Words: Chadly Johnson
Like many of us, Mark Hettevig has been a long time fan of Chevy Fleetlines… They are simply cool cars. Mark made the decision to seek one out and made several trips around the USA to look at potential cars to purchase. One trip was to S. California to check out a gorgeous black ‘48 that looked perfect all around - until you got underneath the car, which is common car hunting reality. Frustrated but not deterred, Mark made another trip, this time all the way to the East Coast, and struck gold. The ‘48 he ended up purchasing had received a concourse level restoration a few years prior back to factory specs. It was the perfect foundation for what Mark envisioned for the car.
Next came finding a shop to build his vision. Mark turned to MetalWorks Classic Auto Restoration in Eugene, Oregon. He knew he wanted the Fleetline to sit on a modern chassis with air ride, for which MetalWorks suggested an Art Morrison chassis. MetalWorks is AME’s largest dealer and is the authority when it comes to designing the perfect AME chassis package for their customer’s desired use of an automobile.
When the ‘48 arrived at MetalWorks, the crew got busy removing the body from the original chassis and modifying the rear floors to allow for the air ride suspension. The guys at the shop were thoughtful and did not modify when unnecessary, and soon the Fleetline was sitting on its new Morrison chassis. The only other area of modification was the firewall, to make room for the beefed up 292 ci engine, which was built by Mark’s cousin and put out nearly 300hp. Additional creature comforts were added, such as Vintage Air and a modern stereo, before the Fleetline roared to life in its new format.
The end result is exactly what Mark wanted, and a car he cruises almost daily. The ‘48’s ride is smooth and comfortable, but also very responsive when Mark decides to press on the load pedal on back road corners. The Chevy is a great combination of stock looks with modern performance hidden under its sheet metal.