New England kustoms in the 50's

Anyone got pics?No shortage of rod pics but not much around of kustoms.Also looking for Adventure Car Hop pics.

 

Out on Route 1 in Saugus, come dressed just as you are; Adventure Car Hop where the service is great, and you never get out of your car! Proud advertiser of Arnie " Woo Woo" Ginsberg. That's about all I remember from school in Danvers in '59-'60. vic

 

I grew up in Saugus in the early 50's so that is a place I know only too well.I even have a copy of one of their old menus a friend sent me complete with mustard stain.Even have a tape called,"Cruisin' 1961" which is a copy of Arnie's old radio show.

As for pics,I had posted a bunch of pictures awhile back(try,"Some musty old New England pics" or something like that)that featured some old customs as well as rods from that era.

Krusty if you were from Danvers back then you probably knew a bunch of people that I did.Sonny Pasternak,Frank Manos,John Silva,Gil Corraine,and Len Legere to name a few.Used to hang in a garage on North Street in Salem where John,Gil,Frankie,and Paul Protz had their cars.

John was building his chopped,channeled,and sectioned 41 Merc coupe at the time.Frank had a 39 Ford sedan with a blown Cadillac in it.Gil had his Deuce Vicky and Paul was building his chopped and channeled Model A coupe.My cousin **** Manley had his chopped and channeled 34 Ford roadster that had a coupe top welded on to it.

Len Legere was in Lynn and had his radically chopped 50 Ford convertible that eventually got a 392 Chrysler with 8 carburetors.

There was also a guy from Danvers named Don Hiller(owned a body shop)and had a nice chopped and channeled 34 Ford 5-window painted an orange-red.Ever see that one?

 

Safariknut - I wasn't quite old enough (14) to be hangin' with you cool guys; besides, I was "trapped" in St. John's Prep, to which I had been sent to get "straightened out" . I'm really from the West end of the state (Pittsfield). I do think I saw the LeGere car at the Hartford Autorama, though.

 

This is killing me- none of the pics from 2004 are there. I wasn't a member yet.I wish I could see them !

 

Here's a couple of the pics I posted before.

A chopped and sectioned 54 Mercury Sun Valley with a Crown Vic chrome hoop on it.Supposedly this car still exists tucked away in a garage somewhere in M***achusetts.

Another custom Merc(52-54) but no info on this car.

Frank Balzano's custom 56 Ford.This car supposedly is in Virginia now and was featured in magazine several years back.

 

A couple more pics.

 

Sweet, can never get enough of seeing old pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

Here's the whole Adventure Car Hop radio jingle:

Oh Adventure Car Hop is the place to go for food that’s always right. Adventure food is always just so, you’ll relish every bite.
Out on Route 1 in Saugus, come dressed just as you are.
Adventure where the service is tops and you’ll never get out of your car.

 

" And if you order a,"GINSBURGER"(which comes served on a 45 rpm record)and you say,"WOO WOO GINSBERG" when you place your order,you'll receive a 2nd Ginsburger absolutely free!"

Here's a scan of the menu;probably pre-1960 as it doesn't list the Ginburger on it and I believe that was the year Arnie started advertising for them.

From what I understand a couple of friends of mine got together with him and were trying to promote a cruise at the original location(which is now a parking lot).Haven't heard anything recently but I did see Arnie at the last Old Timer's Reunion at the Elks Club.He's still alive and kicking and making millions.

 

These are great!Thanks for sharing!You are my new hero!

 

Whoa! I acquired a lot of slides from a friend of mine in New Hampshire who took pics at that same show (?) at Tedeschi's. Tedeschi's (now the owners of Store24) was quite the scene, or so I understand, as it was way before my time. I'll dig up some of his slides and post them. I see a little bit of the "Bluebird" coupe peeking into one of your frames. That car was an amazing car, with the Desoto Grille and injected Y-Block. Thanks for posting these.

Also, my neighbor, Bruce Lane, originally from Kittery, ME and the "Dragon-Flies" car club, gave me his old s****books to go through when I was writing an article for Magneto on his truck, Tired Blood. He used to go to all the New England functions, including the Sanford, Newington and Orange Drags, as well as the bigger shows. His truck took 2nd at Hartford in '62 (?) Anyway, I'll see what I can dig up to add to this from his collection, maybe from Sanford or Hartford.

