Well I was just getting ready to post these two shots...and I have alot more pictures of cars with both cruiser skirts and bubble skirts...then I saw the posts of dislikes of them so I figured that I wouldn't post them .....but hell that's no fun so take a look at these...let them burn in good ...you may just start to like them.....ya right you will still hate them.... actually there not a favorite of mine either......but you hang some curb feelers on there and then you will have something......... I kid.... Sent from my QTASUN1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm in K13's camp, Bubble skirts always looked like the car's diapers were too full. They certainly seemed to be an eastern thing. Mick
I’LL stand up for all that’s true and good. LOL I love me a good bubble skirt....especially a needle nose one. I have a set of metal ones that may or may not be Jimmy Jones (Dave Jenkins thought they might be from the pics I sent him, but he couldn’t be sure). Unfortunately, they aren’t tall enough for my Merc and seem to be shoebox size. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Really? I can’t imagine Dave Jenkins 57 without the skirts Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
John B has the best idea, but how about dropping that Merc's wheel wells, for a new twist? (Hey, If it's good for the goose, it's good for the gander!)
To me it looks like two unnecessary blobs slapped on the back of the car. They make me think a guy ran the wrong backspacing on his wheels so they stick out past the fender line and then figured he needed some way to cover them up and came up with these. Like a droopy pair of pants on a beautiful woman.
To me the best example of a car with bubble skirts would be the chopped Purple Merc from Michigan with white scallops. Picture`s please.
I have clearly derailed this thread and I apologize to OG that was not my intent. I appreciate everyone likes something different and I think that's what makes custom cars so cool. It would be pretty boring if we all liked the same stuff. Now back to our regularly scheduled topic.
Now here`s a pic that was in Tex Smith`s How to Build Custom Cars. Also looks like the picture was taken at the Springfield Illinois KKOA show.
I’ve kinda over done and sidetracked my pile enough with the unexpected addition of the A this summer. A shoebox would push my wife over the edge I’m sure. Lol In theory that’s a good idea, but in practice it’s a fight to get the back wheels off now. If the wheel lips were any lower I’d have to drop the shackles to get them off. Lol
UPDATE on What Ever Happened To..........? number 36. 1967 El Camino Owner: Howard Henry Dayton, Ohio Featured on this thread two years ago on Nov 22, 2016 just sold at the Mecum Las Vegas auction. It brought $9900. https://www.mecum.com/lots/LN1118-3...e3rklpGNJCiBJKz8BQAZyHEscnMriBhFVDXGA-W11LCPo
This is when my Dad had it, 1980 to 1985/? He sold it back to Howard. This was taken at Graceland. Hotter than hell that day. That thing needed A/C. It ran a 4 speed back then. That truck was a blast to drive. The actual colors are Arctic White and Hugger Orange. Best sounding duals also. It used to have an 8 track with a wore out soundtrack from American Graffiti. haha
$9900.00. Such a deal! I just hope the lucky new owner appreciates the history of it and doesn't ruin it with 20 inch wheels or some stupid changes like that! E
Man!! Good thing I wasn't at that auction....I woulda pushed my wife over the edge with an El Camino, never mind the previously suggested shoebox. Funny, my father in law just mentioned that auction last night and said stuff was going pretty reasonable/cheap and I said good thing I wasn't there....to which Michelle said something along the lines of I can't save every car that sells cheap. LOL
Sure you can, Doc! Every car collection starts with purchasing one car, then another, and another, and........just kidding (lol)! Don't want the Mrs. to have a meltdown! E
The El Camino. Dad and I went to street nationals in Columbus Oh on a Saturday. We met Lee Pratt and he wanted to photograph the car sunday morning for classic & custom magazine. Dad says sure, 8:00 AM or something. I was 12 and looked at Dad and said "I need to deliver papers on sunday morning". He picks me up at mom's house racking the pipes off. We picked up an assload of thick sunday papers and covered the bed cover with them. We shot through the neighborhood dropping papers off. He on one side of the street, me on the other. Probably the only time the Dayton Daily News was delivered by a Kustom! ha. Then we fucking raced the clock to Columbus, an hour plus away. Hour plus for most, that truck ran like a bat out of hell. We made it back to the fairgrounds on time for the shoot. That day started a new name for the El Camino...... Flash Gordon's Sunday Cruiser.
