"Project X" 1957 Chevrolet

"The Project X 1957 Chevrolet " is quite possibly the most famous Chevrolet ever built. It's graced more car magazine covers than any other car.  Car guys and movie buffs may remember when it  played a supporting role in the movie, “The Hollywood Knights,” when it was the supercharged ride driven by actor Tony Danza.

Project X has been built and rebuilt. Since its debut in the magazine "Popular Hot Rodding" over 40 years ago, Project X has served as a rolling, evolving test bed of high-performance parts and automotive trends. This perpetual project car has never absolutely been finished, and has undergone several complete rebuilds and transformations to display performance and styling.  It's current reincarnation saw General Motors and Popular Hot Rodding joining forces to redesign, restore and re-power this iconic yellow shoebox, installing the first of a limited number of Anniversary GM 427 crate engines. 

It was fitted with the all-new Anniversary 427 big-block crate engine from GM Performance Parts . A modern re-creation of the all-aluminum ZL-1 427 engine, rated at 430 horsepower and 450 lb.-ft. of torque, just like the production engine in 1969. Only 427 of the special engines were built. (Are you seeing a theme here..four hundred twenty seven 427 V8's?)

It has a 10:1 compression ratio, all-forged reciprocating parts,  roller camshaft, aluminum oval-port heads , HEI ignition and 850-cfm  4 barrel carburetor mounted atop an aluminum dual plane intake manifold. The limited edition engine came with natural finish, “427 CHEVROLET” script valve covers that are serialized according to  their build in the 427 unit production run. These engines came with a matching number owner’s kit, to make each even more special.

Exhaust leaves through custom headers running through the front fenders. A remote-activated cut-out switch allows the gases to pass through a conventional exhaust system to the rear of the car during street driving, or through more direct, unrestricted openings behind the front wheels. (When the cops ain't around...haha)

A heavy-duty Richmond five-speed manual transmission, Strange Engineering S60 rear axle with 3.73 gears, massive 20 x 15 inch rear wheels., and Budnik built rims complete Project X. Tires are Mickey Thompson.  Sections of C6 Corvette rails were spliced in front onto the Chevy’s original frame, and a complete Corvette front suspension system is used, including Wilwood discs with 14 inch rotors in front and 10-inch rotors at the rear...A custom Griffin radiator was installed along with a condenser for the Vintage Air climate system.

The Chevy's iconic bumper and grille was re-done with a custom  billet aluminum grille bar  fitted with a “427” emblem, and unique mesh pattern. On the hood, the iconic “gun sights” now serve as ram air induction inlets, feeding a custom air box mounted to the underside of the hood. When the hood is closed, the air box fits over the Anniversary 427’s carburetor, fitted with an L-88-style flame arrestor.  And because Project X has been yellow since the beginning, it was re-sprayed with a new Corvette Z06 Millennium Yellow hue.

The dashboard was custom-built with billet aluminum inserts that carry the same “X” logos as the exterior Bel Air trim panel. A full set of Custom Rod Gauges instruments fill the panel in front of the driver. The dashboard also houses factory air conditioning vents that serve as outlets for the aftermarket Vintage Air climate system.  Cadillac STS seats were modified to give them a chopped-down, slimmer look . The rear seat's out of a 1956 Buick and modified with an aluminum center trim panel. All the seats are covered in black leather with grey cloth inserts. 

Rising out of the console is a classic Hurst shifter that is used for  the Richmond five-speed.  A Kenwood audio system is hidden in the interior, operated by an overhead touch-screen control panel. The panel also contains controls for the fog lights and trunk release.

Other hidden features are located in the trunk, which was re-done in hand-formed steel , including the wide wheel “tubs” – and incorporates side access panels for storage and to keep the rear-mounted battery out of view.

Hey...who says you don't improve with age? This ever changing creation proves otherwise! Love it!