The story of STOCKR begins many years ago with a light blue 1950 Chevy Ute, originally purchased by Mitchell Young’s father and grandfather. The Ute was stock, featuring a 216 Blue Flame engine, drum brakes, and no modifications. Early on, Mitchell’s father and grandfather began modifying the engine, eventually rebuilding it into a high-performance 216 with 5 carburetors mounted on the side.
After some time, Mitchell’s father decided the light blue colour was outdated. He stripped the Ute and repainted it dark blue with teal flames, one of the first projects by renowned painter Matt Egan. While performing the cosmetic upgrades, he also transformed the rear of the Ute, removing the standard taillights and spare tire tray to create a rolled and shaved rear end.The Ute returned to the road and participated in roughly ten shows before Mitchell’s father determined that the 216 engine was too fuel-thirsty and opted to install a V8. Leveraging his skills as a boilermaker, he and his father grafted an HT front end into the Ute chassis and installed a TPI-injected 350 Chevy from a Corvette. Many late nights were spent in the shed perfecting the build. Unfortunately, after 2001, the car sat idle, just four years after Mitchell Young was born.
When Mitchell turned 12, his father and grandfather gifted him the Ute as a rolling shell, minus the engine and gearbox, with the intention of keeping him focused during his teenage years. Mitchell dedicated himself to the car, spending all of his money on parts and modifications while working alongside his father and grandfather in the shed. As a young adult, Mitchell decided to transform the Ute into a power-cruise Summernats car. He installed a blown 572 big block Chevy with a Turbo 400 transmission and a 9-inch differential. With his mechanical training and his grandfather’s lifetime of hands-on experience, the three generations worked together to build a robust street car.
By November 2022, the Ute was nearly complete: a tubbed rear end, 4-link and airbagged suspension, a built 9-inch rear, manualized Turbo 400, blown 572 big block Chevy, Wilwood brakes, and a full custom interior. Nearly every aspect was built in the family shed, with only paint, interior, and rear chassis work completed externally. Tragically, in October 2022, Mitchell’s grandfather’s health deteriorated, and he passed away before ever getting to ride the car he had helped so extensively to build. Determined to honour him, Mitchell and his father worked through the nights to ensure the Ute was ready to carry him for his first and last ride at the funeral. By the night before the service, the windows and glass were installed, and the car was polished and road-ready.
Following the funeral, Mitchell and his father continued refining the Ute. Over the next five months, the car, now named STOCKR, was driven extensively until an incident in a car park caused damage. This setback presented an opportunity to update the design. Mitchell worked again with Matt Egan to repaint the car in candy purple flames, with subtle hidden airbrushed clowns, evoking the early 2000s era he grew up in.
In early 2024, the Ute was unveiled once more and participated in several hot rod runs before the engine required replacement. STOCKR now features a blown 540 big block Chevy with all forged internals, producing 1,000 horsepower, and is back together and ready for the road. STOCKR stands as a testament to three generations of the Young family. Built and refined across more than 35 years, it represents the dedication, skill, and passion of Mitchell Young, his father, and his grandfather. Without their combined efforts, STOCKR would never have reached its current form.
