Named the "Red Ball Express," the Bernd Chevrolet has won at the Good Guys Lone Star Nationals, the Houston Autorama, the Grand National Roadster Show, the Fort Worth Rod & Custom Car Show and the Fresno Autorama.
Steve Cook from Steve Cook Creations in Oklahoma City smoothed the '57's frame rails and painted them black. The rear springs were then relocated inboard for tire clearance. A Currie Enterprises Ford 9-inch live rear axle with a 3.50:1 final drive ratio was installed, along with 36-spline Currie billet axles and Wilwood Engineering four-piston rear disc brakes. Working in conjunction with the relocated rear leaf springs are a set of Air Ride Technologies airbags and HAL QA-1 rear shocks. A custom-built Rock Valley 20-gallon gas tank can also be found out back.
A Cook Creations-installed, Fatman Fabrications narrowed tubular control arm suspension, a pair of Heidt's Hot Rod Shop two-inch-dropped front spindles, Wilwood Engineering front disc brakes, a Hotchkis Performance Suspension anti-roll bar, Air Ride Technologies airbags and ART "Shockwave" absorbers can be found up front. Steering is handled via a GM 605 power steering box connected to a GM-derived, ididit six-way-tilt billet-aluminum steering column.
The Bernds selected 18-by-8-inch front, and 20-by-9-½-inch rear Boyd Coddington "Shadow" billet-aluminum wheels and P225/40 by ZR 18-inch front and P275/35 by ZR20-inch rear Nitto Extreme Radial rubber.
Mark Campbell's Street & Performance Emporium in Mena, Ark., added a performance crate engine package, which remains stock internally — with the exception of the Competition Cams roller cam substitution. S&P painted the engine block the same PPG Torch Red as the car's exterior. They polished and chrome plated the GM TUPI and all bolt-on engine pieces and installed a set of S&P flat-face big-block Chevy valve covers. A set of S&P Block Hugger headers dumps into a Steve Cook 2-½-inch ceramic-coated exhaust system and a four-core-aluminum radiator with twin chrome-plated fan shrouds and air condenser.
Backing up this combination is a Zoom-equipped Richmond five-speed transmission using a Hurst shifter and linkage. And the final link in the powertrain comes in the form of an Inland Empire polished aluminum driveshaft.
Major Johnson from Dunlap, Tenn., painted the car a stunning PPG Torch Red. Then Mike Face in San Bernardino, Calif., color sanded and buffed it. The Tri-5 was re-assembled using Advanced Chrome Trim polishing and plating.
The Eric Brockmeyer-designed interior reflects attention to detail. Ron Mangus of Ron Mangus Custom Auto Interiors placed soft leather over a foam-covered wood headliner and door panels, a handmade custom console and Lexus bucket seats. He also installed 1957 Corvette Daytona Weave cut pile carpeting, a Dakota Digital dash, Steve Cook custom wiring, Vintage Air climate control, a Central Manufacturing Co. Red Ball shift (8) ball, a Sony Xplod control head and amplifier, Rockford Fosgate speakers and a courtesy light-equipped trunk area.
This is one '57 Chevrolet two-door sedan that we defy anyone to call average. The term "exceptional" is a far better description.
