The 2017 Danchuk Tri-Five Nationals hosted by the American Tri-Five Association at the revered Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky is also one of the select events where we choose 10 great cars that qualify for the Painless Performance Products Top 100 for Street Rodder magazine. This year the quality of cars was amazing at the Tri-Five Nationals so finding ten great cars was difficult because we could have easily picked twenty. But, at the end of the event these are the 10 chosen cars.
Like so many hot rodders Don Hennessee dreamed of having a bad-to-the-bone ’57 Chevy when he was a kid. Well he may not be a kid anymore but this bad-to-the-bone ’57 has 427 inch small block force fed with a blower and two-fours hooked to a Tremec five-speed. Inside Vintage Air and Dakota Digital combine with lush leather to complete the package.
James Deason is a Tri-five Chevy guy with a great eye. From the Atomic Orange and Silver Champagne paint scheme to the gorgeous two-tone leather interior this ’55 is filled with details. Dakota Digital gauges, Vintage Air and a Lokar shift complete the inside while under the hood an LS1 provides modern power and the Wilwood brakes brings things to a halt.
This is a car that lures you in and then the closer you look the more you find. Riding on Heidts IFS with CCP disc brakes while rear suspension is from Art Morrison. QA1 shocks dial in the ride and the 5.7 LS-1 provides smooth modern power. It all rolls on Billet Specialties wheels with a Lokar-shifted 4L60E tranny. Classic Instruments, leather buckets and Vintage Air complete this great ’55.
It’s all black and that was the initial attraction. From the laser straight body to the black leather Impala bucket seats and custom console the car is all black. Under the hood an LS-2 is dressed in traditional black attire looking much like a vintage small block. It rides on a Street Rod Garage Chassis with Wilwood brakes and QA1 shocks and the entire package was stunning enough for this car to win the coveted Tri-Five of the Year Award.
The Nomad was an over-the-top design by 1955 standards so why not carry that theme to a new extreme, after all it’s easy when you own the Classic Car Studio Speed Shop, home of Speed is the New Black TV show. Riding on a Roadster Shop chassis, power comes from 509-inches of W-motor. Wilwood brakes combine with Billet Specialty wheels and Pirelli tires to slow the Nomad down. Inside Vintage Air, Classic Instruments and simply insane upholstery job complete the Rescue Green Chevy.
Tom Boldry and the team at Rock’s Rod & Custom did a fine job of blending the inherent good looks of a ’57 rag top with modern power. Under the hood 572-inches of big block are fed via a Hilborn EFI system. The engine is dressed in 60’s traditional finned attire while the suspension has been upgraded to a Heidts IFS with Wilwood brakes. Those big 20-inch Billet Specialty wheels tell you this silver bullet is no stocker. Inside stock style materials are used in a custom pattern.
Wheels, color and stance get our attention every time this ’56 nailed all three. Under the hood a Holley EFI fed big-block punched out to 540 inches connects to a Hurst-shifted five-speed. CPP front suspension improves handling, Wilwood improves braking and the ET wheels give it the perfect look.
This car is one of the most period perfect gassers we have ever seen and for good reason. Most of the parts on this car were purchased in the late sixties and the car was just assembled in the past two years. From the chrome straight axle to the Olds rear and the vintage 327 small-block this car shouts gasser. Vintage Hilborn injection was converted to EFI by the owner and vintage Hurst Air Heart disc brakes slow things down. Inside the chrome roll bar and SW Winged gauges are just some of the highlights.
The Iron Butterfly III has a deep meaning for Dan Free as Iron Butterfly I & II were helicopters that he flew in Viet Nam on over 400 combat missions. This tunnel ram fed, big block powered gasser was built in memory of those choppers and the crew he served with in the sixties. Today the mission is to have fun with a crazy-fast, great looking, street-going gasser. Mission accomplished.
The timeless color combination of India Ivory and Twilight Turquoise always looks great on a ’56 Bel Air. CPP front suspension and Danchuck rear lowering springs provide the proper stance while inside bucket seats and a custom console provide comfort. A Lokar shifter, Dakota Digital gauges and Vintage Air round things out. Under the hood a small block pounds out 425 horsepower.
The post Painless Performance & Street Rodder Team Up for Top 10 at Tri-Five Nats appeared first on Hot Rod Network.