1955 CHEVY BECOMES "E-ROD"

GM got the write-up wrong, but it got the car “right.” The automaker’s description of its new ’55-Chevy-based E-Rod says, “The exterior wears factory-style chrome Bel Air trim, which accents the custom PPG colors applied by GM.” Well, the show car they built for SEMA is actually a Two-Ten. The heart of the E-Rod is a 6.2-liter 430-hp emissions-legal crate engine. GM Performance Parts says it was built to illustrate a typical install of the E-Rod engine kit. "It is a simple, clean and straightforward approach to building a '55 Chevy," said the car’s designer Dave Ross. "There are not many custom features that required labor-intensive fabrication; our goal was to depict how the E-ROD system could be incorporated in any classic vehicle, whether it's a '55 Chevy, street rod or '69 Camaro." The E-ROD package will be available through GM dealers, authorized GMPP retailers and the www.gmperformanceparts.com Website. It lists for $9,375.