Jonn Gessner’s ’55 Second Series Has Seen a Lot of Action

A wise man once said, “That truck isn’t really yours. You’re just its caretaker for the moment.” That’s a completely true statement, assuming that you don’t keep the truck for a substantial amount of time, which is the case with John Gessner’s ’55 Chevy second series, and the 23 years that it’s been a part of his family.

In the two-plus decades since Gessner took possession of the ’55, it’s seen a few builds. At one point, it sported a big-block and a straight axle, and it was ready to hit the track. Another time it was a full-blown street rod complete with a 350 ram jet, and today, well, that’s where we come to the latest installment of the truck known to Gessner and his family as Elvis.

Gessner wanted to do something different this time around, so instead of going for power or building a show truck, he decided to do the patina look and have something fun and reliable that he wouldn’t have to worry about. As a bonus, many of the modifications that would’ve been done to a stock truck to get to this point were already finished, which saved him time in the long run.

Up front, the truck sits on a 1979 Camaro subframe with Fatman spindles and Hotchkis lowering springs. The rearend is from a 1957 Chevy car, and sits on leaf springs with traction bars. A set of Chevrolet Rally Wheels is mounted on all four corners: 15x7s up front and 15x10s out back.

IF THIS ELVIS COULD TALK, HE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF STORIES TO TELL. TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF HISTORY WITH ANYTHING IS A LONG TIME, BUT GESSNER SURE DOES LIKE THE TRUCK, THAT’S CERTAIN.”

But it’s the paint that’s the real star of the show here, and the masters at Wicked Kustoms in Moorseville, North Carolina handled it. That blue basecoat is DuPont Laguna Seca Blue, known for its popularity on the BMW M3 from a few years back. Then Greg Dahl (also from Wicked Kustoms) came in and laid down the faux patina that sits everywhere on the truck, including the cool dealership- style logo on the doors. The whole thing was buttoned up with a flat clear-coat finish using House of Kolor products, completing that old-school look with new-school tools.

If this Elvis could talk, he would have a lot of stories to tell. Twenty-three years of history with anything is a long time, but Gessner sure does like the truck, that’s certain. What its future holds is anyone’s guess, but for now, we sure do like it the way it sits. ST

 

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNERS

John E. Gessner
1955 Chevrolet Truck, Second Series
Moorseville, NC
A&J’s Southern Rod Shop

ENGINE

• GM 350-ci V-8
• Edelbrock intake manifold and carburetor
• 1960 Edelbrock valve covers
• Custom K&N air cleaner
• Sanderson headers with mandrel-bent exhaust
• Four-speed Saginaw manual transmission
• Hurst shifter
• 3:43:1 gears with posi

SUSPENSION

• 1979 Camaro subframe
• Fatman 2-inch drop spindles
• Hotchkis lowering springs
• 1957 Chevrolet car rearend
• Rear leaf springs with traction bars
• C-notched frame

WHEELS & TIRES

• 15×7 and 15×10 Chevrolet Rally wheels
• 225/70R15 front and 295/50R15 rear BFGoodrich

BODY & PAINT

• Shop: Wicked Kustoms in Moorseville, NC
• 1997 Cadillac DeVille taillights
• Custom-louvered hood with front-tilt hinges
• Metal bed floor from a Chevrolet S-10
• Tailgate chains shaved
• DuPont Laguna Seca Blue
• House of Kolor flat clear coat
• Rust and patina airbrushing by Greg Dahl at Wicked Kustoms

INTERIOR

• Black vinyl upholstery
• Green glass
• 1956 Chevrolet reproduction 15-inch steering wheel
• Silver painted dashboard
• Omega Kustom Instruments gauges
• Radio delete

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