Bubbletop Dreams – John Flower’s ’62 Bel Air
“You’re never going to be happy until you do your bubble top.”
That’s what Kadi Flowers told her husband John when he brought up building another vintage car. That was all John needed to hear, and he was soon scouring Facebook groups and searching the web for a worthy ’62 Bel Air candidate. He found one in Texas that was in pieces and being offered reluctantly by the son of the owner who had passed away. A deal was struck, the pieces were shipped to John’s home in South Carolina, and the planning commenced.
John feels that there’s not much you can do to improve the body lines of a ’62 Chevy bubble top, so the team at Muscle Car Accessories focused on tightening the gaps, removing the fuel filler door, tucking and modifying the bumpers, and getting the body laser straight prior to applying the custom-mixed PPG white paint. They also channeled the body over a new Art Morrison Enterprises chassis, striking a perfect stance with a set of 19- and 20-inch Schott Fuel wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber.
With the body of the ’62 refined, John really wanted to combine contemporary styling and comfort with the classic flavor of an Impala interior. Stitched by JB Interiors responded by modifying a set of Thunderbird bucket seats, crafting a custom console to house the Corvette shifter, and tricking out the rear seat’s speaker panel and package tray. Everything was covered in red and black leather from Hydes with square pleats and Impala styling cues throughout. The dash was updated with Dakota Digital instruments and a Vintage Air HVAC system.
Selecting the engine was easy for John as he’s a fan of the supercharged GM LT4, which easily boasts 650-horsepower yet is comfortable and easy to drive. Hot Rod Dynamics fabricated some amazing custom panels under the hood that surround the deep red LT4. An eight-speed automatic transmission (8L90E) was chosen for its advanced gearing and overdrive.
“I have a 2015 Z06 Corvette which basically has the same driveline as the ’62 and I have to tell you, I think the bubble top drives nicer than the Vette,” John said. What a testament to the chassis, driveline and build quality.
If your wife of 40-plus years brings up the fact that you still haven’t built one of your dream cars, you know two things immediately: You married the right woman and you’d better get working on that next project!
Photos by John Jackson & Damon Lee
