Summary

Inspired by 'Moonglow,' the '54 Chevy built by Duane Steck and featured on the cover of Car Craft magazine, this custom is a great find. Automatic transmission.

Details

Offered from the Gordon Apker Collection, this 1954 Chevrolet Custom Convertible was inspired by a full-custom '54 Chevy hardtop that was built in California in the late 1950s. That car was built and owned by Duane Steck and known as 'Moonglow.' When Moonglow appeared on the cover of Car Craft magazine, Gordon really took a liking to it. He and his wife never really forgot about the custom Chevy from California. Years later, Gordon was inspired to build a similar car, but using a '54 Chev convertible instead of a hardtop like Moonglow. He found a perfectly restored convertible at a car meet somewhere in the Midwest. With this nicely restored car, he had his bodyman and mechanics at his shop in Des Moines turn it into his own version of a Moonglow-inspired custom convertible. The work included chopping the top while retaining a chopped folding top and adding frenched headlights and frenched '56 Chrysler taillights. The rear bumper was lowered and the grille modified with extra teeth. Door handles, hood and decklid trim were removed just as it was on the original Moonglow. The interior is in the stock pattern and is by Ciadella. The exterior colors were changed from the original Moonglow which had blue in the inset to an orange-red which goes well with the interior colors. The mildly modified engine was equipped with twin carburetors and mated to the stock Powerglide. The car was lowered all around and dropped spindles were used in front. Gordon was always proud to mention that nothing used on the car is anything that wasn't used in the 1950s. Nothing newer than the mid-'50s was used on the body or mechanical details of this car. Now offered from the Gordon Apker Collection, this custom Chevy convertible is a fine tribute to the original 'Moonglow' custom of period fame and an exciting find.