My name is Paul, I was referred here by Poncho62. I drive a 1997 extended cab 2wd L31 Vortec 350 truck, 4l60e auto transwith stock 3.42 rear gears with the G80 Gov-Lock locking rear dif. All stock save for the stock dual cats and dual glasspacks allowing for true dual exhaust.
My fun truck is a 1997 reg cab shortbox, Vortec L31 2wd, 4.10 gears currently with a G80 Gov-lock locking rear dif. Custom steel driveshaft, stock 4l60e 3 piece trans(bolt on 360º bellhousing/housing/extension housing), a stock 1995+ 4.3 S-10 V6 torque converter which brake stalls to 2800rpm at WOT, Mercruiser crossram marine MPFI intake manifold(used on marine Vortec 305,350,383 marine engines) with the stock stainless steel marine injectors which flow 28.4 lb/hr at the marine fuel pressure regulators 58 psi(the stock CSFI poppets flow 23.1 lb/hr at 64 psi), custom hybrid K&N FIPK air intake, blackbox PCM with LT4 knock module installed with a hybrid Fastchip/my own calibration flashed in it using Tunercats OBD2 calibration/flashing software.
Best's are 14.8 et, 94mph, 2.007 60ft these bests were attained with the stock L31 torque converter and stock CSFI (Central Port Fuel Injection) 96-99 Vortec L31 intake.
Here is a pic of the stock CSFI intake beside the Merc. crossram marine intake(marine intake of left-aluminum upperplenum and cast iron lower-stock intake has a composite upper plenum and cast aluminum lower manifold)
Marine intake as it comes off of a Mercruiser marine engine
Bottome of the plenum of the marine intake
Contrasted to this stock Vortec 305/350 intake manifold(look at all the injection "debris" directly in the airflow path)
Same crossram marine intake as purchased from GM Marine(notice the external fuel rails and injectors with vacuum referenced Fuel Pressure Regulator)
And lastly, but certainly not least, the 1957 Chev Belair, 2-Door Hardtop(2 door Sports Coupe), 283-Power-Pack heads, Single 4 bbl., 2-speed cast iron Powerglide, factory dual exhaust, 3.36 rear gears(stock for auto)
My Father (John) bought this car from the lower United States, the previous owner had started a frame off resto, Dad bought the car after the car was taken off the rotisserie with the frame finished in black paint, with the body set on the frame. The car arrived at the house with the engine in the front seat and the trans in the back seat, the car was many different shades of primer, but it was complete with the numbers matching. This was back in 1992, Dad did the resto himself, it took him 2 years to complete and a buddy Gary did the paint. I remember wet sanding the car with 2000 grit cloth, my shoulder still hurts lol.
Mom and Dad toured this car all around North America, it has visited 48 States of the USA, and most Provinces in Canada. The car was jusdged many times recieving its Platinum Certificate of the Contemporary class of the CCC and CCCC(Canada). Moms basement is FILLED with trophys and awards. The car was featured in the 1997 Snap-On Tools calendar, it was in the month of March with all the other Turquoise vehicles. Selection for 1997's calendar included Mexico, USA, Canada and Europe. The car was also featured by GM in a Superbowl commercial for the 1996 Cavalier. A to B in 40 years was the motto of the commercial.
Recently the 57 was in an article of Canadian Hotrods Feb 2013. The article talks about how Dad had a 1957 2 door hardtop "back in the day" that has the rear window filled with sheetmetal, but had a diamond cut out and filled with glass. It was known as the "diamondback" 57 Chev. It has a crate 1965 "fuelie headed" 365hp L-76 327 installed with a 4 barrel carb, but in a grudge match against Jim Oddy a dual 4 bbl intake was installed. Dad beat Jim Oddy withthe dual 4 bbl intake, and 5.13 rear gears which allowed the car to trap at 6700rpm. The car also had a crate 4 speed trans and new rear all 3 items were bought from Elliot Bros. Chevrolet here in Woodstock Ont. This car had a 50's Chev truck straight front axle for that Pro Gasser look.
Dad's last car build was to creat a clone of the old "Diamondback" 57 Chev. The original "diamondback" was located and purchased, of course the L-76 was long gone, a 307 in its place. The original "Diamondback" was in rough shape, so a 2 door hardtop was located and purchased to be transformed into a "Diamondback" clone. The clone was finished, straight front axle and all. There are a few pics of Dad's current 57 Belair, the original "Diamondback" car, and the "clone" all finished in Tropical Turquoise, all sitting there together for the last time.
