55 Chevy Streetfighter Color Suggestions

[rat_rod_russell]

Come Monday my 57 Black Widow will belong to someone else. Sad to let it go and be stuck in the Mazda POS again but I have a plan. I've located a 55 Chevy 2 door sedan. This time I'm not aiming for the TriFive guys approval I’m going for the streetfighter look I want and handling to match right off the bat. I also plan to spend some more time over here instead of on the TriFive forum when I get rolling on this one. My father sponsors the Trifive.com site so I do tech support for our chassis over there. I hope that I can be a competitive opponent for the next Ultimate Street Car Invitational. My 57 weighed in at 3245 lbs with 6 gallons of gas and all the steel bits and all real glass.


A little about the car

An LS7 will power this 55 Chevy. I obtained it by scaring the crap out of one of my dad's customers and trading him for a camed LS1 and some labor. I'm focusing on driveline and transmission for this car not ridicules power so all the motor will see is a cam and I'm custom building long tube headers so I can volume test them to perfection. The transmission is a new built T56 with McLeod dual disk clutch and proper slave cylinder. I will be using my father’s designed Corvette suspension chassis that was under my 57 but I'm adding some personal tweaks to it. Aaron Pfadt is helping me out with some custom sway bars for the car to keep it really flat.11”x18” with 295 rubber up front and 11.5”x18 with 315's out back. I'm still looking at wheels to find a pattern I like. The car will have quarters form the 55 nomad so I can get to the wheels without breaking loose the shocks. I'm learning carbon fiber so if the budget opens up a little more the car will just keep getting lighter. I am designing some ground effects for the front to keep the air out from under the car and I’m even entertaining the idea of a belly pan and rear spoiler.

So I need some Ideas for colors. I like the stock two tone layout and I’m thinking about painting the stainless and chrome to really make the car standout. Any suggestions would be a big help and I can start photo shopping some ideas together.

Thanks
Russell Alexander




I'll miss you baby

[slowcamaro]

Dark green... Fathom or BRG

[go-fish]

Falfa-ize it!!!!!!

[JV69z/28]

It really depends on your personal taste as far as colors and trim go. I would say you could do a couple of different things. You could go with a dark body color and "brush all the chrome and bright work. That is different and "stealth" looking. You can "black" everthing out with a simi gloss trim like the car manufactures used in the 80s. It also depends on what wheels you pick and what finish you want on them. Things are so wide open now you can do almost anything and if it's done "right" it will be accepted and appealing. Take a look at some of the stuff Jon from DriverzInc has done. If you want to do belly pans you can get started by turning the bumpers upside down. Yes they fit and you start with a rolled pan look. These cars have been done to death but not many have been built to be real handlers so that alone with big rubber front and rear will make you different. Are you going to keep all the stock trim or are you going to shave some? Keep in mind with the Nomad 1/4s you will have to come up with something for the the 1/4 moldings. There's a reason why the 6 pieces of Nomad trim in good condition cost as much as a ZZ383 crate motor. Try to narrow down what you want the overall look to be. Are you thinking dark paint/dark trim - light paint/dark trim? You get the idea I'm sure. There was a dark gray '55 floating around on the internet that had black wheels and a very European import look to it. It was different and looked really good. I know I asked alot more questions than I answered but there is plenty of opportunity here to be unique.

[Twentyover]

Flat Black- like Two Lane Blacktop

[rat_rod_russell]

Dark green... Fathom or BRG

The day I bring tea and crumpets to the track sure I'll paint it
British Racing Green

Falfa-ize it!!!!!!

Could you please elaborate, I honestly don't know what that is.

Flat Black- like Two Lane Blacktop

I like black but its a pain to keep clean, The 57 looked awesome in balck with its black front end but I don't want people to think I just duped the last car.

