’57 Chevy: The Red Bella

A series of fortunate events leads to the restoration of this ’57 210.

Owners: Mac & Beverly Durastanti, Greenville, MS

While reading a local newspaper in July 2005, my wife noticed a ’57 Chevy for sale. She mentioned it to me, asking if I thought her brother Bobby might be interested in it for parts. I decided to go and take a look. What could it hurt?

The car was sitting in a rural area about thirty minutes north of our home. It had been sitting, all but forgotten, among the rice fields. I found a rodent-infested 210 with rotted tires, rusted rims, no carburetor, and a trailer hitch that was attached to a frame made of heavy-duty iron. The color was an awful faded shade of red.



Over the years I had entertained the idea of owning a Tri-5. One might think that at my age I would have given more thought to the difference between an idea and an unattainable dream. Restoring a car was certainly a subject I knew nothing about. I bought the car and with the help of a friend, I hauled my prize home. The look on my wife’s face once she saw what was pulling up in the yard illustrated her lack of being able to see the “prize.” She asked, “What are you going to do with it?” When I answered, “restore it”, she laughed and made me promise not to park it in the drive.

By late fall the car was running and I took it to a local body shop in Greenville. The owner of the shop is an old car enthusiast and does great work. He took one look at my Chevy and told me she was “too far gone.” What did he know that I didn’t know? What was it that I saw in her that no one else could see? This car sat waiting for rescue by someone who was willing to go that extra mile.

In the winter of 2006, I took the car to Lee’s Custom Auto and Repair in our hometown of Leland, MS. I had known the owner, Lee Sullivan for years. He too was a lover of old cars and enjoyed seeing the “before and after” of a restoration job. After much thought, he agreed to take on the massive restoration project.

In late July of ’06, Lee asked what he was to do with the frame, motor and other parts of the car. Beverly decided that it was time to ask her big brother Bobby Dye for help. After all, if she hadn’t thought he might be interested in the car for salvage parts in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this current dilemma. As it turned out, Bobby was familiar with the car and had even offered the owner $500 a while back when it was still being driven.

After many tears of frustration from Beverly, Bobby came to the rescue agreeing to do all of the frame restoration and other mechanical work on the vehicle. What relief!

He completed the task in exactly seven weeks. During Thanksgiving Lee stopped by Bobby’s house to look at the work that had been completed so far. Impressed with the progress, Lee went home to encourage his people to “step up to the plate” and match the work that Bobby had done. Unfortunately and to our great distress, Lee would not live to see the work finished. He lost a very courageous battle with cancer on December 24, 2006. Even though his shop remained open, there was no continued work on our car. She actually sat for months with very little progress.

After talking to Bobby, once again, he was willing to step in and rescue us. This would be his first 210. An agreement was made with Lee’s widow, Linda, to allow Bobby to come to the shop and work on the car. He would work with a young friend, Jerry Rybolt, and shop employee, Alex Baugh. The workers soon found that according to Bobby, yes, the work did have to be perfect. He wanted it to be done the right way and didn’t mind pushing you to the wall if necessary.

When work started again in November 2007, it was like starting all over again. From November 2007 to April 2008, the work schedule was intense. By May 1, 2008, the body was painted by Lee’s Stepson Jason Smith, and placed on the frame. It was taken to Bobby’s shop. All the metal work was complete at this time and sealed. The car was finished over the next seven months.

The car was at Steve Boyette’s Uphostery shop in Homer, Louisiana from October to mid December. He did a very creative job. Bobby completed the assembly and final detailing in December and January. We left for Winter Nationals on February 2, 2009. The car didn’t live up to Bobby’s expectations…but that is very hard to do! With a score of 995, I was pretty proud. My dream came true and Bobby may not admit it, but so did his. Not bad for your first job on a 210 Chevy that was too far gone!

I would like to thank Bobby and Nadene Dye, Kelly Dye Hughes, Blake Hughes, Eckler’s Classic Chevy support team, Jerry Rybolt, Alex Baugh, Steve Boyette and Jason Smith. I would like to especially thank my wife Beverly for being a “car widow” for several years.

 

 

The Following Options Make This ’57 A Blast To Drive:

Bobby’s Chevy Farm Frame

1971 350 c.i. 405 hp

Sanders Headers, Excel Ignition

700R4 Transmission, 3.08 Posi Rear End

4-Wheel Disc Brakes, American Racing Wheels, Toyo Tires

Griffin Master Radiator System

A/C-P/S-Tilt Steering Wheel, Power Windows, Seat Belts

Classic Custom Gages, Rain Gear Wiper System

Power Bucket Seats with ESC, Heat, Lumbar, Tilt

Console with Pioneer Stereo, B&M Shifter

Custom All Leather Interior, Custom Leather Trunk, Big Al’s Arm Rest & Handles

Custom Bandit Steering Wheel, ’57 Silver Four Bit Half Dollar Horn Button

33% Smoked Glass, Porsche Red Paint

2-½” Aluminum Exhaust

Front 2” Drop Spindles, Rear 2” Drop Rear Springs



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