After a 10 year hiatus from building cars, including a 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo and a Pro Street 1986 Camaro, Frank Dillander, owner of Trans Express Transmissions in Apopka, Florida, went out of his “era” and found this 1938 Chevy Sedan online. It was located in a salvage yard in Utah, and everyone laughed as it rolled in on a tow truck with the doors held on by coat hangers. There was no floorboard and no glass, and while everyone else dismissed the car, only Frank could see the possibilities and the beauty. Over a six year period Frank proceeded to go through everything required to turn the car into a quality street rod, in the process topping all of his previous car buildups, with every inch being well thought out and custom.

The exterior is sure to draw attention, as the House Of Kolors candy tangerine really glows in the sun, and is complimented by Escalade pearl white and a custom mixed gray, plus a set of Billet Specialties rims. Frank made his own custom grill, opted for L.E.D. taillight strips in the rear pan, L.E.D. indicators in the front, shaved the door handles, and crafted unique vents into the hood sides.

The reverse opening hood operates remotely via a linear ram, and underneath you’ll find an LT1 engine fitted with dress-up and performance items, and a healthy rumble comes thanks to a Flowmaster exhaust. Shifting duties are the domain of a 700R4 overdrive automatic with a 2,800 stall converter, and the power winds up at a 10 bolt posi rear end with 3.72:1 gears. Other items under the car include a Mustang II front end, triangulated 4-link rear suspension, plus coil over shocks and disc brakes at all four corners.

Entering through the suicide doors you’ll find white and gray leather upholstery, and a set of custom seats. The smoothed dash now houses white-faced Autometer Phantom gauges in billet bezels, with other billet accents adding up to a tasteful and elegant look. The console is where you’ll find a push button gear selector, but that’s not all - the billet steering wheel is also fitted with a billet paddle shifter, lending a race-inspired look and feel to the driving experience. Adding entertainment to the cabin is a Pioneer 7500 stereo in the dash, complete with a DVD player and surround sound. The rear view mirror also has a digital compass and exterior temperature readout, while the interior is kept cool with an air conditioning unit tucked out of sight and billet controls on the dash.

While the car might have been the source of laughter before Frank tore into it, no one is laughing now. It is a real head-turner everywhere it goes, and has already started accumulating awards at local car shows. Now that his 1938 Chevy Sedan is completed, friends are already asking how he is going to top this one. Frank told us he is currently working on a 1937 Chevy rumble seat coupe, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see when he gets it completed. CN