A Chance Encounter Brings a Builder, Owner and a Custom 1957 Safari Together
Behind every cool ride is a story of how the car, owner, and builder came together to create a dream vehicle. For Homer and Alice Zamora, a chance meeting in a Las Vegas restaurant a few years ago connected them with Kenny Welch and his team at Kenny’s Rod Shop, plus a rare Pontiac – a 1957 Safari to be exact – that would ultimately become this dream cruiser.
“It was for sale and had been around a long time in our hometown, Meridian, Idaho,” Homer says. “We were sitting next to the Kenny’s crew (not knowing them) and overheard a conversation and where they were from. We struck up a conversation and talked about a 1957 Safari and the rest is history.”
Locating a ’57 Safari anywhere is uncommon; finding one that close to your home is even more so. While mid-’50s Safaris and their Chevy Nomad cousins are highly prized now, back in the ’50s they were not big sellers. While 6,103 Nomads were sold in ’57, just 1,294 Safaris left dealer lots.
The Zamoras’ Safari is certainly recognizable as a Pontiac, but today’s version is anything but stock. The team at Kenny’s Rod Shop rebuilt it from the ground up, starting with a Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs chassis and suspension components, as well as Wilwood discs on all four corners and Raceline Wheels (19×8 in front, 20×12 in the rear) wrapped in Toyo rubber.
Power comes from a GM LS3 V8 that produces 530 horsepower. Ultimate Headers guide exhaust waste through custom pipes built by Kenny’s craftsmen. A GM 4LE80 automatic transmission is controlled by PSC touch-control shifter. The offset air cleaner was mounted on the passenger side of the engine compartment for a distinctive look and to allow for a clean engine cover.
The smooth metal work under the hood and refined exterior sheet metal was all done in-house by the KRS team, while the custom PPG Zamora Blue finish was applied by Regenerated Rides. All the stainless trim pieces were chromed by Odgen Chrome.
To modernize the interior, the team at Recovery Room in Nebraska created custom seats that are covered in blue leather with vintage fabric accents. The dash from a ’55 Safari was installed and fitted with custom Classic Instruments gauges, a tilt column, and a Sparc steering wheel. A custom center console runs through to the rear seat. Leather-covered, one-of-a-kind storage compartments fit snugly into the wagon’s cargo area. Cooling comes from a Vintage Air system, American Autowire components connect the electrical devices, while pedals and handles came from Billet Specialties.
“This car turned out awesome,” Homer says. Indeed, it’s the outstanding result of a fortuitous encounter for everyone involved (and the 1957 Safari!).
Photos by Mike Christensen and Terry Lysak
