Vintage Classic Chevy Street Rod, 350 V8, Auto, Cruiser

Description

This 1931 Chevrolet Vicky is a great rebuttal to all the complaints about putting Chevy motors in early Fords. Instead of putting a Ford in your Ford, why not get a Chevy in which to put your Chevy? Far less common but every bit as good looking, this neat coupe is the answer to the Chevy fan's wish for a great early cruiser with a classic look. Built to be driven and finished 37,618 miles ago, this tidy... Vicky is a refreshing change of pace after looking at Model As all the time. Sure, the look is similar, but the Chevy guys did things a little differently and you can see it in the many wonderful details that are unique to the Bowtie models. It's covered in handsome maroon paint that captures the elegance of these old cars, but puts a modern spin on it with a bit of metallic and a monochromatic look that works quite well. All the features that charm us on these old cars are still here, including the graceful fenders, neat visor over the windshield, and a rear-mounted spare, which carries a custom vinyl cover that's been color-matched to the bodywork. Nothing has been chopped or radically altered, and it even includes original-style bumpers and a handsome hood ornament atop the shiny chrome radiator shell. Fit and finish are not perfect, but certainly presentable, particularly for a car of this vintage that isn't a fiberglass reproduction, and attention to detail means that it'll always attract a crowd when you park it. The interior is equally well finished. Clever use of modern components gives it an updated functionality, including the cloth bucket seats up front and comfortable bench in the rear. There's also R134a A/C (needs service) that's subtly installed under the wooden dash, a painted tilt column with a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a column shifter that frees up valuable floor space in the compact coupe. Beautiful Stewart Warner gauges are fitted to a custom instrument panel that's in the middle of the dash, just as they were in 1931. For cruising comfort, a Pioneer AM/FM/Cassette stereo was installed in the headliner, with speakers hidden throughout the passenger compartment. Matching door panels offer a simple look with nicely integrated door handles and the trunk is fully upholstered and houses the battery. As I mentioned, this Chevy has traditional Chevy V8 power in the form of a nicely detailed small block 350. A few chrome dress-up items add some sparkle under the louvered hood, punctuated by finned M/T valve covers and a long open-element air cleaner. It has a few performance-enhancing upgrades like a Demon 4-barrel on top of an aluminum intake, along with a custom dual exhaust system with chambered mufflers. The front suspension is a Corvair-style setup, and punctuated with power rack-and-pinion steering, plus four-wheel disc brakes. In back you'll find a C3 Corvette-style rear end set-up, so this vintage coupe feels far more up-to-date than it looks, which is entirely the point. The undercarriage was made for driving, so it's not super shiny or detailed, but it also means that you'll never think twice about turning the key and heading out on the road. And those handsome 15-inch five-spoke wheels look suitably tough, particularly with fat 205/75/15 front and 235/75/15 rear Uniroyal Tiger Paw white-letter radials that fill the fenders perfectly. This great little Chevy does everything well and stands out because it's not cut from the same cloth as all the other '31s out there. After all, what's more appropriate than a Chevy with a Chevy in it? Call today!