It’s funny how things work out sometimes. Take for instance this gorgeous 1950 Chevrolet Coupe owned by Danny McCallister of Inman, South Carolina.

Once upon a time, it was owned by Danny’s high school buddy, Danny Kennedy. Kennedy used to give McCallister a lift to school everyday. After graduation and years into adulthood, Danny started to have dreams about this classic car from his past.

As luck would have it, in 2012, Danny was offered a chance to buy the car for $7,500. Not being one to shy away from a piece of nostalgia from his past and to make good on some nocturnal ideas, which had been running around in his mind mid-slumber, McCallister quickly withdrew the money from his bank account to purchase it and close the deal.

Danny appreciates restored cars, but this 1950 Chevy Coupe was destined for greater things. As with most custom enthusiasts, the last thing Danny wants to do is build an unmodified show car.

In fact, it is sort of like a personal demon for a true custom enthusiast to own a completely bone stock show car. Danny made sure he kept his sanity intact by fabricating one of the sickest 1950 Chevy Coupes that was in attendance at the 10th Annual Goodguys Nashville Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee.

Starting It Off Right

As with most worthwhile custom builds, it takes time to get things in order and a bit of money to make what happens on the drawing board plausible. The production of Danny’s rolling art piece, from start to finish, took two years of knuckle busting and put a hefty $65,000 dent into his finances.

Sacrifices must be made to roll with the big boys in this expensive hobby, and Danny should know since he has been wrenching on cars for 40 years, and is part owner of D&D Hot Rods in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Once the car was delivered safely to its new home, it was quickly disassembled in preparation for the laundry list of modifications it was to receive over the next 24 months.

As with most frame-off builds, the first objective on the list was to tackle the chassis. Once a rolling chassis was established, the body would be next, followed by the engine and interior, along with a combination of small detailed items.

Kustom At Its Finest

Starting off, this ’50 Chevy Coupe achieves its killer ground-hugging stance from a modified frame and suspension system. A Mustang II front-end was grafted into place and followed up with a 1986 Monte Carlo SS rearend with posi-traction and 4.10 gearing.

Up front, the Coupe’s additional drop is achieved with tubular a-arms and dropped spindles, while the rear received a custom four-link. Keeping the ’50 Chevy that low to the ground full-time would make it nearly impossible to drive around, so Danny opted for a full Air Ride Technologies Ride Tech suspension using Shockwave air bags on all four corners.

With the dynamic air suspension in place, Danny has the ability to quickly raise his car to a reasonable driving height, suitable for any driving condition. When it’s time to show off all the sexiness his ’50 Chevy has to offer, the air is easily purged from the air bags that brings her down to the ground, nice and smooth via electronic commands from the Air Ride controller.

The Coupe’s body is about as straight and perfect as you’d expect from a guy whose experience spans 40 years. The body looks a lot different from the one that rolled off the GM assembly line in the 1950s.

Danny likes old cars, but as with most hot rodders, he prefers clean over clutter. The front grille and bumper area was reworked to give the nose less bulk.

The stock headlight mounts were modified to fit a set of modern clear Jeep Liberty headlights and the body moldings on the hood were shaved. Under the hood, the stock latching system was changed over to a custom side catch pin system, the firewall and fenders were smoothed, and a custom radiator cover closes up the gap by flowing down to the top of the grille.

Originally, the 1950 Chevy Coupes have split windshields and a window visor that runs across the top. Danny decided to change it up a bit by installing a one-piece green tinted window and leaving the visor off.

The tail end of the car received a custom makeover, the original bumper was modified, custom LED taillights were flush mounted to the body, and the trunk lid and fenders shaved and smoothed. Danny kept the stock chrome door handles deciding to not go the shaved route.

The trim around the windows was changed to match the corresponding paint scheme. At the base of the hard top of these 1950 Chevy Coupes, GM installed chrome body molding, which Danny decided to retain as if to tease a purist of the car’s past. Once the body was sanded and smoothed to perfection, it was time for the paint booth where the body received a rich coat of jet black paint along with several coats of clear.

Up Close And Personal

Under the hood is a gearhead’s dream come true—a reworked and massaged 2006 LS2 small block V8 engine. An electric fan and aluminum radiator was installed, along with custom hoses, and Howell wiring.

The exhaust exits through a pair of Hedman headers, down 2.5-inch stainless pipes, and through stainless steel Flowmaster mufflers. A Tremec T-56 six-speed transmission helps get the beast down the road in short order.

The engine and transmission combine for 505hp and approximately 490lb-ft of torque. On the aesthetics side, a Billet Specialties air cleaner, custom valve covers, and a paint-matched motor gives the engine compartment plenty of style.

Going Inside

A trip to the D&D Hot Rods in-house upholstery shop was next on the list, and Danny wanted the interior to scream hot rod. Danny stitched up and covered the Chrysler 300 front electric bucket seats and the split rear seats in red leather with black and red houndstooth inserts.

The custom door panels, custom 2-piece headliner, and trunk area were also finished in red leather. Red Mercedes carpeting covers the floor and trunk areas.

The dash was smoothed out and the gauge pod area moved to the center in preparation for the Custom Classic Instruments gauge. A Vintage Air cooling system was also installed along with a ’55 Chevy steering wheel that caps off the ’72 pickup steering column.

A custom center console, flowing front to rear, gives the interior a modern appearance and houses the Hurst Shifter, which would make Linda Vaughn proud, and includes stylish floating arm rests. Billet Specialties window cranks, door handles, and rear view mirror add additional detail to the interior. A Pioneer audio system consisting of 5-inch front kick panel speakers, 6×9-inch trunk mounted speakers, a trunk mounted 10-inch sub, and 400watt amplifier provides crisp audio fidelity inside the Coupe.

Finishing Touches

Finishing off Danny’s Chevy Coupe is a set of Billet Specialties Vintec Dish wheels—18×7-inch in the front and 20×9-inch in the rear, all wrapped up nice and tight in Michelin 225/45/18 and 255/40/20 rubber, respectively. Slowing the down these billet bad boys is a Wilwood complete braking system consisting of performance calipers, cross-drilled and slotted rotors, all fitted with stainless steel brake lines.

Without the help of Dale Vicars and Cliff Simmons, who both brought their own talents and ideas to the table, Danny admits it would have been tough to complete the car in a 2-year time frame on his own. Danny can’t be happier with the ending result.

Being such a custom enthusiast, Danny knows he’s lucky to have a job where he gets to mix his work with pleasure, and his Chevy is an extension of those good times. The ’50 Coupe picked up the Goodguys Cool Custom award in Charlotte, North Carolina, since being completed, but the real reward for Danny is owning a cool custom car that is fast and fun to drive.