It really depends on your personal taste as far as colors and trim go. I would say you could do a couple of different things. You could go with a dark body color and "brush all the chrome and bright work. That is different and "stealth" looking. You can "black" everthing out with a simi gloss trim like the car manufactures used in the 80s. It also depends on what wheels you pick and what finish you want on them. Things are so wide open now you can do almost anything and if it's done "right" it will be accepted and appealing. Take a look at some of the stuff Jon from DriverzInc has done. If you want to do belly pans you can get started by turning the bumpers upside down. Yes they fit and you start with a rolled pan look. These cars have been done to death but not many have been built to be real handlers so that alone with big rubber front and rear will make you different. Are you going to keep all the stock trim or are you going to shave some? Keep in mind with the Nomad 1/4s you will have to come up with something for the the 1/4 moldings. There's a reason why the 6 pieces of Nomad trim in good condition cost as much as a ZZ383 crate motor. Try to narrow down what you want the overall look to be. Are you thinking dark paint/dark trim - light paint/dark trim? You get the idea I'm sure. There was a dark gray '55 floating around on the internet that had black wheels and a very European import look to it. It was different and looked really good. I know I asked alot more questions than I answered but there is plenty of opportunity here to be unique.

I think that trim you talking about is the front fender trim and the roof bits. There were no quarter molding on the 55 Nomad. I plan on modifying the stock ones or maybe air brush them on again. Stealth, Evil is a good look but I do want to stand out a bit more. Working here I will still have to go to the TriFive shows so I really want to look different. I've got some photos I've been photo shopping on but I'm waiting on the owner to give me permission to post them on line.

I did one with a red and gray reverse with black brightwork everywhere. I'm doing some drawings or the front spoiler (Ya, I was going to flip the bumper first) and then maybe a rear bumper / defuser style.

-Russell

[55chevyman]

Falfa-ize it!!!!!!

Go-Fish is saying make it look like Falfa's car in american graffiti. A protouring version of falfa's 55 would be awesome.

Flat Black- like Two Lane Blacktop

The two lane blacktop car was primered. The 55 in TLB was same 55 that was later used in American Graffiti as falfa's car

[Steve Chryssos]

I really like your 57. You can start by picking colors, but you might have more fun by studying random design exercises and examples. Spend some time studying shapes and contrasting materials as well as colors.

[go-fish]

Go-Fish is saying make it look like Falfa's car in american graffiti. A protouring version of falfa's 55 would be awesome.



The two lane blacktop car was primered. The 55 in TLB was same 55 that was later used in American Graffiti as falfa's car

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFgTMYEaWlc

Bob Falfa is the character in the classic American Grafitti. Harrison Fords first roll. He was George Lucas' carpenter and Lucas convinced him to be in this film. The rest is history.

"Falfa's 55" has quite a bit of history. As said before it is the 55 in 2LBt too.

These two movies are why '55 210's are cooler than '57 Bel Aire's IMO.

[JV69z/28]

Originally Posted by rat_rod_russell

I think that trim you talking about is the front fender trim and the roof bits. There were no quarter molding on the 55 Nomad. I plan on modifying the stock ones or maybe air brush them on again. Stealth, Evil is a good look but I do want to stand out a bit more. Working here I will still have to go to the TriFive shows so I really want to look different. I've got some photos I've been photo shopping on but I'm waiting on the owner to give me permission to post them on line.

I did one with a red and gray reverse with black brightwork everywhere. I'm doing some drawings or the front spoiler (Ya, I was going to flip the bumper first) and then maybe a rear bumper / defuser style.

-Russell

I know there is no 1/4 trim on a '55 Nomad (I have one). What I was refering to was that the actual Nomad trim for a '55 is out of sight expensive so you would need to think of an alternative for your 1/4s but it sounds like you have got it handled.

I'm not sure what you mean by "roof bits" though.

I would really like to see the photo shops when you have permission to post them.

Good luck with your project.

[rat_rod_russell]

Sorry it took so long to get back, my father is having some health issues and will need surgery that will put him out of the shop for 3-4 months so we’ve been gearing up so I can run this place without him for the time being. Just moving big bits and positioning projects while Jim can still lift more than 5 lbs. Part 2 the guy who was going to buy the Widow backed out Sunday night. Kind of annoying but I got 500 bucks in escrow money so it’s not all bad.

Bob Falfa is the character in the classic American Grafitti. Harrison Fords first roll. He was George Lucas' carpenter and Lucas convinced him to be in this film. The rest is history.

"Falfa's 55" has quite a bit of history. As said before it is the 55 in 2LBt too.

I wasn’t even thinking people names, I thought it was a style. Now I feel like an idiot, I even own both on DVD

I know there is no 1/4 trim on a '55 Nomad (I have one). What I was refering to was that the actual Nomad trim for a '55 is out of sight expensive so you would need to think of an alternative for your 1/4s but it sounds like you have got it handled.

