Double Deception

Double Deception

- Drew Hardin

“Double Deception” was the title of a Dec. 1965 Hot Rod magazine feature on Don Nowell’s 1937 Chevy. What was deceptive about this cool B/Gasser?

“Outward appearances of Don Nowell’s ’37 Chevy suggest a docile piece of transportation,” read the story’s subhead. “But the hidden craftsmanship and performance have earned it awards at both shows and drags.”

We also know—and maybe this was left out of the story during editing—that the car started life as a 1938 coupe. When Don bought it as a roller in 1960, it had been a Southern California dry lakes racer. Don intended to drag race the car, and among the changes he made was to replace the car’s original steel front end with a tilt fiberglass nose using a hood, hood sides, and fenders splashed from a 1937 model.