Goodguys 2025 Meguiar’s West Coast d’Elegance Award goes to Greg Heinrich’s ’35 Chevy Coupe built by Ironworks
Good things happen when there’s a comfortable fit between a car builder and his client. Enthusiast and collector Greg Heinrich and Rodger Lee and his team at Ironworks Speed & Kustom are a great example of such a relationship. They created a considerable stir a decade ago with the Fairway ’55 Chevy, a bright orange hot rod named after Greg’s Las Vegas Chevrolet dealership. And they’ve crafted another stunner with this Fairway ’35 Chevy coupe, which was just named the 2025 Meguiar’s West Coast d’Elegance winner at the Goodguys 24th Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals.
The project began seven years ago and has evolved in both scope and substance over the years. Artist Eric Black provided the design direction, with artist Tavis Highlander also providing input. The goal all along was to maintain the classic Chevrolet character, while refining everything from front to rear for improved performance and a classier, aesthetically elevated appearance.
The heavily modified Chevy frame has been boxed and fitted with a custom X-member. The front suspension consists of a dropped Magnum axle suspended by torsion bars and located by wishbones from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop. Another pair of JHRS wishbones locates the Winters quick-change rearend, which also rides on torsion bars and JRi shocks. Kinmont-style disc brakes from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop are employed on all four corners behind custom-machined 16- and 18-inch EVOD wheels wrapped in Coker tires.
In keeping with the vintage-appearing theme, a small-block Chevy was selected for power. It’s no generic crate engine, though. The Brodix block was CNC-machined to both smooth and lighten it, and then it was topped with Trick Flow aluminum heads and a Hilborn stack-style EFI intake with Holley electronics. Naturally, everything is impeccably painted, plated, and detailed, and there’s an authoritative rumble through the custom stainless exhaust. The engine is backed by a Bowler Performance-prepped Tremec TKX five-speed.
While the body is still unmistakably a ’35 Chevy, there are scores of changes refining and streamlining its profile. This includes a chopped and filled top, lengthened and wedge-sectioned body, reshaped fenders, a custom rear apron, and custom hood sides with CAD-designed vents. A multi-layer floor allows wiring and plumbing to be routed out of sight, while the firewall, toe board, and transmission tunnel are all custom machined. Ironworks created a pop-out windshield for the lowered top and fitted a custom-machined multi-piece grille to the front of the car. Mick’s Paint gets credit for the thousands of hours of prep and finish work on the custom-mixed blue PPG paint, while Sherm’s handled the chrome plating.
There’s much more chrome plating found inside, where there are custom-machined and plated floor inserts, seat frames, and dozens of other details. The entire dash is machined and houses center-mounted gauges from Classic Instruments and a one-off steering wheel on the custom column. Even the door panels incorporate a wealth of custom-machined elements. Upholstery legend Sid Chavers was called on to stitch the seat cushions in beautiful maroon leather using simple patterns, which helps balance out the many plated elements inside. The trunk is finished with similar attention to detail, and you’ll note there’s no rear firewall, but instead a custom-machined X-brace that allows you to see all the way into the interior. Scores of polished ARP fasteners are also used throughout the interior – and the entire build.
Heinrich’s coupe debuted earlier this year as it competed for the Slonaker Memorial Award at the Grand National Roadster Show. It arrived in Del Mar to a new landscape for the Meguiar’s West Coast d’Elegance award. This award, formerly known as Street Rod d’Elegance and part of the Goodguys Top 12 presented by BASF, has been opened up to 1965-and-earlier vehicles, which broadened this year’s competition base. The Top Five lineup reflected a great deal of variety and consisted of a ’53 Porsche, a ’63 Corvette, a ’31 Model A coupe, and a ’47 Cadillac convertible.
In the end, the construction quality, level of detail, consistency of theme, and sophistication of this coupe combined to elevate it among an elite group of worthy competitors. Rodger Lee says the car is the best his Ironworks team has ever built, and it proved itself by taking home the top prize in Del Mar. Goodguys extends a heartfelt congratulations to Greg Heinrich, the team at Ironworks Speed & Kustom, and everyone else involved in the creation of this amazing ’35 Chevy coupe, the 2025 Meguiar’s West Coast d’Elegance award winner!
Photos by Michal Christensen and Damon Lee
