Denfield, ON’s Ron Box has building top-knotch customs for more than 50 years and by the looks of this sweet little 1951 Chevy time isn’t slowing him down.
     Regular readers of Canadian Hot Rods magazine will remember seeing Box’s very smooth 1941 Plymouth convertible a few issues ago (Vol 5, Iss 1). Magazine coverage for his builds is something Box is used to. In 1958 he built a 1949 Ford that received “a small blurb” in a major US hot rod mag. That car had 1950 Olds taillights, exhaust coming out the quarterpanels with a slick two-tone black and white lacquer job.  Since then his cars have been in many magazines all over the world, including England, Sweden and the US.
     Even before he started hanging around the Alexander Brothers Detroit, MI  shop (with Larry and Mike at one time offering him a job he didn’t take) Box was building notable custom cars. Inspired by issues of Hop Up magazine he built his first custom, a 1947 Mercury with a 3” chop, when he was just 16 years old.  In 1964, the carpenter by trade decided he wanted to start building cars for other people.
     He still does work for other people these days, but he’s basically retired which gives him more time to build cars of his own,  including this gem of a ’51 Chevy. I spied it at a show in Dorchester, ON  last July  and couldn’t resist its smooth lines and mild custom vibe. Box said a 2-door HT he built in 1958 — with ’55 Buick side trim —  inspired this 21^st century version.