1948 Chevrolet Style Master: PJ and JJ Erasmus' Masterpiece

Owners: PJ Erasmus and JJ Erasmus
Photos by jan van der Walt

BODY WORK

The Style Master arrived with a subpar restoration, but PJ and JJ saw its potential. They entrusted Steel Road Rod and Customs to strip the car down to bare metal, discovering minimal rust. By October 5, 2019, the body was in primer, ready for its transformation. Steel Road Rod and Customs executed numerous body modifications, including a 50mm top chop, widening the rear fenders by 100mm, creating seamless fenders, and custom rear and front valances. They also crafted custom grille bars, shaved all badges and beadings, and removed the front window pillar.

Willie at Steel Road Rod and Customs mixed and designed the car's striking “brandy-wine” and “antique-silver” paint scheme. Numerous pencil designs on the primed body led to the final dividing lines between the colors. The result was a stunning finish with ten coats of clear, wet-sanded and polished to perfection.

CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION

The original chassis was modified to accommodate Jaguar XJS front and rear suspensions, enhancing the car's drivability. These suspensions were completely rebuilt, featuring new discs, caliper pistons, rubbers, bearings, and seals. The steering rack was overhauled, and new shocks were installed. All Jaguar parts were sourced from Jag Daimler Spares in George, Western Cape. The Jaguar suspensions provided all-around disc brakes, power steering, an independent limited-slip differential, and an XJS diff ratio, perfect for cruising.

MOTOR AND GEARBOX

The heart of this restomod is a Chev 350, assembled from brand-new parts. The gearbox, a turbo box with a shift-kit, had been waiting for this project for a decade. Built in-house by PJ and JJ, the engine features a 400 CI Chev small block, bored 30 thou over, with Keith Black flat-top pistons and an Edelbrock air-gap intake. The setup includes roller rockers, Dart Sportsman 2 cast iron heads with angled plugs and 72CC chambers, and 2.02 and 1.6 stainless valves. ARP conrods, a cam with 295/218 at 50 thou, a GMHEI distributor, and a 650 Holley vacuum secondaries round out the build, producing approximately 300 hp. This powerhouse will soon be upgraded with an MSD bolt-on fuel injection system. The exhaust system is a stainless steel 3-inch custom-built setup with cut-outs and Cowley mufflers, crafted in-house.

INTERIOR AND DASHBOARD

A.A.W. Upholstery handled the interior, featuring custom headliner, door panels, and carpets. The front and rear seats, sourced from a Pajero, fit perfectly. The in-house built center console featured imported wood from Mozambique, while a retro-radio was imported to fit the original dash. The sound system included two 12-inch TARGA 6000W subwoofers, two JBL 6 1⁄2-inch 270W front speakers with crossovers and tweeters, and Pioneer 6 1⁄2-inch 350W rear speakers, powered by two TARGA amps, 6000W and 24 000W.

Electric windows, an old-school cassette air conditioner, and a chrome tilt steering column with a wood steering wheel added modern comforts. Custom gauges were fitted into the original dash, with a rev-counter replacing the clock. Imported parts from Wayne’s World included the steering column, gauges, steering wheel, exhaust cut-outs, original Chev hubcaps, brake booster and master cylinder, LED tail lights, LED headlights, MSD fuel injection kit, door handles, electric window mechanisms, and side mirrors.

WHEELS AND OTHER PARTS

The wheels are widened standard steel Jaguar rims, fitted with BF Goodrich tires (295/50/15 and 235/60/15) and original Chevrolet hubcaps. Steel Road Rod and Customs modified the grille, and the headlights were upgraded to 7-inch LEDs with turn indicator surrounds. The tail lights retained their original shape but were converted to LEDs. The custom-built 80L aluminum fuel tank was crafted in-house. Chromed parts by Anderbolt included the grille, custom exhaust tips, boot hinges, and handle. A custom cool box showcases before and after pictures of the build.

REBUILD TIME: 4 1⁄2 YEARS

Steel Road Rod and Customs, Wayne’s World, RS Performance, and SAB played vital roles in this project's success. Willie at Steel Road Rod and Customs reflected, “We at Steel Road Rod and Customs enjoyed the build with Piet and Japie. The paint job was challenging but rewarding. Ten coats of clear were wet-sanded and polished to a mirror finish. The brandy-wine color makes this Chevy something special.”

PJ and JJ Erasmus now have a masterpiece in their 1948 Chevrolet Style Master—a testament to their dedication, skill, and love for classic cars.