A “Real” Model Car Build!—Named Rawhide-Blackie! A brand brand new Chevrolet...now finished!The story begins in a three bedroom house with a six car garage here on Los Angeles. The 3 garages are full of the dreams of a 92-year-old retired aerospace welding supervisor Hot Rodder—recently passed. Would you call this a garage find? Maybe. It is sort of a garage find. The house was used to store hot rods and equipment and tools and TIG welders to complete any project that entered this hollowed ground. The garage contained his daily driving Chevy Silverado pickup and his personal favorites: (1) ‘94 SS TPI Impala low mileage, (2) 1957 Belair hardtop retro build completed 20 years ago (immaculate as expected from an aerospace-professional) and (3) his final dream-project a ‘56 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop. (A totally original “unbattered” rust-free car was purchased a few years back.) And, now the final episode of the story culminates at EHsr & EHjr - Hoagies Hot Rods to complete the dream! Enter a family friend who picks up the project to take it to completion. Eric Hoaglund Sr. of Hoagland Concrete and Hoagies hot rods. When Eric got the unfinished car out of the garage it was a 1956 Belair roller. The roller was loaded up with all the contents of the three-bedroom house— all the parts to construct a car in their original boxes from Danchuk, Chevrolet Parts Inc., etc. etc. Everything was transported to Vista for a dream build! Have you ever built a model car? What a dumb question. We’ve all built model cars. We all ‘got our beginnings’ building model cars. Model cars are the dreams of boys who become car guys gear heads. Well this was basically a model car build. Why do we say that? Because virtually every part of the car was in the three-bedroom house laying somewhere there in the bedrooms or living room—waiting for assembly. There were painted body parts, intake manifold’s, headers, trim parts, and bright work—the list goes on—piles. Yes Hoagies hot rods was about to assemble the biggest model car kit ever built. So the last epoch now begins. Putting it together: Since Eric Sr had just completed a ‘56 Nomad, 10 year project, he was well familiar with assemblage of a tri-5 car and all its many idiosyncrasies of body trim etc., etc., etc. With the roller undercarriage painted and plumbed and ready to go—you’re going to finish the paint. The individual body parts had all been painted and were spread out all over the place—now at Hoagies hot rods. After determining what type of paint was used, a beautiful PPG black “bullet proof black” was applied to the rest of the car by the silky hands of Rudy from RP Paint Studios—one of Los Angeles most sought after! Now for the installation of the ZZ4 400+ hp crate engine and 700R transmission which has been sitting and waiting to go into the car. Plumbed and wired and started — the rumble begins. With the ground shaking, Eric and Eric Jr have dumb grins on their faces and called their best friend. Why? To put the microphone near the open headers and blow out my eardrums. Let the games begin... Now for the assemblage. Keep in mind this important fact: this project started with an unmolested 56 Chevrolet (Second generation Bel Air, likely born at Southgate, CA plant) never in an accident—no rust—immaculate car to start with, it was torn down and the project begins! Whoever starts with a perfectly good car? The dash gets completely assembled, power steering, disc power brakes etc. AND, then the tedious project of putting in the Painless Wiring system. The “model construction” went well over the next several weeks. Following the installation of the wiring, began the insulation of the car interior insulation—Dyno-Mat, Dyno-Mat, Dyno-Mat everywhere. All the way into the trunk, and, then, the upholsterer put in more sound-deadener on top of the Dyno-Mat. This car was soon going to be perfection personified. As stated all the trim had already been purchased one piece at a time through various companies across the United States. The “model kit” was almost complete. The old timer who died was an Aerospace machinist who had previously constructed a ‘57 hard top retro-rod in another garage!—The ‘57 was a bone stock appearance, inside and out, accept for wheels and stance. Plus, undercarriage and engine— all modern technology in suspension and horsepower under the hood! The ‘56 was following suit...a few more days to go. What was left? Body trim and bright work, tire and wheel choice — oh yeah interior. Eric Sr gently bolted on all the bright work and body trim for the entire car—one piece at a time—the brand new OEM materials were added to the immaculate single stage buffed-out glassy PPG paint work. Now the interior specialist—considered to be one of the best in Vista California added the caramel colored somewhat retro-modern “tuck and roll” door cards, seats and lid. Eric went for Rally wheels and T/A radials topped with Chevy dog-dish hubcaps— the car was complete. One more item, the gorgeous-fantastic Carmel interior which pops against the JET black—as you walk up and peak in. And now the car was complete. Hoagies hot rods finished this one in three months—watch out Chip. For the Hoagland’s just one more hot rod in a long long long succession of cars running all the way back to Eric‘s first ‘49 woody in the late 60s. Yes Hoagies hot rods has been doing it for a long long long time. Now this Father and Son project, with the assistance of their car buddy “River Don” the car is ready for its first owner. No, ‘we’re not going to keep it’. We have a space reserved at Goodguys Del Mar Car Show (rescheduled), October 2, 2020. Pictures & Videos: We have much more in the way of pictures from the early garage find all the way through intimate shots of construction, paint and interior. Please let us know if you'd like more shots.Contact: Eric Sr., or Don for questions and more information!October 2, 2020... Come see us inside Building-1...Goodguys Del Mar Car Show...if it hasn't sold...Answers to eBayer's questions:We have hundreds of receipts and many more photos. Plus, 3 videos ready for viewing. (1) purchased January 2020, (2) BFG T/A Radials purchased when car was built, perfect condition but will need replacement due to age, (3) the car has a clear California title and, (4) finished in 2020 at which time Eric started to build on his next projects a Chevy truck and '30 model A highboy.We will be glad to answer any additional questions. The car has a brand new car cover and is garaged in Vista, North-County San Diego, California--north on Hwy 5 from San Diego airport.We have already purchased indoor show tickets to the prestigious setting of Building #1 at Goodguys Car Show at Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA, which has been rescheduled to October 1-4, 2020. Please fly out now and will take a drive and put 1 or 2 more miles on the car!!! |