The owner(Al) of the "clone" hired out the install of a Ford 9" rear, and Chev crate 383. He also sold the original "Diamondback" to another local business owner(Ron), who is the midst of rebuilding the "Diamondback" to its former glory.
It should be noted that (Al) also located and bought another of Dad's old projects, a 1930 Model T coupe. I remember riding with my Brother in the rumble seat of that car many years ago when we were kids. The owner installed a fuel cell in place of the rumble seat, installed a ZZ502 crate, 4 link 9" rear with 4.33 gears, and used a Horton frame during the build. I had the honour of firing up the 502 and backing the car, now a brilliant yellow, off the tilt load, into Dad's shop. Its 1st drive under BBC power.
In the Feb 2013 copy of Canadian Hotrods, there is a picture of my Mom and Dad sitting in the driverside door sill of the "clone". After the author Mike Bayliss took pics of the "Diamondback" and it's "clone" but before the release of the Feb edition, Dad passed away on August 5th, 2012 at the age of 69.
During the construction of the "clone" Dad was experiencing severe foot pain. A tiny spot was growing larger day by day, but Dad said he would build the car, and he was a man of his word, the "clone" must be finished. When the "clone" was finished, and loaded onto the trailer by it's owner, only a few days later, Dad had his left leg amputated below the knee. His lust of working on cars wouldnt be impeded by such a circumstance. While waiting for the scar to heal, Dad welded himself a metal prosthetic leg/crutch device, leather strapping attached above his knee and kept his bodyweight off the stump, and the metal frame has a pivot at his hip, and his weight was supported under his arm upon a wooden block. While this device did work, it wasnt ideal and once he was eventually fitted with a proper prosthetic, he was able to set aside his crutch like device.
Dad suffered from great pain at his incision and 2 years later, in early 2012 had a minor surgury to remove the offending nerve, this was very succesful. After a few weeks of healing, I drove my Dad to the local steel yard to buy some lengths of flatbar so he could build a 2nd version of his crutch device. He then had a scheduled surgury to improve bloodflow to his opposite good leg. After coming home from the hospital in July, Dad was rushed to hospital, 12 days later on Aug 5th 2012 after many strokes and heart attacks, he passed away with my Mom at his side, and holding his hand. We never got to build the 2nd version of his homebuilt prosthetic. At his funeral I drove the 57 from the church to the cemetary, Dad's ashes were resting between myself and Mom, it was Dad's last ride. There were about 50 classic cars behind us, and yes, the "clone" was in the procession, and the local police shut down the route for us.
So that is my introduction, sorry for the book, I just wanted to explain the history of the 57, and how I am now honoured to keep the car in great shape, and carry on my Dad's tradition of enjoying such a great example of a 1957 Belair.
I hope to share some knowledge, answer some questions, and learn some things during my time here.
-- Edited by Hog on Sunday 31st of March 2013 05:02:28 PM
Thanks for the great intro..Most of your stuff is way over my payscale..but welcome here, I am sure there are many who share your passion ..If I can't find it at Wallmart I can't afford it on my car..Do they sell performance stuff from China there ????
Welcome Paul. Great introduction. Hope you enjoy your ride here on this site. I remember seeing the "Diamond Back" 57 at last years London Autorama Show. Love the memories.
Welcome Paul I remember your dad's car cruising the streets of woodstock in the old day.i seen the 57 for years when it sat in the shop at M&L in Otterville Slink
When I was a kid I used to sit on the front stoop of my mom's apartment on Dundas in Woodsock and watch all the cars cruise up and down. The car I remember most is the diamondback 57, the look and sound of that car has stayed with me all these years.
I hope that it does get restored so I can share it and my memories with my grandsons.
I would of like to thank your dad in person for the memories that he has given me.
God bless
__________________
If they don't find ya handsom, the should find ya handy!
Knew your dad very well, remember his 3 wheeled bike with a volkswagen engine also. Quite a feat defeating Oddy, not many people could say that, unless Oddy was driving his wife's grocery getter.
Knew your dad very well, remember his 3 wheeled bike with a volkswagen engine also. Quite a feat defeating Oddy, not many people could say that, unless Oddy was driving his wife's grocery getter.
Hi Dick, I still have that Trike out behind the garage, as well as his 5 person bicycle that he recently got together for the Woodstock May 24 2011 parage. We blew out the Anglia transmission shortly after we got onto Dundas street, so it now has a Chevette 4 speed trans in it with front and rear automotive brakes on it. Rear guy shifts, front guy brakes.
