Kustom Builds: 1954 Chevy Bel Air
Karl Customs is all about the love of cars. But a stunning classic, especially a well restored one, is always close to our hearts. That’s why we pulled out all the stops when it came to this 1954 Chevy Bel Air. It got the full Karl Customs treatment which took two years to get right.
A Great Base To Start From
When we first got the Chevy Bel Air it was already in decent condition. It was driveable and had some bodywork done. But to get this car to meet Karl’s exacting standards it would all have to be stripped down and rebuilt.
No panel or part remained untouched as we prepared the car to showcase at Goodguys Heartland Nationals this year. In fact, to get it better than factory-spec we had to remove any imperfections. From rough edges to old seam sealer and even messy spot welds. It all had to go.
The Specs
It’s not only the body that got a complete overhaul. For this 1954 Chevy Bel Air we specified only the very best parts from bumper to bumper. It’s the only way we know how to do things here. Check out the spec overview below:
- Chevy LS engine
- 4L70 Transmission
- Borla Injection
- Art Morrison Chassis
- Wilwood brakes
- Dakota digital gauges and Holley Dominator ECU
- Strange Engineering axle
The end result is a stunning American classic yet with all the features you could want on a modern street rod.
A Karl-Spec Project
The difference between a good restoration and a great one is in the details. You may not immediately see the difference, but it’s what sets our restorations apart from the rest. Things like tight fitting panel gaps. Always tough on a classic car, but we love the challenge.
The perfect rebuild deserves the perfect color. We went through seven different shades of red before we found the right one. All were GM-spec paint colors, with Carl finally settling on Torch red, a stunning deep hue that was then buffed to perfection by the Karl paint shop.
Jared Riis, Karl Kustoms tech, wanted to be sure the project had a flatering finish: “We wanted to ensure we got that symmetrical, perfect look.”
After two years of painstaking work, we finally had the car just like Carl Moyer wanted. And all the effort was worth it when Karl Kustoms was named as one of the GM Iron Builder of the Year finalists at the 2022 Goodguys Heartland Nationals.
Experience The Karl Kustoms Difference For Yourself
Karl Kustoms is a machine shop, custom shop, and service shop. We do restoration, custom upholstery, custom painting, bodywork, accessory installations and more. And not just for Chevys.
Quality and value are important to us, that’s why we offer a price match guarantee. Contact us today for a full line of race and performance upgrades!