Mods: Engine, Transmission and Rear End came out of a 1987 IROC Z-28 Camaro. Tuned Port Injection, SLP Runners, Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator, PPG Aluminum Cross-Flow Radiator, Electric Fan, Trunk-Mounted Optima Battery. 605 Power Steering Box, 4 Wheel Power Disk Brakes, 2 _” Dropped Spindles, 2” Dropped Rear Leaf Springs with 1” Lowering Blocks, Urethane Bushings, Front Anti-Sway Bar, Gas Shocks, 17” American Racing Torq Thrust Wheels with Nitto NT 450 Tires. VDO in-dash Gauge Cluster, Billet Dash Insert, Ididit Steering Column, LeCarra Steering Wheel, Custom-Stitched Red & Black Upholstery, Custom Autosound Stereo with Subwoofer in the trunk.

History: I purchased this car about 95% finished off of Denver’s Craigslist in May 2007. The car’s builder is a Broomfield Fireman by the name of Jack Trelease. Jack is an award-winning builder of hotrods and motorcycles. He’s a great guy and builds these incredibly cool rides in his 3-car garage. He bought this California born BelAir in original unrestored condition. It took him over a year to completely rebuild this car. He drove and showed the car for about 5 years all the while tweaking and changing it to what it is today. My son and I showed the car at the June Colorado Nationals Good Guys event at the ranch in Loveland. A guy from Rod & Custom took some shots of the car, but it didn’t make the magazine …. yet!

Awards: The 1st award was my foster kids’ smiling faces when they climbed in the back seat and rolled down the windows. Previously to that, the car won the People’s Choice Award at a 2004 Federal Heights Car Show. Jack told me the car also won a Best Paint award at a local show he couldn’t remember the name of.

Other Info: For me, this car is a very cool family cruiser. Prior to this car, I owned for several years a beautifully restored 1966 Mustang. In 2005, we fulfilled an ambition and became foster-adopt parents for Boulder County. Our first placement was a sibling group, 2 brothers and a sister. I really wanted to give these kids some great memories while they were with us, so a cool cruiser just seemed like the right thing to do. I’ve always been a fan of the Tri-5 Chevy. The famous Black ’55s in Two Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti along with Tony Danza’s Yellow ’57 in Hollywood Knights got me started. I wasn’t that much on the ’56 – it always seemed like a crossover year or placeholder between two great classics, that is until I saw Boyd Coddington’s famous Junk Yard Dog. Now we are stuck in 1956 it seems. Along with the BelAir, we also have an old-school hot rod Chevy 210 post sedan and a Chevy 3600 _ Ton Flatbed Pick-up. We would love to buy a Nomad some day, a ’56 of course!

I picked up the 210 off of E-Bay. The guy had a great reputation as an E-Bay Seller, but he basically lied about the condition of the car. Thank the Good Lord I used PayPal and was able to settle on $1,500 as recompense! I want the 210 to be a throwback to the cruising and street racing days of the early to mid sixties yet also have some of the handling and safety characteristics that the latest technology brings. When finished, it will have a 1972 350ci Truck Motor topped off with an Edelbrock Dual-Quad set-up, Mallory MSD Ignition with a rev limiter, Griffin Aluminum Radiator, electric fan, and a trunk mounted battery box. Running gear is a stock ’56 rear end with positraction, 411 gears and a Muncie 4-speed. The interior is old-school white vinyl and stock dark green carpet. An Ididit tilt steering column with a column-mounted Autometer Tach, ’58 Impala steering wheel and an under-dash hanging gauge cluster also by Autometer complete the old-school look on the inside. And of course, you’ve got to have the legendary T-Handled Hurst Shifter on the floor! On the handling side, it will have Tubular A-Arms, 605 Power Steering, 2 _” Dropped Spindles, 2” Dropped Rear Leaf Springs, Urethane Bushings, Front Sway Bar, Gas Shocks, Power Brakes, Dual-Diaphragm Corvette Master Cylinder with Disk Brakes in front and Drum Brakes in the rear. 17” American Racing 200S rims affectionately known as the “Daisy” wheels with Nitto NT450 tires will complete the newstalgic look of this old-school hot rod.

The Chevy 3600 flatbed pick-up I bought in an auction at the Ranch in Loveland. It was too good of a deal to pass up. I wanted a truck I could use for projects and also have a cool ride that appreciates in value and classic good looks. It’s about 90% finished and has had some excellent work already done: 1978 400ci Small Block, Turbo 400 Automatic, Delco Remy HEI Distributor, Edelbrock Torker II Manifold & 600CFM Carb, Dual Aluminum Exhaust with Ram’s Horn Manifolds, Power Steering, Power Brakes, Disk Front & Drum Rear, Front Sway Bar, Upgraded Heavy-Duty Rear-End, Power Leather Bench Seat, Under-Cab Mounted Battery, Under-Bed Mounted External Gas Tank with Locking Cap, Custom Finished Steel & Oak Flatbed with a Headache Rack, Class 5 Hitch and a Gooseneck attachment. Plans are to put in an Aluminum Radiator, Electric Fan, Optima Battery, Transmission Kick-Down Switch, a new Steering Box, clean up the engine bay and simplify the wiring. The underside also needs a surface rust stop treatment and undercoating. A few seals also need some attention.