The trike has a Harley 66 front end and Volkwagen engine and transaxle. It has a 75 pound plate of lead that is welded into the front end, to keep it off of the wheelie bars, which it does have. They used to go out behind the bingo hall and climb that. Dad had just tack welded the trike together and brought it to the hill. To show his friends, oneof them hoppped on it and up teh hill he went. He wiped it out breaking the tack welds apart. Most of the hill climbers would need a big run at the hill to get up it, but Dad would get on the start of the hill, then stop on purpose, then let out the clutch and drive up the hill. That huge banana seat and the 4 cromed straight pipes that stick about 6 feet into the air are still on it. Those pipes were so loud that Dad welded washers on the insdes of the pipes to muffler the noise a bit.
Do you remember the sticker that it has on each side of the tank? Those stickers say "SWINGER".
That trike also has a bottle cap opener welded just under the seat. Did you ever use this feature with Dad?lol For Dad's last ride we put his ashes in an empty Crown Royal bottle. We also toasted Dad with a swig of the same graveside.
Do you have a Daughter named Dina? If so we went to public/high school together and I worked with her at IGA in Woodstock in the early mid 90's.
Do you remember the Woodtsock "gang" that Dad was in? They were the "West End Boys". They had yellow jackets with spiders webs on the back. I still have Dad's WEB jacket. They even had WEB membership cards.
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:50:12 AM
I asked Mom about M&L in Otterville and she remebers that place. She said the name of the M was Maas, as in Maas Brothers. She remembers it sitting there as well
Small world isnt it? Thanks for the memory.
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:38:07 AM
I wish you could thank him person, believe. I really miss him.
You wouldnt believe how many people have mentioned that they remember that Diamondback cruising the streets of Woodstock. It is rumoured that the cops got nervous when Dad and the rest of WEB were NOT cruising the dig.
That car was a loud car from what I have been told. If you take 59 highway South from Woodstock you will hit a small hamlet called Curries. On the South East side of the intersection, across directly across from the church is a big old house with cream/yellow siding. My Mom lived there. My Mom would wait for Dad to pick her up to go "cruising". She tells me to this day that she could hear the exhaust from the Diamondback rev lower and quieter for, the curves, and then got louder as Dad matted it coming out of the the bends on 59 highway. Then there would be a a big rumble as Dad would downshift in order to turn left coming into Curries. Mom had lots of advanced warning when Dad was coming. Mom always tells this story with a smile on her face.
Mom also tells me a trick that Dad would do when he had a "cop" driving behind him. He would be driving along, then he push in the clutch and hit the gas to rev match to downshift or 2 like he was about to accelerate, but he would just maintain the same speed. This would make quite the noise, but with no acceleration Sometimes he would get pulled over, but most times not.
The last time I saw the car, before Dad actually had the original Diamondback at his place while building the clone, was at a car show Dad put on in the summer of 1995. I remember that because I was on a weekend pass from the Army just after basic training. Someone trailered the original Diamondback to the car show. It was all unrestored but in OK condition. I opened the door and put my right foot up on the door sill, as an 18 year old that was still a big step, as the front end was up in the air like a Pro Gasser with the 50 Chev trruck straight front axle in it. I remember taking that same step many years prior when I was about 6 or 7 years old, I put my right foor up to the sill, but I couldnt step up, I needed to be lifted up into the car. A few years after Dad had sold the car. I still have the original ad for the Diamondback that was in the Sentinel Review. It read, 1957 Chev, 2 door hardtop, 327 Corvette engine, 4 speed trans, Stwerat Warner gauges, headers-$2200 OBO. $2200, if we only knew then what we know now. He hated to sell that car, but he needed to in order to but the acre property where he later set up John Schermerhorn Collision, where he worked for 30 years, walking about 40 ft to work every morning.
I have a special attraction to the original Diamondback car, I asked if I could be 1st in line if it was sold, but the owner sold it to someone else. Obviously some of the attraction is because it was a piece of work that my Dad did when he was younger, but another part from what I am told, is that I was conceived on a certain seating surface of that car. But I dont dwell on that fact because as we all know, our parents never had sex, we were all immaculatley conceived, right? Eeeew!
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:47:19 AM
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:49:55 AM
Well thanks everyone for the very warm welcome. It has been a tough last few months since Dad passed. Its nice to hear that Dad's projects are still remembered by some of the locals.
