’55 Chevy 210 “Rakish”

’55 Chevy 210 “Rakish”
Owner: Robert Gillen
Dickenson, ND

Highlights:

• Six-year restoration project

• 360 c.i. small-block Chevy

• 700R4 Transmission

• Many modifications, including custom seats, ididit column, Vintage Air, disc brakes, exhaust system

Customer quote: “Nearly all of the weatherstripping, wiring and many other parts came from Eckler’s Classic Chevy and other suppliers”

RAKISH was a six-year project. I purchased this ’55 210 when I was 55 years of age. I had wanted a 1955 Chevy since the age of ten, when I first saw my dream car. A neighbor came home from the service with a black beauty. I loved it! When I made the decision to do a frame-off restoration on this car, I had no idea what I was in for. My goal was to complete the car in about two years. Boy was I off target! Being new to the hobby, I had no idea how long it took to get body work done, painting, interior, upholstery, etc.

I totally disassembled the car, this turned out to be the easy part! I did not do any of the drive train, and I had the paint and interior work done locally. The ’55 Chevy has a 360 c.i. engine, 700R4 transmission and 9-inch Ford rear end. Nearly all of the weatherstripping, wiring, and many other parts were purchased from Eckler’s or other suppliers. I have a stack of invoices about two feet tall!

One of the hardest things for me to do was the brakes. I have never done a complete brake job before. My wife spent forever sitting on a lawn chair in the car, pumping on the brake pedal! Another big challenge for me was designing, building, and upholstering the custom console. Doing the wiring for the entire car was also a nightmare.

Restoring this ’55 was a real learning adventure for me. Nothing about this car came easy. Each step along the way came about the hard way. Anyone who wants to restore a car needs to be dedicated to the project and keep working until it’s done. I have never attempted a project like this before, but I knew what I wanted the end result to be. In the end, all the hard work was well worth it.

I recently purchased two 1957 Chevy pickups and plan to make one from them. This time I plan to do all the body work, paint, etc. I now know what I’m in for. This time there will be no surprises when things don’t go just as planned. When I can't figure something out while working on these cars or pickups, I take a day or week off and go fishing. Then if the answer doesn't come to me, I will ask for help. Taking a little time away from the project keeps me from getting burned out. At my age, I enjoy working on these older vehicles because I understand them and know how they work. For me it’s fun! I hate getting greasy and oily, but that’s all part the fun.

I want to thank my wife, Vicki, for her help and my son, Adam, for the many hours he spent working with me on this ’55 Chevy.

Bio:

I worked 24 years as a medical technologist. My wife, Vicki and I own the Hallmark Store in Dickinson, North Dakota. Dickinson is a town of about 20,000. When I get time, I like to fish, golf, and camp out. I also enjoy watching NASCAR and spending time with our grandchildren.

1955 Chevrolet 210

Colors: Chrysler High Performance Red & GM Galaxy White
Frame-off restoration with total front end replacement
Body, engine & frame work by Larry Gregory
Ididit Tilt Steering Column & LeCarra Steering Wheel
Front & rear sway bars - power steering
360 cubic-inch small-block Chevy
700R4 Transmission, by Schmidt
Ford 9" 3.70 rear end - 31 spline - Brian Schmidt
CPP-501 Steering Box - Griffin Radiator
Edelbrock 600 Carburetor & Edelbrock Intake Manifold
Corvette exhaust manifolds
Victory Serpentine Pulley System
RainGear Wipers - Auto Meter Gauges
American Autowire Wiring Harness
Lokar Throttle Cables, Gas Pedal and Accelerator Pedal
Xlerator Performance Mufflers - J's Muffler Shop
Muscle Factory 68-72 Shifter
Summit Rocket Wheels
Vintage Air
Power brakes - disc brakes front - drum brakes rear
Power windows, tinted glass
Battery relocated into trunk - hidden by interior access panel
Custom console with engine turning
Bucket seats from ’66 full-size Pontiac
Aircraft upholstery fabric
Paint detailed by Travis Schwindt

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