1965 Chevelle ’Reflection’ Wins Mothers Shine Award
After reviewing the entire field of custom-crafted vehicles at the 2019 SEMA Show, the Mothers Shine Award judges awarded the 2019 Shine Award to “Reflection,” a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle, owned by Sonny and Debbie Freeman of Lafayette, Louisiana, and built by Mike Goldman Customs in Meridian, Mississippi.
The Freemans commissioned the build from Mike Goldman Customs with the request to “take the ugly out of a boxy car,” wanting to maintain the theme of a ’65 Chevelle SS, but with a modern aesthetic.The Mike Goldman Customs team took this direction to heart, working with Eric Brockmeyer Design to completely transform the car.
The most striking change is the ’67 Chevelle roof that was grafted onto this ’65. Both the front and rear bumpers are handmade pieces. The windshield and rear glass are mounted from the inside, and the custom side glass was made to fit the new roof. A new trunk skin matches up to the roof sails and the reshaped rear of car. The CNC grille, tail panel, mirrors and door handles are all one-of-a-kind units from Dan Baker of Alumicraft. This Chevelle also features altered wheel wells, a custom engine bay, a full belly pan flush-fit to the chassis and the fuel tank was even made to flow with the frame. The only stock components remaining are the door hinges — everything else has been modified. Advanced Plating and John Wright’s CustomChrome Plating took care of the brightwork. Paint is an Axalta ‘Jazzed-up Marina Blue’ applied in-house by Mike Goldman Customs.
Power comes from a 900hp Mast Motorsports LS7 with a 2.8L Whipple supercharger, which is mated to a Tremec T56 Magnum hung on a smoothed, color matched and modified Art Morrison chassis with a one-off four-link rear suspension sprung with RideTech coilovers. It all sits on Mike Curtis one-off stock hubcap-inspired wheels wrapped in Pirelli Redline tires.
Inside, the SS is treated to Paul Atkins Interiors’ best, along with a hand-formed dash, one-off instrument bezel and machined trim.
The Shine Award-winning Chevelle was on display at the Axalta booth in the Central Hall.
In addition to the Shine Award, nine Mothers Choice Award trophies were also presented to the following:
1972 Datsun 240Z
Owner: Shawn Bassett, Apopka, FL
Builder: Shawn Bassett, Apopka, FL
Location: Holley booth
1962 Chevrolet C-10 Pickup “The Chevrolet E-10 Concept”
Owner: General Motors, Detroit, MI
Builder: General Motors, Detroit, MI
Location: Chevrolet booth
1969 Chevrolet Camaro “Valkyrja”
Owner: Undisclosed
Builder: Ring Brothers, Spring Green, WI
Location: BASF booth
1966 Datsun Fairlady 1600 Roadster
Owner: Chris Bishop, Richmond, VA
Builder: Japanese Classics, Richmond, VA
Location: Fortune Auto booth
1965 M677 Jeep Forward Control Truck
Owner: Roy Wallace, San Jacinto, CA
Builder: Rock Solid Off Road, San Jacinto, CA
Location: Truck Hero booth
1948 GMC Half-Ton Pickup
Owner: Dave Jones, Scottsdale, AZ
Builder: Dave Kindig, Kindig-it Design, Salt Lake City, UT
Location: Borla booth
1936 Ford Roadster
Owner: George Poteet, Memphis, TN
Builder: Pinkee’s Rod Shop, Windsor, CO
Location: Absorber booth
1932 Ford Tudor “5th Avenue Special”
Owner: Nathan Powell, Columbiana, AL
Builder: Goolsby Customs, Hueytown, AL
Location: Lokar booth
1972 Chevrolet K50 Blazer “The Bulldog”
Owner: Randall Robertson, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Builder: Rtech Fabrications, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Location: Toyo Tire booth