An update on the Diamondback and it's clone(s). I was talking to Mom last week and apparently there is another clone. There is the: 1)original Diamondback 2)Diamondback clone #1 that was built by Dad for Allan "Digger" Franklin\ 3)Diamondback clone #2 (Mr. Franklin had bought the original Diamondback and brought it back to Dad's shop in roughly 2009, the original was deemed by Dad to be too rough to be restored, so another 57 was bought and transformed into clone#1, Diamondback was sold to Ron Hall where he had someone start the rebuild process. This proved to be a difficult process, so Mr Hall bought another 57 Chev and is currently building Clone #2. It will also have a Diamondback rear window. Mom tells me that Mr. Hall offered the original Diamondback for sale back to Dad shortly before Dad's death. My Father declined the offer. Then there is Dad's 57 Chev that he rebuilt back in 1991, the car that is in our possesion at this time. I strated her up yesterday, once the fuel got up into the carb, she started right up. I have to strip some wax buildup off of her and then I hope to enjoy the car as Mom and Dad did for years.
So thanks everyone and if you see me around come on up and say Hi, I take you for a cruise up the strip of Woodstock, just like Dad used to do many moons ago. When I 1st got my 97 GMC regular cab shortbox I used to cruise the dig for hours. It is an emerald green truck with dial 4" side exit exhaust, and a chromed decal on the fuel fill door. Cruising must be in the Schermerhorn genes.
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:42:17 AM
Hi Sasquatch, there are many pictures of these cars. Ive goty some on my cellphone and a lot are on paper that I need to convert into digital format. Once this is done, I will post some pics of all of Dad's current 57, his Volkwagen powered trike, his 5 person bicycle and of the original Diamondback with pics of it from the 60's and when it was sold in the 70's and when it was at Dad's shop in the late 2000's.
Thanks for the interest
-- Edited by Hog on Monday 15th of April 2013 11:42:03 AM
Yes, the car you saw was the car that Dad built with his own 2 hands. That car is actually the Diamondback clone #1. Nice car that now has a 425hp ZZ383/383cid crate engine.
I moved away from Oxford County in 1973, probably before you were imaculately conceived. As I said earlier, I knew your dad very well, when he worked at Pruss Alignment, although we never really hung around together. We would cruise Dundas and it was always the thing to just give a small wave to the guys you met on the street with their hot rods or whatever. Believe me, I had a few really fast ones, as did my brothers. There were not too many guys in town that would challenge the farmer from Holbrook. I don't know if I know your mother or if she knows me, but Curries was about halfway home for me back in the day from Woodstock. I could tell you some stories about fast cars and the cops in Woodstock, the cops let some of the good guys get away with a lot of stuff. Your father and I were part of that group along with Lloyd Young, Bob Booey, Jezequel,Don Andrew etc. etc. and unless we did something real bad they let us go. In 1958 the Woodstock city police got a new cruiser that they hoped would catch the hot rodders, It was a Ford with the 430 cubic inch Edsel motor. Don Andrews and I were together in my 59 Mercury pickup that had a slightly modified 312 by yours truly and about 10 o'clock the officer driving the cruiser pulled up beside us and asked when we were going home, to which I said right now, and he said why don't you meet me out on Norwich Ave. so I can see if this thing can catch the rest of the guys in town. We lined them up and took off, I actually let off and stopped and he asked what was wrong and I said I though you stalled it. He was some pissed. They brought the car out to my garage and I tuned it up for them. That same officer was killed with his own gun by a few years later by some guy from the psychiatric hospital north of town who grabbed his gun. Smith was the officers name. I had the first 409 chev in town and it would not go up Dundas st. hill without letting a bit of squeal out of the stock tires. I have lots of stories I could tell you.
Well, I came upon some good fortune last night. The original "Diamondback" is back in Schermerhorn possession.
A couple of the show 57 that Dad started in 1991. This was the one in teh Snap on 1997 March Calendar, and in the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Superbowl spot.
