Tim Lee of Don Lee Auto in Rancho Cucamonga, California, put together a solid 496ci combination that’s pump gas–friendly (we filled up at the 76 gas station before heading to shoot), yet will pull like a freight train when you goose the pedal. That’s thanks to a 10.25:1 compression ratio from Keith Black pistons pushing against iron heads. Yes, we said iron heads. Although this engine makes a square 583 lb-ft of torque and 567 hp, it does it with a very mild list of components. Summit Racing’s cast-iron cylinder heads are fitted with COMP Cams’ 1.7 ratio roller rockers, while the rest of the valvetrain was supplied by Summit Racing. Eagle’s cast crankshaft and I-beam connecting rods spin in the crankcase, while the valves are manipulated by a relatively mild (for 496 ci) 292 Magnum camshaft from COMP Cams—the duration at 0.050 is 244. Edelbrock’s legendary RPM Air-Gap dual-plane intake is a perfect match for this engine combination, and we believe is a main reason for this combination’s low-rpm torque—almost 600 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. A TH400 transmission from Remac Transmissions gets this car up to speed and a 9-inch rear with 3.55 gears transfers the power to the ground.
An Earl Williams mini-tub kit, narrowed rearend, and some relocated leaf springs allowed Scott to fit some wide rear tires under his ’55, but other than that, the chassis is stock. The stock rear springs were ditched for some 2-inch lowering leafs from Classic Performance Products in Anaheim, California, while the front springs were also replaced with CPP’s 1-inch lowering coils. If that doesn’t add up, that’s because this ride also has some dropped spindles from Earl Williams to even it all out, giving this car one killer stance.
Everyone agrees that the stance and wheels can make or break a car’s look, but we think Scott nailed it with his choice of American Racing’s Torq-Thrust Ds all around. Disc brakes from Earl William bring this ride to a halt, while the Mickey Thompson tires roll at each corner too. To be exact, 325/60R15 M/T ET Street Radials wrapped around 15x10s roll in back, and 205/75R15s are bolted up front.
If it wasn’t for the stance and wheels, the ’55 is bone stock externally. No cowl hood, splashed graphics, shaved emblems, spoiler, or any other things to distract, just a Triple Black DuPont paintjob from Carty’s Collision, shiny chrome, and clear windows. There’s something cool about looking down a glazy hood, past an aero-inspired ornament at a road that’s being quickly eaten under the car as it rumbles and roars its way around. Scott originally wanted to build this car as a clone to the ’55 from the James Taylor film Two Lane Blacktop, but eventually decided against it. We’re glad he went the way he did.
The interior, although we thought was custom when we first sat down in Scott’s ’55, is actually a stock pattern, Scott just opted to reverse the order of the colors from the original. D&R Upholstery handled the interior of this 210, and used black and white vinyl to cover the bench seats. A Mooneyes steering wheel, a classic Auto Meter tach, and a rejuvenated stock dash cluster are what the driver sees, while a Hurst shifter with a custom cup-holding console sits in between.