When Leo Janssen decided to take one of the most iconic Chevrolet cars and turn it into a ute, he had one goal in mind: It must look like it emerged from the factory.
That car was the 1957 Chevrolet, probably the most collectible Chev of all time. Certainly in Australia It is now almost 20 years since he started work on the project. It would take six years to complete. Today, it looks as good as it ever, and to the non-savvy Chevrolet fan, looks indeed like it emerged from the Chevrolet factory 52 years ago. Leo's insistence that it must look factory built is witnessed by the fact the car from the B-pillar forward is original. Well almost. Those wheels are hardly factory fitted.The 57 Chevvy is straight from the golden era of US car design.
No matter whether you bought a Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Buick, Pontiac, Lincoln or Cadillac ... in the 50s it had style. And, invariably, a big, gas-guzzling V8 rumbling like a thunderstorm under the bonnet, or as the yanks call it, under the `hood'.Leo bought his 57' Chevvy at auction at Southport on the Gold Coast for $600 in the late 1980s. He wanted a Chev, but one that would stand out, not just your ordinary, garden-variety 57 sedan. (with apologies to those who own a garden-variety 57 Chev)
“I wanted something different, that people would remember when they left the show,” he said.
“I wanted a ute.”
He sawed the car in half, just behind the B-pillar, but left the chassis untouched. The front half and rolling chassis he gave to a panel beater to start what would be a challenging transformation. Six long, frustrating years later the ute emerged. Its tray was hand-built to suit the front half while the rear mudguards were sourced from a Dodge Fargo truck, of a similar vintage.
To start with the mudguards were only three inches wide, so they had to be significantly broadened to match the width of the front guards.
And, to complicate matters further a lip had to be built in the guard to match a similar shape in the front guards. He was adamant the rear of the vehicle should match the front in every respect. “I wanted the car to look like it came out of the Chev factory,” said Leo. “If the back did not match the front, the factory look would simply not be there.”
Under the bonnet is a 283 cubic inch small block Chevrolet V8 linked to a two-speed Powerglide automatic. The back end is simply wonderful with the standard 57 Chev bumper bar extended and chromed along each side to the back of the rear of the mudguards.
The tail-lights are off a 1958 Chev while the c-h-e-v-r-o-l-e-t lettering across the tail-gate is off the bonnet of a 1964 Chev. The back part of the three window cabin was sourced from a J2 Bedford. The three windows not only suit the era, but are also practical for driver rear and side vision. While the structural work was completed by a panel beater, Leo did not sit by idly, signing the odd cheque. He had all the chrome work done and selected and fitted the marine ply inside the tray.
At first he was going to use the ute as a work vehicle. But, as is obvious, he found the finished product far exceeded his expectations and was literally too good, and too valuable, to be used as a workhorse.Soon after work was finished Leo's ute was taken to Canberra for the Summernats in the early 1990s where it took out both the `People's Choice' award and the `Wild Custom' awards.These were the first of many awards, although the car has not been entered for years in any shows.To some, the idea of playing God with a 57 Chevvy, might be sacrosanct. We reckon the photographs prove otherwise. This is one hell of a ute, welcome in our garage any time.
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