In the classic car hobby we often hear stories about guys who build or restore cars in their home garage. Many pride themselves on doing the lion's share of the work themselves, but in most cases it is a collective effort. A machine shop is called upon to look after the engine, a body shop pounds out the dents and applies the paint, and an upholstery shop is commissioned to do the interior.
What makes the story of Paul Roy's stunning 1950 Chevrolet truck particularly amazing is that he not only did all the work himself, but he was also a total garage rookie. "Before I started this project I knew absolutely nothing about cars," admits Roy. "I drove them, and that was about it."
While it may seem impossible to imagine a rookie mechanic and fabricator building such a beautiful machine, when Roy speaks of his background it becomes a little easier to understand.
He has been a carpenter for more than 30 years, and has been an artist for his entire life. His resumé includes a number of custom kitchens, bathrooms and furniture and is highlighted by the cool guitar bar he built at Johnny G's restaurant on Main Street. Roy, who is totally self-taught, also has a background in sculpting, and has done wood, soapstone and bone carvings.
"If I can draw a picture of something, I can build it," offered Roy. "I'm not afraid to try new things and I like challenging myself."
While the truck is his first foray into the custom automotive world, Roy also has a background in boats -- cabin cruisers to be exact -- and has refurbished a number of them over the years. He got into motorcycles, too. A few years back he took a Harley-Davidson Super Glide that he describes as a "basket case," and transformed it into a custom Electra Glide that he rode all the way to Banff on as soon as it was finished.
The truck arrived in his garage thanks to his longtime friend Peter Whitehead, who actually gave it to him. It was a basket case too, in fact it wasn't even a complete truck, the frame was missing and the body was stuffed into the rusty pickup's box.
Although he owned all of the tools of the trade required for carpentry, Roy is quick to admit he lacked the tools required for metal and mechanical work. "I bought a welder, a grinder and a few hand tools, and went to work," said Roy. "You really don't need as many tools as you'd think to do a project like this." Whitehead gave him a quick 10-minute lesson on welding and he was set to go. The first metal he cut and welded was the roof on the truck's cab; he chopped 3.5 inches out of it and welded it back together. He also spent countless hours getting the body panels and doors arrow-straight. The truck really is unique, and Roy performed some interesting metal surgery to achieve this, including cutting out the original Chevrolet script that was stamped into the truck's tailgate and welding it into the back of the truck beneath the rear window. The tailgate and truck box were also built from scratch, and Roy's carpentry skills are apparent in the woodwork on the truck's box. The wooden slats are beautifully finished and would look totally at home in a high-end dining room.
The frame is a 1950 Chevrolet, but Roy grafted the front end from a 1976 Chevrolet Nova onto the chassis. This added an independent front suspension and power disc brakes. He also revamped the remainder of the chassis with all-new suspension and brake components. All of the work was done in his single garage; to utilize the space he had to work with, Roy lifted the chassis up into the rafters of his garage to access the underside.
The engine is a small block Chevrolet 350 out of a 1974 Chevrolet truck. The mighty mouse is linked to a Turbo 350 transmission. Even the exhaust system was bent and welded in Roy's home garage.
The truck features parts from several makes and models, a great deal of these parts were found at Buck's Auto Parts on Springfield Road. The seats are from a Ford Mustang, the gas door is from a Ford van, the door handles are from a Dodge Colt and the steering column is from a Chevy van.
When it came time to apply paint, Roy went to Rondex Limited and picked out bright silver and laser red hues. Roy hung up plastic vapour barrier in his garage to create a paint booth, and painted all of the parts and panels in pieces. For the flames Roy lined things up by eye and taped them off. While most flame painters practice on fridges, garbage cans, and even derelict cars, Roy offered that these were the first and only flames he has ever painted. The result is some of the cleanest flames ever.
With the exception of the seats that his cousin Len Worboski of Len's Custom Upholstery recovered, even the interior was done by Roy. To get things lit up and rolling, a custom "It's A Snap" wiring kit was utilized. Many of the electrical items on the truck were a challenge. One example is the use of a power window mechanism from a Chevy that is hooked up to Ford switches. The wheels and tires were kept simple and classic -- Roy opted to use Chevrolet rally wheels typically found on Monte Carlos and Corvettes from the 1970s.
Roy works for himself, and becomes immersed in a job until it is completed. Often he will take on a project such as a kitchen or bathroom and work at it for two or three straight weeks without a day off. The days or weeks between jobs allowed him the time required to build the truck. "Sometimes I would work on it for 18 hours a day, stopping only to eat and sleep," said Roy, who is 50 years old.
It took only 18 months to complete the truck, and Roy also converted a few of his friends along the way. "My friend Andy Katz went from being my biggest critic to my biggest fan," said Roy with a laugh. "He told me there was no way I would ever be able to do it, but now he constantly tells me I should have my own TV show." His friend Roscoe refers to him as the Chip Foose of the north. "I've never met anyone else like Paul in my life," said Roscoe. "Once he sets his mind to do something he can't be stopped."
The reaction to Roy's creation has been nothing short of amazing. The truck typically has a crowd around it when he attends car shows or the weekly Sunday night cruise at the Grant Park Pony Corral.
Now that Roy is a full-fledged gearhead, he has a second project on the go that promises to be even cooler than his current ride.
"It's another 1950 Chevrolet truck, but this one is going to be even wilder, with a removable chopped top and a laid back windshield," said Roy. "It's going to be very different."
At the time of our interview, Roy hadn't been in the garage for more than three weeks. "I'm starting to feel the itch and I can't wait to get back to work on it."
The next time you think you can't do something without the help of others, just think of Paul Roy. In 2005, he had never even done an oil change on his own car, and less than two years later he was driving down the road in a custom truck he built entirely himself.
It's enough to make a guy want to go out and buy a welder!
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