1950 Chevy Convertible - Righteous Ragtop

Over the last few years we've witnessed a blurring of the line separating street rods from what were once known as custom rods. Now the border formed by the magic year designation 1948 holds less sway, and more and more diehard rodders are taking advantage of the vast array of styles, sizes, and comparative luxury that later-model rods afford.

Jon Kennedy and his awesome '50 Chevy convertible are a perfect example of a tried-and-true street rodder crossing the line and building a post-'48 car with all the enthusiasm and attention to detail he exercised for years on his '32 highboy, '34 three-window, and '36 and '47 Ford woodies-and we're honored to have the opportunity to show this one off in the pages of SRM.

Jon and his son, L.J., spent around two and a half years massaging the forlorn '50 into shape after finding it in an outbuilding of a Murietta, California, estate where it had been parked for years. Time had taken its toll on the old girl, but according to Jon, the most important factor was that it was totally complete-allowing him to concentrate on restoration versus prospecting for parts.

The rodstoration was tackled in the same manner Jon had always followed, starting with the complete dismantling of the car. The newly bare frame was stripped and any and all extraneous voids and holes filled. That done, the frame was then treated with a fresh new powdercoat finish and the installation of a set of Total Cost Involved control arms, spindles, disc brakes, and antiroll bar by Walton Fabrication in Upland, California. Jon's pal, Duane McKinny, then fabbed up the Chevy's pedal assembly and installed its Mustang steering box, modified stock steering column, custom plumbing, and a myriad of other minor fabrication chores. Farther rearward, the frame received a fresh disc brake-equipped Currie 9-inch, a new pair of springs, and a pair of Monroe gas shocks.

The newly refreshed chassis then received a quartet of Wheel Smith 15x6 steel wheels wrapped in Dayton 215/15 tires, a Rock Valley stainless 16-gallon fuel tank, a turnkey LS1 crate engine backed by a 4L60E, a Driveline Specialties custom driveshaft, and a custom MagnaFlow muffled exhaust system fabricated by Mike Leach at Positive Performance to totally complete the roller.

Naturally, Jon, L.J., and friends were paying an equally generous amount of attention to the body while the chassis was under construction. Carl Winzen of Carl's Custom Color in Fullerton, California, massaged the Chevy's firewall to gain a bit of room under the dash for the extra electronics the LS1 required and spent countless hours working the car's expansive amount of sheetmetal into pristine shape. Once prepped and ready, he then shot it with a glass-smooth coating of DuPont SpectraMaster Yellow.

With the finished body and chassis again mated, the car was then treated to a new EZ Wiring harness, a freshly rebuilt gauge cluster, a Secret Audio hidden stereo system, a complete Vintage Air air conditioning system, and a newly cast stock steering wheel. After that, the Chevy made its way over to Anaheim, California-based Westminster Auto Upholstery for a healthy helping of stitchwork by Peter Engles as its finishing touch.

And there you have it, one heck of a street rod-post-'48 style!

Facts & FiguresJon and Midge KennedyOrange, California1950 Chevrolet Convertible