BREAKING THE MOULD – JERRY GRANT 1953 CHEVY CUSTOM
Taking in the myriad of modifications and the impeccable finish, you could easily assume this car has rolled out the doors of any custom car shop in the country, but instead, the entire project was hand-crafted by Jerry Grant in his shed.
Such radical mods are not for the faint-hearted or skill-challenged. Twenty-eight years in the body and paint shops at GMH provided the skills and the confidence Jerry called upon when applying his talents to his own rides and those of mates. Like us all, Jerry likes to personalise his rides, and the previous Impalas, Caprice and Camaro were all subtle in their deviance from the factory. This time around, he let his imagination off the leash to satisfy his inner custom desires.
It was almost eight years ago when he came across the perfect candidate for his virgin foray down the custom road, a ‘53 Chevy sedan that was in need of some TLC. OK – a lot of TLC. Void of front sheet-metal and with most of it in boxes, its plus was it was his for the meagre sum of $300. If it all went pear-shaped, the financial implications would be minimal, but it was the shape that beckoned him; the lead-sled style was his primary preference of custom cues.
Two mods were certainties from the get go; a chop top and a two door conversion. The roofline was to be sleek and subtle rather than in-your-face radical, and the number of doors isn’t only a personal preference, but it also acts to accentuate the reduced roof height. Before he grabbed the grinders he did his homework, referring to all mediums of chop top articles before launching into attack mode. Many of these types of projects have a Robinson Crusoe element to them in that you’re entering uncharted waters, and Jerry readily admits there was a ‘make it up as you go along’ factor.
The B pillars were removed altogether for later repositioning, however it became a lot more complicated at the rear, where the back window frame was cut out completely and laid forward to alleviate the need for custom glass. The initial plan was to try to accomplish this feat with the roof in one piece, but ultimately, a slice down the middle was required.
As well as front sheet metal on the shopping list, so too were a pair of doors, so the existing units could be extended 150mm to obtain true tudor proportions. There’s no denying these are huge modifications for a first timer, and after success at that level, anything is possible. Jerry didn’t let confidence overtake him and he stuck to his plans of restrained refinement. All the mouldings have been removed, which requires a significant cleanup operation in itself. Door handle deletion is practically a no-brainer. Once this was achieved, the lips at the top of the door provided the perfect location for Jerry’s welsh plug fabricated door poppers. The combined result provides an unhindered side view of the Chev’s curvaceous body.
The rear number plate has been recessed while up front, Jerry’s grille treatment walks the line between mild and wild. He removed all the standard inner bar work, including the large indicator pods, which left an opening resembling the mouth of a whale shark. Breaking up the expanse is a fence post! Yes, the simple and singular middle bar was crafted from a fence post.
A standard engine bay would be an oxy moron of styles so the firewall has been flattened and the inner guards have been smoothed and reworked to be symmetrical. The radiator support panel was completely re-fabricated to house the Commodore cooling unit, and the wiper motor now resides up under the dash.
After five years, it was finally time to lay on some paint, and after all those years at Holden, it was Impulse Blue from the VZ Commodore range that took Jerry’s fancy. Between what he learned at Holden and practice of application over the years, he’s obviously become quite deft at laying down impressive paint. The body was hung from a rotisserie during this process so the underside is every bit as impressive as the top.
The sleek and sexy remodelled body sits on an equally modified chassis and suspension. Originally the body mounts were attached to the chassis by rivets, but Jerry’s now welded these for peace of mind. That was a walk in the park compared to the HK front end, now recessed into the chassis, and the five-link Commodore rear end grafted in. Rod-Tech adjustable arms are used on the latter and there’s air bags at all four corners.
Holding the reins on the small block is a VT Commodore braking system, the fronts upgraded to DBA slotted and cross-drilled rotors adapted to the HK front end courtesy of Rod-Tech ingenuity. While one hand is on the shifter, the other is on the customer tiller, attached to an LX Torana column that hooks up to a VL power steering rack.
The hotch botch of parts and pieces continues inside with Hyundai front buckets and VL Commodore rear seat. Making it all appear factory-fitted was Aaron O’Hara. He custom-cut the carpet to fit, piped it in contrasting white, and the rest is a blend of the two opposing colours to create a blend of classic, contemporary and cool. And how cool is that shifter? Swapping cogs with such an oversized stick just adds to the hot rod experience!
The last, and most critical piece of the puzzle is rego. Our Eastern seaboard brethren may look at this car and think, no dramas, but it’s a whole different ball game here in SA. With guidance from the TAC, Jerry is working his way through final refinements and requirements and by the time you read this, it will hopefully be wearing plates and pounding the pavement at will.
