. After driving the car for about 6 months in the hot Palm Spring desert the lacquer paint cracked and crazed badly. Terry attempted to strip the paint off to get it repainted, but discovered that it had been painted twice with the Blue Candy over the White Pearl base. He took the car to his friend Walt Drews, who was working for Larry Watson at the time, to get an estimate on stripping the paint. Walt gave Terry a price he couldn't afford, so he traded the car to Larry Singletary for a 1937 Ford pick-up with all Chevy running gear. Terry lost track of the car after he traded it away.

Magazine Features

Rod & Custom July 1963
Rod & Custom June 1998