In the summer of 1979, I purchased a 54 Chevy Belair 2-door from one of my high school teachers, in Riverton, Wyoming. This was my very first car, and I drove it for more than 15 years. Eventually, it ended up getting stored on my in-law's property near Roseville, California.

One summer day, in 1999, a brush fire tore through the area, and ignited the left front tire of the car, generating internal temperatures in excess of 800 degrees F.

Carpets burned. Paint bubbled. Pot metal ran like water. Plastic melted, and wires turned to carbon. I was devastated.

But now,10 years later, I have undertaken the project of restoring this car! The Lady will rise!

The purpose of this website is to document the process of restoring my Chevy. I am NOT concentrating on the finished product (given that I don't have one yet!) Instead, I am concentrating on documenting the restoration PROCESS in intimate detail. As I complete a small task on the Chevy, I will add a section to this site with annotated photos. I expect to complete about 1 new sub-task (e.g., rebuilding the brakes) each month. The site will grow as I make progress on the Chevy. Thanks for taking an interest in my hobby!


Updated 11 Mar., 2012, to add a section on rebuilding the wiper motors.