Donk-Out


How this White Boy got to ride high
WORDS: Willie G.


Foundation

Haste usually makes waste, but in Will Bussing’s case, his hustle just meant a little more work. Eager to ride high, his choice of a ’75 Chevy Impala that was beyond bucket status may have not been the best. After removing the top, Will found that years of outdoor living had allowed water to drain from the roof channels into the rear quarter panels—completely rotting them out. Extensive body rust and damage over the rest of the car would have probably had most hittin’ the streets in search of another base car, but Will decided to stick with the ugly duckling.



Lift

Many Donk dreams are cut short or limited when builders start their research and find that the parts actually available on the market don’t always match up to their plans. That wasn’t the case here. Already armed with a set of 28s, Will brought the project car straight to J’s Hydraulics, in St.Petersburg, FL., jacked it up to a specific height, and set the wheels underneath. “That’s how it’s gotta sit, right there,” he stated. With his unwavering vision now clear as day, there was only one option for making it reality—a complete, custom-fabricated suspension lift and undercarriage solution, engineered by Jerry at J’s.







Guts

Will’s shiny new apple was starting to look the part, but inside, it was still rotten to the core. After paint, the decision was made to completely redo and reupholster all of the interior elements, from dash to B-pillar covers to seating. To complement the car’s new, yellow top, Matt at Capri Auto Interiors retrimmed the interior with tangerine vinyl and yellow houndstooth fabric, creating a striking contrast from interior to exterior. Not wanting to shake loose any of the car’s plastic surgery, Will went with a modest audio system that included a Kenwood headunit and four 6x9s.

Body

As mentioned earlier, getting the frame of this ’75 ready for paint was a challenge, to say the least. After bringing it down to a bare shell, L&D Collision in Ingleside, TX., had to cut out both rear quarters, then weld in new panels. For a face as pretty as this Donk’s ass, new fender skins were also used. In addition, extensive cutting, welding and more welding was needed to repair the roof. Amazingly, though, the floor panels were in good shape.






Paint

Not exactly wowed by the Donk’s original, bland shade of light blue, Will picked a Sunset pearlescent candy finish to make his project shine. Staying true to big elements of hi-rise culture, it was integral that Mike at L&D spend as much time as he did getting the body right for its candy coating. More extensive than the average respray, the “wet look” of a candy finish is in part achieved by using many, many coats of paint. As eye-catching as it is when done right, it is also extremely unforgiving to dents and dings, making them stand out like love stains under a black light.
Midwest Street Ryders

Will Bussing is more than just the president, he’s a client—well, sorta. But one thing is definite: Will has been bustling the past few months documenting the Midwest car culture scene, and will be releasing his DVD, Midwest Street Ryders, in winter 2007.
Cop it at

midweststreetryders.com





Click here to order your copy today!