My love for cars began at an extremely early age. When I received my allowance, I would save up and buy plastic car models to put together. Finally, when I turned fourteen, I qualified for my driver's license and was allowed to drive my mom's car and my dad's car. My mom's car, which I liked the best, was a black 1957 Chevy four-door hard top. My dad's car was a 1956 Chevy two-tone green four-door hard top.

As you all know, when you get into high school and turn sixteen back in those days, you wanted to work part time somewhere for a little spending money and hoped your parents would buy you a car. Well, I guess I was lucky because a friend of mine's parents owned a wrecking yard. His dad asked me if I wanted to work part-time during school and full time during the summer. I replied," Yes!" This would begin a new part of my life, learning how to understand, repair, and restore cars.

After working at the wrecking yard for a while, they brought in a 1957 Chevy two-door hard top. It needed some work on it, but my friend's dad said he would sell it to me. My mom and dad helped me with the money, and soon it was mine! Having my dad and friend there to help me fix it up, made it seem like it was no time before I was driving my dream. I proudly drove that '57 Chevy all through high school. I even had my first date with my wife in it. My wife and I had some good ol' times in that car. I can still remember them fondly. Everyone out there knows what I mean!

Barbara and I decided to get married. Eventually, I sold my '57 to buy my wife a car and myself a truck. As time went by, we bought a house, had twin girls, and changed our outlook on certain things to put our children's needs first. When my girls were little, we went camping and had a boat to go water skiing. As they got a little older, they took dance and gymnastic lessons, as well as being cheerleaders. I always wanted another '57, but I knew I couldn't "swing it" with the house payment, bills, and a wife and two children to support. I just gave up the dream and figured I'd never own another one.

However, one day I was at my parents house visiting about "the old days", fast cars and good times, when I mentioned to my dad that I wished I had my '57 back. My mother replied, "Phillip, you know your cousin Gary has a '55 Chevy in his barn." I immediately asked my mom for his phone number, and she gave it to me. I didn't call right away because I had to think about how I was going to tell my wife. A few days went by, and in passing, I mentioned it to her. Surprisingly, she said call and see how much he is asking for it.

After calling him, he explained that it was his work car, which had only been driven back and forth to the General Motors Plant in Arlington. He complained that it wasn't running because several years ago when he was coming home from work, he fell asleep and ran off the road. The accident damaged the door and right front fender a little bit, as well as cracking the windshield. Gary moaned that he had wanted to buy a new truck, and this was his awaited opportunity. So, the next day, he drove the '55 Chevy in his barn, and there it sat for all these years. He blurted over the phone, "Come on down and take a look at it, and I'll make you a deal you can't refuse!"

I drove to his house, and we walked down to the barn. I could barely see the dilapidated car in the far corner, but when the lights flickered on, there it stood in all of its glory, four flat tires and one hubcap missing. Everything else was there, right down to the cigarette lighter. Quickly, we struck a deal and loaded it on the trailer.

I didn't get to work on it for quite some time because my girls were still involved in many activities, and I knew that soon they would be going to college and needing more money. Still, at least I had my Classic Chevy. With my wife working, I managed to save a little money here and there to start on the restoration.

At first, I was just going to do the basics, rebuild the motor, and paint the car. However, as I kept looking at the car, I realized that because it had been stored in that barn for all those years, it had very little rust, so I decided to do a "frame off." My good friend, Wesley, helped me take the body off the frame. Then, I built a roll over, cleaned the underneath, and sprayed it Red Oxide Primer like the factory would have. This was the first time I had ever gone to this extent on a car and maybe the last. I had the frame sandblasted, re-built the front end and rear end, and put in front and rear sway bars. It needed very little bodywork, but I did repaint the inner fender wells, polish all my stainless steel, and put new rubber components everywhere. I installed all new glass and had the front and rear bumpers re-chromed.

The movement of my 1955 Chevy Legend comes from a 1966 327 bored 30 over with forged flat top pistons, Crane Cam double hump heads that are ported and polished with 194 valves. I have a '64 300HP cast iron intake and a '64 300HP A.F.B. with high performance Corvette exhaust manifolds with 2 1/4 inch lead down pipes into a set of Flowmasters and 2 V4 tailpipes. To keep an authentic touch, I am running a "three on the tree" transmission and a stock '55 370 rear end. Finally, my '55 Chevy smoothly cruises on a set of Classis Morbecs and P21575Rl4 tires.

I wanted to keep the sixties look under the hood, so all I have is a set of Corvette valve covers and a chrome breather. I did everything myself except for the interior. I wanted to keep the original seats, but have them plush on the inside. My wife suggested we go with white, and it turned out very nice. I decided on the original carpet and attached a '59 Impala steering wheel.

I would like to give a special "Thanks" to Buck and Steve of Buck's Auto Trim in Fort Worth, Texas for making my seats, doors panels, and package tray. A special "Thanks" goes to my wonderful wife, Barbara, who tolerated me storing the fenders, hood, and doors in our spare bedroom after I had painted them. I also wanted to thank Classic Chevy for the parts and prompt deliver. Without so much help, support, and determination, my 1955 Chevy Classic wouldn't be what it is today. It is unbelievable the way a hidden dilapidated treasure can be molded into a fifties legend!