A Chevrolet for the USA – Brad and Jill Eales’ ’47 Fleetline is a Sleek Survivor Built for Touring
Editor’s note: The Goodguys media team decided to select one vehicle from the 2021 Goodguys Hall of Fame Road Tour for a Gazette and FuelCurve.com feature. There were many deserving candidates, but we ultimately felt the ’47 Chevy Fleetline driven by Brad and Jill Eales and their daughter Katelyn best reflected the spirit and fun of the Road Tour experience.
“My daughter, Katelyn, and I have always liked Fleetlines,” says Brad Eales. “Not sure why, but we do. I had been searching for years for a 1947 or ’48 Fleetline, but it seemed most of the quality ones stayed on the West Coast.
“I found this 100-percent original car on eBay,” Brad continues. “I purchased it from a family of antique collectors in Virginia, who bought the car in 1969 at an estate sale and stored it, as they were Ford fans getting a great deal on a Chevy. Eventually, the owners were needing to find space to hold a wedding reception and the Fleetline was taking up that space, so they listed it on eBay. The original owner won the car in 1947 as a raffle prize from a grocery store in Scranton, Pennsylvania.”
From the start, Brad says the goal was to maintain the Chevy’s original cosmetic charm and light patina, while updating everything else for a better driving experience. “I wanted this car to be built for road touring,” Brad says. “Chris Tietge of Tietge’s Hot Rods in New Lebanon, Ohio, along with his longtime friend Greg Dyke, completed 90-percent of all modifications. They disassembled and assembled the car with all the frame and interior modifications.”
Those modifications included a Progressive Automotive tubular X-member to stiffen the frame, with a Fatman independent front suspension, RideTech triangulated four-link rear supporting a Moser 9-inch rearend, and RideTech coil-overs all around. Wilwood disc brakes were mounted behind the Billet Specialties 18×7-inch wheels with Michelin tires.
Brad had Dargie Racing Engines build a 575-horsepower LS3 crate engine to fit in the updated chassis. It was equipped with Holley EFI and ignition, Billet Specialties valve covers and accessory drive, and Hooker headers leading to a custom exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. The engine was backed with a 4L70E transmission and was nicely detailed with gray paint similar to the original inline six hue.
In anticipation of the road miles to come, a Tea’s Design bench seat was installed inside, along with updates like new carpet, Classic Instruments gauges, Vintage Air, Lokar pedals, and a Limeworks steering wheel topping the Ididit tilt column. The headliner and sunvisors are original, while other replacement upholstery material came from Ciadella. Kent Richison wired the car using an American Autowire harness.
True to the plan, the Fleetline body was essentially left alone, with most effort going into detailing, polishing, and minor touchups. The decades-old black lacquer paint is chipped and checked in some areas, but still shines up beautifully.
“The rest of the details were sorted out by myself and very good friend Carey Dalbey of Richmond, Indiana,” Brad says. “Also, a big thank you to Boris at Street Machinery, who supplied a lot of the aftermarket parts. Considering the car was built on jack stands, I couldn’t be more pleased.”
After enjoying the 2019 Hall of Fame Road Tour-East in their ’36 Ford coupe, Brad and Jill were excited to hit the road in the Fleetline last fall. The Chevy lived up to his expectations: “6,200 miles and I didn’t do a damn thing to it,” Brad says. “It ran flawless.”
As for the journey, it surpassed both Brad and Jill’s expectations, especially since their daughter Katelyn was able to join them.
“I can’t imagine having a better family trip with beautiful landscapes and riding along with 45 of the finest hot rods in the country,” Brad says. “That trip was just phenomenal. To see the quality of those cars being driven was just cool. It made me feel good the whole time. People just don’t understand how beautiful this country is.”
Photos by Steven Bunker & Damon Lee
