Bob Simpson always had a soft spot for post-war Chevys because he drove one as a kid.
‘The 1946 Chevy was part of the first wave of passenger cars to come out of the factory since the early days of WWII when production was switched to military equipment.’
The 1946 Chevy had some minor cosmetic changes from the early 40s model. The major style difference was in the front fenders because the headlights no longer protruded from the top of the fenders. Instead they were located on the front end of the fenders.
The next major cosmetic shift for Chevys would occur in 1949 when the cars got a complete makeover. However, the earlier style post war Chevys had plenty of admirers and Bob’s experiences behind the wheel of a ’46 Chevy as a kid made him a fan for life.
Eventually Bob reached a point in his life where he wanted to own a post war Chevy. Bob specifically wanted to own a car with modern upgrades to make the car drivable under modern traffic conditions. His search for an ideal resto-mod Chevy lasted for five years until he located one on the other side of the country. He also added the most critically important part of any collector car purchase: his wife Marlene’s approval.
Bob gave this brief synopsis of his purchase: “It took a three hour flight to pick up the car and a three day drive to bring it home”. Bob finally got the car of his dreams and the three day road trip was a bonus for him. The most important part of the equation was Bob’s desire to drive his Chevy and that idea was evident from the moment he picked up the car and headed back home behind the wheel of his new purchase. It is clear Bob does not believe in trailer queens.
The 70-year-old Chevy was upgraded in 1976-77 with a Camaro front clip and now sports a bored-out 350 coupled with an overdrive automatic transmission. It also has a Chevelle rear end with highway speed-friendly gears. The car was repainted in 1996 and the car still looks great 20 years after the paint job.
The cooling system has also been upgraded with a refurbished radiator and two-speed electric fan system to help the Chevy resto mod cope with hot summer days. Bob noted the old Chevy also has discs on the front end to slow it down with serious stopping power when necessary.
Bob and Marlene have the perfect combination of old school style and modern engineering with their 1946 Chevy resto-mod. One of the added creature comforts is the front seat which was donated by a 2000-2006 Chevy pickup truck and helps takes out the bumps on the road. The upgrades on the rear suspension also help smooth out the road and also provide extra stability along the way.
The car will keep a comfortable 65-70 mph (100-110 km/h) pace on the highway for Bob and Marlene whenever they hit the road in their Chevy.
‘It is also a nostalgic journey for Bob every time he gets behind the wheel of their ’46 Chevy dream machine.’
Jim Sutherland
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