Wheels Galleries

Clay Ratzlaff transformed this stunning 1955 Chevy two-door wagon from a battered shell into an eye-catcher by using brand new vintage parts he had found in Chevrolet garages and stashed away during his `treasure hunting days.'

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

Clay Ratzlaff has always been drawn to first-edition cars, such as this 1955 Chevy 2-door hardtop, which he bought as a restored `Plain Jane' car. Thanks to his well-stocked parts bin full of new-old-stock pieces, he was able to finish the car out as a full-dressed Bel Air.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

The only non-Chevrolet vehicle in Ratzlaff's collector car fleet is this amazing 1934 Plymouth Cabriolet, which has only 9,500 original miles on its odometer.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

Ratzlaff said the key reason he bought his 2-door '55 Chevy wagon was that it was one of the few cars equipped with factory air conditioning that year. The big black box squeezed between the battery and the firewall is the rarely-seen A/C unit.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

It took 2-1/2 years to find just the right upholstery for the '55 wagon. Note the in-dash air conditioning vents.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

The folding rear seat of the wagon shows off the sparkling silver threads in the gold-colored cloth that perfectly complements the color scheme of the wagon.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

The late Dale Bybee of Andover began the interior restoration with a hand-stitched headliner and these factory-correct door panels on the wagon. Tom Richardson had to take over the project and upholstered the seats after Bybee's death.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

One of the trickier parts of the restoration was finding the ribbed material that lines the tail gate, cargo floor and the rear of the back seat, which folds flat for added carrying space. The trap door opens to reveal the spare tire and bumper jack.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

With its beautifully scalloped artillery wheels and fender-mounted spares and sloping sculptured grille, Ratzlaff's 1934 Plymouth Cabriolet was about as stylish as anything on the road back in its heyday.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

Ever wonder what 75-year-old pristine leather upholstery looks like? The '34 Plymouth's interior is testament to the fact the car has spent most of its time in a garage and only a bit on the road.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

The hardtop's engine bay is a bit more spartan than the station wagon's. The factory 265 V-8 is mated to a Powerglide, as was often the case.

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Mike Berry / Mike Berry

Another pace-setting vehicle restored by Ratzlaff is his 1955 Cameo pickup, which has been upgraded with a 400 cubic inch small block V-8 and Turbo 400 transmission. He bought it as a $700 derelict and brought it back to life.

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Clay Ratzlaff / Courtesy, Clay Ratzlaff

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