Street Machine Nationals: Sullivan brothers bond at classic car show

DU QUOIN - While the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals drew car enthusiasts from across the country, it also was an opportunity for two Saline County brothers to remember the good ol' days.

Mike Sullivan and Brett Sullivan developed their love for old cars and trucks from their father, Chuck Sullivan. In years now gone by, they would accompany their dad to Du Quoin for the annual mega car and truck bash that made a name for itself nationwide.

The Street Machine Nationals did not return to Du Quoin in 1999 and would not until 2013. In the meantime, a lot of life happened. The Sullivan boys raised their families, and Chuck acquired one model each of the "Tri-Five," the full-size Chevy cars from 1955, 1956 and 1957. For non- car enthusiasts, they are three of the most popular and sought-after Chevrolets in history. Sadly, Chuck passed away in October of 2013.

<h3 class="breakHead">Mike Sullivan's 1957 Chevy Bel Air</h3>

"Dad had bought them (the Tri-Five) about three years before he passed away, and the idea was we were going to restore them together," Mike Sullivan said.

It was not necessarily going to be a simple matter for the '57 Chevy Bel Air that Mike inherited.

"It was pretty much in bad shape. It was a good starter car, but it needed floors. Dad had body work done on it and had a guy from Bluford paint it," Mike said.

After Mike received the car, it spent time in a couple of local shops, but the project became stalled.

Eventually, someone referred Mike to Rod Wallace of Harrisburg.

"We called, and caught it just right. They had just finished something up, so he told me to bring the car out for him to look at. He asked me what my goals for the car were and what I wanted to do with the car," Mike said. "I told him I wanted to be able to jump in the car in the spur of the moment and go to Nashville, St. Louis, Bowling Green, Kentucky; anywhere, basically."

Mike said Wallace's company delivered.

Now the two-door hardtop is powered by a fuel-injected Ram Jet 350 crate engine matched with a four-speed Muncie M22 transmission. It has other modern features as well, including four-wheel disc brakes from a Wilwood HydroBoost braking system, power steering, and climate control by Vintage Air. The upgraded stereo was courtesy of his father.

"Dad had already purchased a retro sound stereo to go in the dash," Mike said. "He was a stickler about cutting the dash."

Before his passing, Chuck had prepared for restoring the cars by locating hard-to-find replacement parts.

"If it wasn't for my dad, I couldn't have done it," Mike said. "After he passed away, we inventoried the parts in the shop, and it turned out there were about $38,000 worth of parts in boxes. Basically everything on the car is new; new fenders, new doors, new rockers, new full quarter panels."

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<h3 class="breakHead">Brett Sullivan's custom Chevy Squarebody</h3>

"It's really unique," Brett Sullivan says when asked about the model year of the truck, "but, it's a squarebody."

Brett said while some people may be unaware, Chevrolet made the third generation C/K truck with the boxy bodylines until 1991, ending a run that began in 1973. Those later trucks were 1-ton crew cabs, a feature Brett liked and wanted to modify.

"I like the oldest ones best, so I took a '91 and shortened the frame and shortened the bed. Then I put a '73 front clip on it," he said. "It has a modern drive train, a motor and transmission from a Chevy Tahoe."

The squarebody features an all electronic-controlled engine, a six-speed transmission and Vintage Air climate control.

"I wanted something I could drive anywhere, and it is," he said. "It's something my wife and I enjoy. I sold out of the Fieldhouse, I'm done with coaching ball, and our youngest is at John A. Logan playing ball, so for my wife and I, this is kind of our outlet. Instead of great big vacations, we take little trips all the time. We get to enjoy the fellowship of other car people."

<h3 class="breakHead">Back at Street Machine Nationals</h3>

The road to the 2021 Street Machine Nationals actually was a do-over.

"We had planned to go when it was back last year, then COVID hit," Brett said.

Waiting a year didn't diminish the brothers' enjoyment.

"Mike was asking me what gate we were checking into," Brett said. "I said it had been 25 years since I entered a vehicle at Du Quoin, so I had no idea. But, it was just a great show, especially for local people. It pulls people all over the place in for it."

For both brothers, competing in judged events is not the priority.

"I'm not so much about judged shows," Brett said. "I like the atmosphere, I like being around people. When I go to shows, I tell the organizers they don't have to worry about judging the truck. I want to have a good time."

Mike agrees.

"I wasn't expecting to win anything at Street Machines," he said.

While he enjoyed the experience, he said time spent with his wife and two youngest children at car shows keeps the family tradition going.

"Lawson and Livvie love going to car shows," he said. "For them, that's what they want to do more than anything else. I feel like it's been a good thing for them, because it's helping them with meeting people and helping them grow up around this."

Mike also said he and his wife drove the '57 Chevy to Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia recently. That's the lodge used for the film "Dirty Dancing," of which Mike's wife is a huge fan.

"Patrick Swayze's character, Johnny, had the same car. When we got there, the manager got excited and said 'We need to shut the check-in road,'" he said.

The road is one-way, and in the movie, Johnny's car passes under an iconic stone arch. The Sullivans backed their car up and the hotel manager videoed the car, re-creating the scene.

"Experiences like that are what make a car project like this worth it," Mike said.

Brett said his time at Street Machines was as unique as his truck.

"A couple of gentlemen who do the podcast 'Get Out N Drive' introduced themselves," Brett said. "I hadn't met them before, but I listen to their podcast on Spotify. They did a video where they interviewed me and did a walk-around on my truck. That was just a lot of fun."

He said the experience is getting him psychologically prepared for restoring his dad's '56 Chevy, the one he inherited.

"After he passed, it was in the shop there at Eldorado, and I couldn't go in the shop. Dad bought us these cars to work on together, and I wasn't in the right state of mind for a while."

But time, together with a little automotive therapy, heals.

"This brought back a lot of great memories," Brett said. "Mike and I spent the weekend discussing where Dad and his buddies parked back years ago."

Mike said the car connection in the family remains strong.

"It's something for me, my wife and kids to do, and it gives me and my brother the chance to do stuff together as well," he said.