Modern classic: Have a new 1950s Chevy built to order - Detroit Free Press
So you like the looks of the classic cars flowing up and down Woodward Avenue, but you're hooked on the modern reliability and convenience. "We're building a '55 convertible right now that has an adaptive suspension, eight-speed automatic transmission and the 680-hp V8 engine from a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V" performance sedan, Sondles said. "It'll look like a '55, but I dare any modern sports car to pull up next to it and challenge the owner. A hobbyist who wants to buy a kit can build his or her own car for $40,000-$45,000. Prices for finished cars start at $75,000 and end wherever the owner runs out of imagination. "A lot of people want the look of a 60-year-old car with modern conveniences," Sondles said. The 1955-57 Chevys — insiders call them the Tri-Fives, because they shared parts and their basic engineering — are among today's most popular collector cars. Like the Ford Model T and the Ford Deuce Coupe that preceded them, when new they were plentiful, inexpensive and durable. "These cars have taken their place at the head of the table among American collector cars," Sondles said. "They're the Little Deuce Coupe of the 21st Century, but with new technology we offer, they ride and drive as good as a new car. Source: www.freep.com
