Most people assume the late 1960s marked the beginning of the fastback era because of their abundance, but they would be mistaken because post-war fastbacks were also a part of this style trend, even before the 1950 Chevy Fleetline.
Chevy turned the post-war design corner in1949 when the Bowtie boys introduced its then-new look models, including their Fleetline editions.
The fastback style seemed even more suited to these cars and were a welcome part of the 1950 Chevy lineup.
Jim Sutherland
The 1950 Chevy Fleetline models looked fast at a standstill, particularly when they were compared to other early Fifties domestic cars, but they were not even close to fast compared to today’s road rockets.
A 1950 Chevy Fleetline Deluxe caught our attention at a car show last fall because it was a primary example of what happens when an old school cool car gets a modern powertrain transplant.
John Waeyen was the Chevy resto mod’s owner, and he brought his car out of a 7-year storage in a garage only two weeks before the car show. Initially John’s goal was to drive his ’50 Chevy to another car show a few hours from his home, but the show was held a week earlier, and he was unable to meet that target.
John realized a hasty revival after his car was inactive for seven years was not a smart plan, so he used the extra week to ensure his 75-year-old resto mod was ready for the road.
John’s car got a new lease on life many years ago when its original modest powertrain was replaced by a Corvette LS3 engine coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It was a change that aligned the 1950 Chevy’s sleek fastback style with a go-fast engine swap that more than matched its speedy retro design.
The LS3 and beefy 6-speed automatic required a sturdy rear end, so now it has a Ford 9-inch to handle that large herd of horses from the LS3 headed its way.
Cars that can go very fast also need to stop very quickly so John’s ’50 Chevy Fleetside now sports a 4-wheel disc brake system to whoa up the extra ponies. Its Mustang II front end can easily handle the corners at higher speeds than a 75-year-old Chevy’s factory steering system.
A factory 1950 Chevy only required a basic cooling system to handle its modest Straight-Six engine, but a performance-oriented Corvette LS3 small block V-8 required extra cooling because it was wedged into an engine compartment designed for a car with lesser cooling needs. Consequently, John’s Chevy has a modern radiator cooled by an electric fan to handle the new engine’s requirements in this department.
The ’50 Chevy has added creature comforts such as a tilt steering wheel for longer trips, along with power-assisted features to make the drive even more comfortable. John has almost completed the noise suppression process for his classic Chevy Fleetline so he can enjoy a quieter cabin environment at higher speeds.
Future resto mod plans include upgrades to an electric wiper system because a vacuum wiper could no longer handle the pace with an LS3 under the hood since John’s 50 Chevy can easily keep up with modern highway traffic.
John has the perfect blend of old and new with his 1950 Chevy Fleetside resto mod in our opinion here at MyStarCollectorCar.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
- CLICK HERE to Sign Up for the Newsletter
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest
