Despite the family-vehicle stigma they've carried for decades, once-lowly station wagons have been hot commodities recently. So when Derick Samson, of Marshall, Missouri, got his hands on a clean '62 Chevrolet wagon, he was excited by the possibilities. The old family hauler needed a little straightening and a lot of mechanical aid, but when asking price was weighed against value, it was a steal.
To kick off the project, Derick cleaned the car's underside to bare metal before spending countless hours making the frame as slick as the top would soon be. Next came a full Air Ride Technologies suspension and a selection of parts from various sources to construct a four-wheel disc brake package to effectively stop the 18-inch American Racing wheels. Derick worked some magic on the once-grungy engine bay by crafting new splash aprons and a custom radiator shroud to complement the trick cover he built for the master cylinder and brake booster.
While Derick was handling fabrication and cosmetics, his dad Ken was screwing together a fresh 355ci small-block filled with TRW pistons, a .460-inch lift PBM cam, a 650-cfm Holley carb, and DynoMax headers with Flowmaster mufflers. Though the engine mods are mild, when paired with a Heinzler Bros-built Turbo 350 and 3,200-rpm B&M converter, they easily hurl the big wagon down the road at a rapid pace.
Derick kept the body mods to a minimum, but made sure the vast sheetmetal expanses were arrow-straight before concentrating on the massive cabin. There, he constructed a new instrument panel with raised pods to house Auto Meter instruments, installed vents for the Vintage Air system, and constructed a full-length console to separate four reshaped Sunfire seats. When all the metalwork was complete, Derick covered the exterior and interior steel surfaces in a slick layer of DuPont Sunset Orange. Derick had some strong ideas about the interior design, so he put together a detailed design plan before turning it over to Donnie Closser's Custom One Upholstery in Sedalia, Missouri. Fortunately, Donnie and Derick have worked together before, so the collaboration was successful.
All this may sound pretty much like the same tired story you've heard a bazillion times before, but there is a twist. At the time this car was built, Derick was just 19 years old. He did all the bodywork, painting, and design, plus a good share of the mechanical wrenching, all while attending college full time. Youthful exuberance is a wonderful thing; youthful exuberance coupled with raw talent is an unbeatable combination. So if you've ever wondered where the next generation of custom rod builders is coming from, take a look at what Derick cranked out in just 11 months. It would appear you're seeing the beginnings of a very successful building career at Samson Designs.