For me, posts like this take this already kick ass thread and make it super kick ass. CUSTOM HISTORY! I love me some of that.
That was so cool of your Dad not only to help you "get the news out", but to send it by custom carrier! Great story--thanks so much for sharing @sideswipe! E
What Ever Happened To..........? number 143. 1954 Buick Owner: Greg Dalton St. Paul, Minnesota A few weeks back, @Sancho mentioned how the mild custom cars were much harder to find information on. He was right! I don't know if it's because the modifications were so minor that nothing really stood out or what. Most of this style of car depended on great paint, stance, wheel choice and so on. You might think this kind of car can be pretty forgettable, but there are many mild customs that come to my mind that are permanently stamped in my memory because the builder just nailed it! This week's car was one that seemed to be everywhere in the early to mid 80s. I seem to recall seeing it in many magazines, but that didn't work out. I was only able to find it in one magazine, and unfortunately it was in black and white. It was in Custom Cars by Hot Rod Volume 1 number 5 from 1983 on page 62. It was in their coverage of the 1982 Leadsled Spectacular. The Buick was a beautiful dark blue with long flowing seaweed style flames in lighter blue, outlined in an even lighter blue striping. The car had only minor modifications which was pretty much just being shaved and the headlights being frenched. The thing that really stood out on it for me (besides the paint) was the owner's use of Buick Skylark wire wheels. Definitely the king of the hill when talking about vintage wires. You'll notice in the caption for the picture it says the owner was Greg Dayton. I believe it was a typo as the owner was interviewed by one of Rowdie's gals at the '84 Leadsled Spectacular in Des Moines, Iowa. In the interview he stated his name was Greg Dalton. According to my research, Mr. Dalton took the car to three Leadsleds. The above picture was taken at the 1982 Spectacular in Des Moines. The next sighting was at the '84 Spectacular mentioned above, and the last sighting was on the 1986 video filmed in Springfield, Missouri. After that I didn't find it on any more video. I figured that the car was possibly sold because on the '84 video you can see a "for sale" sign on the windshield, although the car looked unchanged on the '86 tape. I'm sure that one of our Minnesota custom faithful will know much more about this car (@PasoJohn and @Moriarity, just to name a few) and will fill us in more as this car was at many shows in the Minnesota and Iowa areas in the 80s. I'm also hoping that someone has a nice color picture to share with us as just one black and white shot doesn't do this sled any justice! Someone here on the HAMB posted a picture recently that had this Buick sitting with another car. I can't recall the other car, but I remember the '54. I've been looking around trying to find the picture for a week and a half and I couldn't find it. I hope that whoever posted it will repost it here for all to see. It was a great shot! My guess is that this Buick was repainted somewhere along the line and it's still around just wearing a "disguise" (lol)! Let's see what our super custom investigators can dig up this week! I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you have a great time with your family and friends, and have time to get in some rest and relaxation! You're gonna need it. Look out, just around the corner..........here comes Christmas! We'll see you all next week. Take care! E
Greg sold the Buick to John Sevelius sometime in the mid 80's. John had hydraulics put in the car with a remote control and would sit in restaurants and wait for someone to look at the car and raise and lower it. I think it is probably John that had it at the 86 Leadsled show. I believe it got sold then to a former Boxer Duane Bobick or maybe his brother. I have not seen the car in decades myself, but it was a pretty bitchin car
Weird .... I too feel like someone posted recent pictures of this Buick here on the HAMB. So ... no OG lil E .... you haven't lost your mind .... ..... YET.
The Jalopy Journal
