57 Chevy: The Red Bella

style""A series of fortunate events leads to the restoration of this 57 210.spanbr strongspan style""Owners: Mac amp; Beverly Durastanti, Greenville, MSspanstrongbr While reading a local newspaper in July 2005, my wife noticed a 57 Chevy for sale. She mentioned it to me, asking if I thought her brother Bobby might be interested in it for I decided to go and take a look. What could it hurt? The car was sitting in a rural area about thirty minutes north of our home. It had been sitting, all but forgotten, among the rice fields. I found a rodent-infested 210 with rotted tires, rusted rims, no carburetor, and a trailer hitch that was attached to a frame made of heavy-duty iron. The color was an awful faded shade of red. a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-2.jpg"img class"aligncenter size-large wp-image-705" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-2-1024x593.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-2" "610" height"353" abr a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-1.jpg"img class"aligncenter size-large wp-image-708" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-1-1024x804.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-1" "610" height"478" aOver the years I had entertained the idea of owning a Tri-5. One might think that at my age I would have given more thought to the difference between an idea and an unattainable dream. Restoring a car was certainly a subject I knew nothing about. I bought the car and with the help of a friend, I hauled my home. The look on my wifes face once she saw what was up in the yard illustrated her lack of being able to see the She asked, What are you going to do with it? When I answered, restore it, she laughed and made me not to it in the drive. By late fall the car was running and I took it to a local body shop in Greenville. The owner of the shop is an old car enthusiast and does great work. He took one look at my Chevy and told me she was too far gone. What did he know that I didnt know? What was it that I saw in her that no one else could see? This car sat waiting for rescue by someone who was willing to go that extra mile. a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-engine1.jpg"img class"alignleft size-medium wp-image-710" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-engine1-300x200.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-engine" "300" height"200" aIn the winter of 2006, I took the car to Lees Custom Auto and Repair in our hometown of Leland, MS. I had known the owner, Lee Sullivan for years. He too was a lover of old cars and enjoyed seeing the before and after of a restoration job. After much thought, he agreed to take on the massive restoration In late July of 06, Lee asked what he was to do with the frame, motor and other of the car. Beverly decided that it was time to ask her big brother Bobby Dye for help. After all, if she hadnt thought he might be interested in the car for salvage in the first we wouldnt be in this current dilemma. As it turned out, Bobby was familiar with the car and had even offered the owner 500 a while back when it was still being driven. After many tears of frustration from Beverly, Bobby came to the rescue agreeing to do all of the frame restoration and other mechanical work on the vehicle. What relief! a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-interior.jpg"img class"alignleft size-medium wp-image-716" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-interior-300x194.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-interior" "300" height"194" aHe completed the task in exactly seven weeks. During Thanksgiving Lee stopped by Bobbys house to look at the work that had been completed so far. Impressed with the Lee went home to encourage his to step up to the and match the work that Bobby had done. Unfortunately and to our great distress, Lee would not live to see the work finished. He lost a very courageous battle with cancer on December 24, 2006. Even though his shop remained open, there was no continued work on our car. She actually sat for months with very little After talking to Bobby, once again, he was willing to step in and rescue us. This would be his first 210. An agreement was made with Lees widow, Linda, to allow Bobby to come to the shop and work on the car. He would work with a young friend, Jerry Rybolt, and shop employee, Alex Baugh. The workers soon found that according to Bobby, yes, the work did have to be He wanted it to be done the right way and didnt mind you to the wall if necessary. a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-interior-2.jpg"img class"alignleft size-medium wp-image-718" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-interior-2-300x197.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-interior-2" "300" height"197" aWhen work started again in November 2007, it was like starting all over again. From November 2007 to April 2008, the work schedule was intense. By May 1, 2008, the body was by Lees Stepson Jason Smith, and on the frame. It was taken to Bobbys shop. All the metal work was complete at this time and sealed. The car was finished over the next seven months. The car was at Steve Boyettes Uphostery shop in Homer, Louisiana from October to mid December. He did a very creative job. Bobby completed the assembly and final detailing in December and January. We left for Winter Nationals on February 2, 2009. The car didnt live up to Bobbys expectationsbut that is very hard to do! With a score of 995, I was My dream came true and Bobby may not admit it, but so did his. Not bad for your first job on a 210 Chevy that was too far gone! a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-trunk.jpg"img class"alignleft size-medium wp-image-720" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-trunk-300x207.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-trunk" "300" height"207" aI would like to thank Bobby and Nadene Dye, Kelly Dye Hughes, Blake Hughes, Ecklers Classic Chevy support team, Jerry Rybolt, Alex Baugh, Steve Boyette and Jason Smith. I would like to especially thank my wife Beverly for being a car widow for several years. bThe Following Options Make This 57 A Blast To Drive: bbr Bobbys Chevy Farm Framebr 1971 350 c.i. 405 hpbr Sanders Headers, Excel Ignitionbr 700R4 Transmission, 3.08 Posi Rear Endbr 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, American Racing Wheels, Toyo Tiresbr Griffin Master Radiator Systembr AC-PS-Tilt Steering Wheel, Power Windows, Seat Beltsbr Classic Custom Gages, Rain Gear Wiper Systembr Power Bucket Seats with ESC, Heat, Lumbar, Tiltbr Console with Pioneer Stereo, Bamp;M Shifterbr Custom All Leather Interior, Custom Leather Trunk, Big Als Arm Rest amp; Handlesbr Custom Bandit Steering Wheel, 57 Silver Four Bit Half Dollar Horn Buttonbr 33 Smoked Glass, Porsche Red Paintbr 2- Aluminum Exhaustbr Front 2 Drop Spindles, Rear 2 Drop Rear Springsbr a href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-tail-fin.jpg"img class"aligncenter size-large wp-image-721" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20140257-Chevy-tail-fin-893x1024.jpg" alt"57-Chevy-tail-fin" "610" height"699" abr strongspan style"font-family: Times;"Shop for Tri-5 Chevy at a href"http:www.ecklers.com"www.ecklers.comaspanstrongbr strongspan style"font-family: Times;"Follow us on our Tri-5 Facebook a href"https:www.facebook.comEcklersClassicChevy?frefts"Click here and Like us!aspanstrongp