The car has a fresh 2 piece frame installed, NOS(new old stock) front fenders. Those tires are brand new BFGoodrich bias ply whitewalls mounted on 57 Chev wheels. There is about a car and a half of internal external glass/interior/stainess/aluminum/parts included in the deal. It is in much better condition than when it was at Dad's place in 2008-9 when Dad built the 1st clone for Mr. Franklin. Clone #1 now sports a ZZ383 425hp/440 lb/ft torque with a 6 speed manual trans and Ford 9" rear installed by Mr Wright of Sweaburg. The original Diamondback was to be restored, but there were issues with manpower and this project abandoned by Mr. Hall. Mr. Hall took the 50's truck straight front axle front "Diamondback" and installed it into Diamondback Clone #2, which has a 502 crate engine, diamondback rear window, and the same hoodscoop that Dad originally installed in Diamondback. Diamondback as shown above has an original front suspension for now. I would like to publicly thank Mr Ron Hall for graciously returning "Diamondback" aka "The Blue Flame" back to the Schermerhorn family. He has MUCH work and money into this project, for him to "donate" it back to the family is something that I still find hard to understand. Also thanks to his son Rob Hall for helping me load her onto the trailer and loading my pickups box full of 1957 Chev parts, so much so, that the truck was riding on the suspension bump stops the whole ride home. These parts that the Hall's gave us, and the "inventory" of NOS parts that Dad left after his passing, the original "Diamondback" 57 Chev. will again roam Dundas Street, Woodstock. I dont have the skillset that my Dad did, but with some help, I'll be able to get something together that will honour my Dad
-- Edited by Hog on Saturday 4th of May 2013 11:29:16 AM
And the "trike" that Dick K was speaking of above. Volkswagen 1400cc engine/transaxle/Harley "66" front end. There is a 75 pound plate of lead welded into the vertical bar just behind the front tire. This helps to keep the front end of of the "wheelie bars" that are on the very back of the trike. On that plate, just under the gas tank, faceing backwards, is a bottle opener, to open Dad's and his friends bottles of "pop" of course. I never heard any stories of the West End Boys drinking beer, so the opener must of been for pop.(toungue in cheek)
Plated for 1974, 2 years before I was born.
Pics of Dad's 5 person "bike" that rode in many late 60's Victoria Day parades in Woodstock. The bike sat for years in the Pruss/Hawkins Collision/Alignment impound for years. Dad started at Pruss Alignment full time when he was 15. The bike "had traded hands" without Dad's knowledge, until it was sold to a local. Long story short, Dad retained physical ownership of the bike in late 2009. AFter some refit, it was rode in the 2010 Woodstock Victoria Day Parade. Well, at least for 5 minutes before we blew the Anglia manual trans. It was retrofitted with a Chevette manual trans, and completed the Canada Day Parade of 2010 in Norwich. I was the driver on both occasions, and Dad "pedalled" both times with a prosthetic left leg.
Thanks for taking a peak. All this stuff is now in digital format fro posterity. When its time to get the original "Diamondback" project underway, I will start a new thread.
-- Edited by Hog on Saturday 4th of May 2013 11:44:42 AM
Welcome Paul I remember your dad's car cruising the streets of woodstock in the old day.i seen the 57 for years when it sat in the shop at M&L in Otterville Slink
Hi Slink, I just wanted to post a couple pics of the original "Diamondback" from 1995. Someone had trailered the car to Woodstock (from M&L) in Otterville to be shown in a car show that Mom and Dad put on in Woodstock.
I was on leave from the Army and this car show had the old "drain the oil, rev til it blows" competition. The winning time was 4:00 minutes, which was guess my Dad so they chose the 2nd closest time to which the prize was awarded.
These pics are a digital picture of a glossy photo, so quality is poor, but content is great!
The next time I saw the diamondback was when it arrived at Dad's shop preceeding the Clone #1 build.(picture#3 on the trailer, car on grund is Dad's "Southern Belle-the car that was used by GM for the 1996 Cavalier TV commercial and in the month of March for the 1997 Snap-On calendar)
I could swear I seen one very similar to that diamond back for sale over by Granton On Highway 7 near Highbury Ave about two years ago but I can't remember if it wasn't a 56 ..just can't remember ..Sometimes when I see a od one I should be taking a closer look as there is going to be some history ,,Sometimes when I see an one odd od one I get this mindset that somebody just ruined that car and never bother to look closer and think that somebody put a lot of work into that at some time..This thread made me much more conscientious about taking more time to check these cars out in the future..I don't know what happended to that one but it sold and it sure looked like that Diamond back 57...great story and post..love the trike and the bike too..
-- Edited by fatchuk on Friday 4th of July 2014 11:42:51 AM
Hey Paul the only memories I have of your dad is of delivering parts to the shop in the summer while driving the delivery truck. I just joined here recently too. Haven't seen you around for quite sometime. Allways used to see you or maybe hear you in the reg cab. If your ever around the dealership stop in would love to chat with ya.
I found the original advertisement that Dad put in either the Sentinel-Review or the Oxford Shopping news.
The 1st pic is an image of the actual ad.
Pic #2 is an image of the original Diamondback if front of Dad's house just after he sold it. He sold it to a buddy and the buddy was visiting when this picture was taken..