I'm not sure what you mean by "roof bits" though.

I would really like to see the photo shops when you have permission to post them.

Good luck with your project.

I has cars dyslexia, I don’ts wants to talk about it.



My bad I confused the back with the top which is sad because we had one In here 2-3 months ago that we put on a chassis with an LS2 from a trailblazer, got the truck intake under the hood too.


So here’s what I have my buddy Skip (55 forward) is thinking about something like this so he let me borrow the image he had done with the trim moved and the wheel wells done. I’m not a photoshop wiz all I did is section it so I can get play with the colors. I’m seriously leaning to the Red, Gray with all black trim. But these are just some Ideas to throw out onto the table and maybe some other suggestions or Ideas might pop out too.

Also attached are just some sketches I did of what I playing with for the front spoiler, grill and the rear brake ducts. Yes I know I suck at drawing too I free handed these while I was doing laundry last night. I’ve always liked the spider webs and flames have since I was 12. So I plan on using little webs here and there to break up the symmetry a little and draw the eye. Still playing with the idea of a rear wing spoiler, kind of ricey I know but still very effective and it can be tuned to control understeer and get a ton of grip. Plus what else scream’s I’m serious than a rear wing shaped to the contour of the body like a C6R.

[rat_rod_russell]

I like what Skip had done with the trim and I have the air brush artist that was blessed by god. Give him a picture and have a translator. He did all the trim and logos on my 57 Widow. So I can just have Hiram air brush on the trim. Remaking it would be cool but I don’t have those resources and besides, that’s just more weight and drag.

Thanks again guys for the input
-R^3

[4OfaKind]

I’m seriously leaning to the Red, Gray with all black trim. But these are just some Ideas to throw out onto the table and maybe some other suggestions or Ideas might pop out too.

Also attached are just some sketches I did of what I playing with for the front spoiler, grill and the rear brake ducts. Yes I know I suck at drawing too I free handed these while I was doing laundry last night. I’ve always liked the spider webs and flames have since I was 12. So I plan on using little webs here and there to break up the symmetry a little and draw the eye. Still playing with the idea of a rear wing spoiler, kind of ricey I know but still very effective and it can be tuned to control understeer and get a ton of grip. Plus what else scream’s I’m serious than a rear wing shaped to the contour of the body like a C6R.

Russel,

My .02 so take it as such:

I like the Yellow. Not too many "I'm Serious" car builds in two tone.
I llike the web brake duct. The web grille is a bit much.
Love the bumper idea. I would delete the outer most support, move the inner most support further in for a total of 4 supports (2 ea side) and a ballanced look. Would love to see the end result of this project.

Mal

[rat_rod_russell]

So if I go two ton I’m going to be under estimated and stand out like a sour thumb at the PT events, gooood.

I fall a little more in love with the gray and red everyday. I think I’m going to go with a gloss gray and a flat red but also go with the same red on the hood. I will do some modifications to the bumper and probably custom build some brackets to cut out some weight.

-Russell

[Mossimo777]

I 2nd a flat black color.

[BMF Machine]

Red on bottom, Gray out back= SicK!

Keep us PosteD, I am sure it will be a CooL build!

[rat_rod_russell]

I did both light red and dark red as well as light an dark grays. dark looks much better in my opinion. Also tossed a brake duct together on solidworks.



Brake Duct
Link for guys who have E-Drawings (If you don't have it go get it, its free and yo can rotate these 3d drawing to get a better look at them)
Brake Duct Final 00.EPRT

Pic for those that don't (click to enlarge)


I might recesses it a little more on the front to make it scoop in a little more air but it will stand off the body .4"s and the back side of the aluminum bracket is shaped to cup in air. I don't know if the recess on that body would look good.

-Russell

[Derek69SS]

I've always thought the most badass look for a '55 would be black with a gray roof/deck.

[rat_rod_russell]

I've always thought the most badass look for a '55 would be black with a gray roof/deck.

Gray and black sounds good but I'm really sick of black cars at the moment, our driveway is gravel and the Widow is mostly black, enough said. Something that will show a little less dirt so I don't feel the need to wash it every 3 hours.

-Russell

[Derek69SS]

I know what you mean... I live on a gravel road, and can't keep my blue car looking clean. Black cars are my favorite, as long as it's someone else's duty to keep it clean.