Jonny

 

As promised - Here are a few pics. Not sure of the date(s), but I think that the pic of the 3-window coupe is the reverse of one of safariknut's pics, so at least some are from the same show. The Bluebird is shown in the background, and the trunk of that Kustom is up behind that... compare this pic with his and see if you may think so, given the relationship of the cars to oneanother and the Bluebird to the light pole. The B/W pics of the Kustom with the odd grille is from Sanford, ME at the dragway. Photos © Michael Sargent and Bruce Lane, respectively. Enjoy them.

 

larry , ray , jon i got somrthing for you guys ill pm yas~!

 

There is a god! Ive never seen the merc with the Desoto grill before!!!!! As far as New England customs go Id love to see pics of the shoeboxes belonging to Dave Carlson,Eugene Ferrante,Jim Karcher,JIm Montesanto and James Pagliarulo and Marty Posilas 53 chopped Ford convert!

 

Heres my pale built by Frank Maratta in Hartford Conn in 56.The pic was taken at the Hartford Autorama in 56.

 

nice pics

 

Here are some more. Hank Fornier's '36 (Hartford '58) and a blue convert with Packard taillights ('60 Hartford). From the Bruce Lane Collection.

Jonny

 

That blue covert is Chuck OMalleys 56 Dodge from Penn.

 

Arnie is still alive and lives in Maine. I used to work at a gallery that he used to visit quite often. He's still a funny, way-out guy. I got a few "Woo-Woo"s out of him. As for the Adventure Car Hop, my friend Bill owns the little cut down A roadster that I'm told was parked out front.

Jonny

 

HEY RAY... i just went thru my entire computer looking for the 53 chevy pics i think it was yours when christy was workin on it.. if your planning on coming home anytime soon mark this down. sun june 18th fathers day 7th annual memorial cruise, remembering all the local hotrodders that are no longr with us. this one will be very important to me this year as my dad was just added to the list dave

 

.....I'll second that............great shot's guys!!!!

 

Thought I'd add to the fun.........these shot's are more from the early 60's, hope you like.

 

Afew more.....

 

Anyone remember this shop? Are they still around?

 

Heya Ray!
I've only got a second being that I'm in work but where on the south shore was that Tedeschi's?
What a cool looking sign.
I've been meaning to get in touch about Ronnie Pollini's bike again as well...just been too busy...but who was know as "THE PAINTER" from Brockton back in the late 60's early 70's?
(sorry, I try to be more articulate than this...but the boss man is around)

 

Hi Richie:
The only guy I remember from Brockton was Dave Perewitz(sp?).Used to do a lot of bikes with variegated gold leaf scroll work similar to Arlen Ness.He was on the Biker Buildoff awhile back against Billy Lane I think.There were a couple of stripers;one was Richie Emmanuel and the other guy I can't remember his name.He originally striped Fred Steele's purple 32 roadster.

In those other pics,the violet 57 T'Bird belonged to Bob Champaigne from Melrose M***achusetts.I also have pics of that 55 Ford convertible.

As I remember it,Tedeschi's was on the Quincy Braintree line but I don't remember which road.Someone said it is a Store 24 now?

Dave:I'm sorry to hear that your dad p***ed away.Don Cavanaugh had mentioned something about that memorial run;I guess it was formed after Timmy Carroll p***ed away.It's probably better that I can't attend;I have a real problem dealing with situations like that.No disrespect;it just hits too close to home.

Here's some other pics I dug out of the files.Hope everyone enjoys them.

 

A few more

 

Thanks again for all the pics... They just keep comin'. Bring 'em on. I don't know what that particular building is now or if it still exists, but Tedechi's is the parent company of Store 24. Their bags say 'A Tedeschi's Company'... if only Store 2-4 was so cool. I reallly appreciate having the names of the owners of these cars. I will add them to my s****book and talk to Bruce and Mike a bit more for a history lesson.

Jonny

 

You guys are great.Keep 'em coming!