Early ’60s gassers are near the top of the fashion hit parade right now, which brings to mind the ’55 Chevy I bought in 1974 right before I attended Iowa State University. Long-time (and I do mean long) readers may remember I used this ’55 in some Car Craft how-to articles as early as 1979. The car was originally an AHRA drag car I purchased from a friend for $500 with no motor, trans, or rearend. Back then you could build a ’55 from scrap parts. I rounded up a 0.060-over 283 short-block, a set of 461 iron heads, a tunnel ram with a 750-cfm Holley, and a rusty set of headers and managed to make it run. Eventually, it had a Muncie four-speed and a set of 4.88:1 rear gears. The California Highway Patrol didn't think much of the mailbox scoop and made me take it off. This photo was taken in 1974 when I was a lot skinnier.