Chuck Downey knew he had to have this '57 Chevy 210 the minute he saw it. It was a near-perfect match to the 6-cylinder car he bought from an aunt many years ago. Needless to say, this one has V-8 power to spare.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Glenda Downey is a car nut herself and always on the lookout for bargains. Case in point: she bought this fully restored 1930 Model A Fordor sedan at a neighbor's garage sale, knowing Chuck "can fix anything."
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Cars, car shows and fun are a family affair with the Downeys, pictured here with grandchildren, Courtney Cline, 9, and Glenn Cline, 4.
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The interior of the '57 Chevy is a sure-fire attention grabber, done in beautiful aqua-and-white diamond tuck and roll.
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Downey yanked an underpowered 305 V-8 out of the Chevy and replaced it with this 383 stroker motor, which he built himself. With all the plated and polished metal under the hood, the family joke is that you almost need sunglasses to view it in bright daylight.
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Three pedals, a floor shift and a pair of white fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror of a '57 Chevy -- what could be more period-correct?
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Color-keyed 15-inch wheels with Rally caps and trim rings set off all four corners of the Chevy.
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The door panels continue the overall white and aqua theme with button tucks and diamond shapes.
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A banjo-style steering wheel from Lecarra perches atop an ididit tilt steering column. Note the curved Hurst shifter atop the Muncie 4-speed transmission.
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Rather than modify the dashboard to accept a modern sound system, Downey opted for an after-market unit that slipped snugly into the existing radio slot.
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A closer look at the Classic Instruments in the '57 gauge pods. The speedometer is topped by a sweep tachometer.
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The 1930 Model A Fordor features a Briggs body, which was produced in smaller numbers than the more common Murray body. It cuts a stately figure.
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The Model A interior reflects the simple, but elegant styling of the early 1930s, with a wood-grain upper dash, a 4-spoke steering wheel and plush overstuffed seating.
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Downey says fuel mileage is not a strong point of the Model A, as the little 40 hp 4-cylinder engine has to haul a 3,200-pound body and chassis around.
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The back seat of the Model A provides plenty of room for the grandkids to frolic during car shows.
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The separate trunk on the rack at the rear of the Model A Fordor is now used as a tool box for road trips. The car is a reliable road machine, but the Downeys don't want to take unnecessary chances.
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Downey's approach to building a solid street cruiser has been to "fix one major thing a year." This is what 10 years of work has produced -- a solid '57 Chevy "post car" with all the right touches. Next up -- an overdrive for highway travel.
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