DACC Feature Car
February 2005
1957
Chevy Limousine
Sharkey and Barbara Nelson
As is often the case with car collectors, I had a very early interest in cars. My dad was a “car guy” as was my mother’s dad and brothers. My first car was a worn out 1958 Ford that I purchased for $95 from my granddad in 1964 when I was 14 years old and after I had received my drivers license. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had to have a tri-5 Chevy. I purchased my first one (a’55 210 2dr) for $300.00 in 1966. I’ve been in love with tri-5’s ever since. After selling the ’55 I went to a new ’68 SS 427 Impala, then to a '70 SS 454 Monte Carlo. I got married in June of 1970 and as you can guess, raising a family didn’t leave much time or money for playing with cars. After going thru vans and family cars for a few years I ran across a nice ’55 Bel Air 2 door hardtop in 1979 which I purchased for $2,000 and I have had it ever since. In 1989 I purchased my high school buddies ’57 2dr Bel Air sedan which I also still have.
Fast forward ten years to 1999. While having my ’55 restored by Ken Young/Classic Car Connection, Ken stumbled onto a 1957 Chevy airport limousine in Idaho which he had intended to restore to original condition. I instead envisioned a custom limo. Having come from Idaho and having sat in the weather for many years it was in horrible shape. Ken replaced the floor pan, front end, hood, trunk lid, etc. Long story short, I purchased it from him and hired him to help complete my dream. After 1 year of work by Ken installing an LT-4 FI Corvette engine w/ith a 700R4 tranny, power front disc brakes, 605 steering, and painted it 1999 Cadillac pearl white. Before we could even get it finished I had numerous people wanting me to hurry and get it finished so they could rent it out. While we were working on this one I ran across another ’57 limo in New York which was stretched and built in 1996. I purchased it and brought it home and immediately put it to work while we were completing the airport limo. I then took the airport limo to 3D Customs in Everman which is a custom limo manufacturer. After another year of work there we finally had it ready for the road in September of 2001. After running both limos for another year I sold the turquoise limo to some people in Omaha, NE in September of 2002. I’ve been running the white limo on weekends ever since. It’s a pleasure to drive, gets a lot of looks and “thumbs ups”. I call it “my fun job”
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