'57 fetish: It was only natural that Yuma dentist would wind up with classic

Lynn Morrison was in high school when his father bought a brand-new 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, a car that was later given to him in his senior year.

The only thing left of that car, which also took him to college, is a picture of it hanging on the wall.

So when Morrison, a Yuma dentist, decided to purchase a vintage hot rod three years ago, his wife suggested he buy the same car he enjoyed in his youth.

But these days, "unfortunately the convertibles are about three times more than this one," Morrison said.

Morrison now owns a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 210 that he will enter in this year's Midnight at the Oasis for the third year in a row.

"I've had it for about three years. My sons and I went to the original Midnight at the Oasis when they had about 18 cars, I think, and so it was inevitable" that they get their own classic car to submit to the festival, Morrison said.

Morrison has always been around cars and for years took part in sand drag races using his fixed-up Jeep, but he wanted to slow down a bit and decided a hot rod would be the ideal car.

"This is a little easier. You don't have to work so hard you know," Morrison said.

The black Chevrolet runs on a 383-Stroker motor with 450 horsepower that's been moved back six inches to provide better weight distribution, Morrison explained.

And for a situation that calls for additional horsepower, nitrous oxide can be activated.

Nitrous oxide is a gas he can easily access from his dental clinic since it's used as laughing gas on patients, Morrison said.

The exhaust system on the car was modified and directed to the side so that tubbed tires could be installed in the rear, Morrison said.

And even though this isn't the first time his '57 has been at MATO, it does have a few different features this year: the motor has been "reworked a little bit" and its fiberglass bumpers were replaced by chrome ones.

"It's been a work in progress, we keep changing things on it all the time," Morrison said.

The car, which has a black with gray interior, was already fixed up when Morrison bought it, but he has since modified some features.

"It's always better to buy one a little bit done ... because you can put a tremendous amount of money in these things and then sell them for nothing. I figured, I'll get one that has all the stuff on it already and just continue," Morrison said.

But the modifications have remained simple because Morrison still wants to keep the car drivable, which he often does around town and to his work.

"Don't want to be afraid to drive it," Morrison said. "It's a fun toy."

---

Juana M. Gyek can be reached at

jgyek@yumasun.com or 539-6872.