1955 Chevrolet 210 handyman station wagon

Paint:  gun metal/charcoal gray and silver.

Engine:  350 ci.

Transmission:  Turbo 350

Mattson Radiator and Horse collar

Vintage air

Rear end Ratio: 3.00 : 1

1 ½ “ Heidt drop spindles

1955 was not the first year for Chevrolet to have a true OHV V-8; but it was the first successful V-8.  It was also the first year for Chevrolet to introduce the ‘shoe box’ body, which Ford had since 1949.  Out were the three hump hoods and in with a sleeker design with a wraparound windshield.  While the ’55 Bel Air models grabbed all the attention, the wagons were relegated to big families and later the surfer crowd.

Station wagons bring back a nostalgic time of family outings to the beach, picnics or drive-in movies; this head turning classic ‘Long Roof’ of John and Linda Glass however says cruising in style, comfort, and of course hot rodding. John’s been a hot rod guy since age 15, inspired by his father, a mechanic in WWII, and a hot rodder too.  John’s first car, a 1935 Chevy Coupe, was a project he bought from a neighbor for $25. Soon it was on to a ’41 Studebaker Champion, and a ’55 Ford Ranch Wagon, but was interrupted when John joined the Navy.  He flew into Vietnam in 1968 during the Tet Offensive as the air strip was being mortared and a year later left with the field being mortared again.  John was stationed on the Mekong Delta in Nha Be Naval Support Activity Base as a support team for the Navy seals.  Once out of the Navy it wasn’t long before he was back into hot rods, dirt bikes and motorcycles.  John rode a Harley Davidson for 25 years but decided that with a family it was time to sell his Harley and found a person at the Pomona Swap Meet that would trade him the ’55 wagon for his motorcycle.  His friends thought he was crazy, but John saw the possibilities in a Salmon/Peach colored station wagon with fender skirts.

Originally painted Shoreline Beige and Glacier Blue with a 265ci engine from the G.M. factory in Van Nuys, it’s all Californian just like John and Linda, both born and raised.  With a total production of 29,419 model 210 wagons built in 1955, one would expect to see more of them today. Even so, it wouldn’t be as cool as this one.   Sporting a 350 small block, a turbo 350 trans, CPP steering, ceramic coated Hedman Hedder exhaust and the biggest A/C ‘Vintage Air’ manufactures to cool the large cavernous interior for those Hot August Nights in Reno that John and Linda love to attend.

John and Linda take their wagon to CAL-RODS cruises, In-n-Out, Hot August Nights in Reno, Dr. George car show and plenty of local Veteran car shows.