Editor’s note: This is the third in a 30-day series featuring cars from the Tammy Allen Collection to be sold October 13-15 at Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Las Vegas Auction.
This 1955 Chevrolet known as “The Retrolet” was built by Scott Winfield between 2002 and 2003 and is offered from the Tammy Allen collection without reserve during the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction, October 13-15.
Much of the Retrolet has been fabricated, such as the frame and body, with over 3,000 hours of labor into the build. The frame was hand-fabricated using 2X4 boxed steel tubing and allows a Fatman independent front suspension as well as a rebuilt Jaguar rear end and independent rear suspension with coilovers.
To achieve the builder’s desired look, much of the body has been fabricated or modified. The front fenders were notched in 22 places and metal filled to shape while the leading edge of the hood was left from the 1955 Chevrolet while other sections of the hood come from a 1956 Buick. The doors are from a 1955 Chevrolet but feature a 3-inch cut from the top.
The trunk lid is a combination of a 1955 Chevy and Chrysler Concorde and was hand-fabricated, as was the engine compartment. The A-pillar and roof are from a 1999 Chrysler Concorde, selected to fit the overall symmetry of the car.
Due to the body length, two sets of 1955 Chevy rocker panels were used and the quarter panels are mainly 1955 Chevy with the tops rounded, rolled and 14-inches added to their length.
Despite the heavy customization, the glass was left unchanged.
Powering the custom coupe is a Chevrolet crate engine that has been painted to match the body and is rated with 502 horsepower and 572 foot-pounds of torque. The engine is linked to an automatic General Motors TH 700-R4 transmission.
Fiberglass was used to create the dash, rear console and rear door panels and was covered in leather to match the seats, which came from a 1995 Mazda MX-6.
Classic Gauges were set in a ’55 Chevy instrument cluster and the car has all power accessories, including Vintage Air and automatic door and trunk openers and a CD sound system with remote was installed behind the trunk panel.
The custom coupe wears PPG Orange Pearl Mist with five coats of clearcoat and rides on a set of Boyd Coddington Stingray wheels wrapped with BFGoodrich tires.
This 1955 Chevrolet “The Retrolet” custom coupe and the rest of the Tammy Allen Collection will cross the block at no reserve as part of Barrett-Jackson’s ninth annual Las Vegas Auction, October 13-15 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. For more information, visit www.Barrett-Jackson.com/Bid or call 480-421-6694. Absentee bidding options powered by Proxibid are available.
