Classic Recollections: John Waite, 1953 Chevrolet Handyman Wagon
John Waite had a pretty good idea of how he wanted his 1953 Chevrolet Handyman wagon to turn out when he was finished with the build.
“As you see the car now is exactly how I pictured it in my head when I purchased it,” the Glendale Heights resident said. Waite had been keeping a watchful eye out for an early ’50s Chevy station wagon and had his GM-loving heart set on an original woody. Their high price tags deterred Waite, but when this humble bow tie Handyman came on his radar in 2006, he knew it would serve as the perfect blank canvas.
The former Oregon car was found in DeKalb with no engine, interior or transmission, and retaining only two pieces of glass. It still wore its original tan and green paint.
After getting it home, Waite jumped right in on the project, taking everything apart “to the very last nut and bolt” in his garage. “I’ve never been a guy to build a numbers-matching car. Anyone can do that. But when you start creating and fabricating, that’s what makes you feel good about yourself.”
The custom build took the craftsman six years to assemble and in that time Waite was able to construct one seriously cool cruiser. Starting with under the hood, Waite installed a ZZ4 350-cubic-inch V-8, toughened up with a four-barrel Edelbrock carb and mild performance camshaft.
A 200R4 overdrive transmission gets the 310 horses to the pavement while slotted and cross-drilled SSBC front disc brakes yank back on the reigns, bringing the two-toned tourer to an on-a-dime halt. Coys wheels are mounted at the corners while an Air Ride suspension allows Waite to drop the vehicle a full 10 inches on command.
When it came time to consider the exterior treatment, Waite didn’t forget about his love for the Woodies, drawing on them for inspiration. Recruiting the help of a graphic artist buddy, all of the wood treatment was not airbrushed, but rather hand painted.
“When they walk by, most people think its real!”
Surrounding the faux lumber panels is a Mercedes-sourced Metallic Pewter silver and ’78 Chevy Blue Metallic paint. Save for the door handles and belt trim, all of the exterior chrome accoutrements were shaved and a “beauty bar” from a 1957 Chevrolet was custom fabricated into the front grille.
Naturally, the interior wasn’t left unaltered: the original seats were reupholstered to go with the gray color scheme and the dash was reworked to fit modern gauges, a sound system and air conditioning.
Waite wrapped up the project just in time to take his rolling creation down to this year’s 2012 World of Wheels car show in Rosemont, where it garnered a Best in Class and the Coolest ’50s Car judges award.
“Everyone wanted to know which high dollar hot rod shop built the car, to which I replied, ‘I did!’ Everyone finds it hard to believe a car of this caliber could be built in a simple 2½-car garage without the use of big time tools or builders,” he said.
Looks like this rolling Handyman ended up with the perfect walking handyman. And the result is one dazzling street machine — and one very proud owner.