Customs Most Influential Customs of the past 15 years?

Think hard kids, What Customs of the past fifteen years do you think have had the most impact on this hobby? I'm not talking clones or recreations, but newly built, traditional styled customs.........no hot rods, no gassers, you get the idea.......

 

McPhail,there were so many cars built in the last 15 years,it would be a tough list to put together.

 

Think Hard.......I'm doin the research for a reason!

 

I have a few... and they are in no particular order.. and there will be more.

Just custom cars that made me feel good.. and inspired me a lot.

Harry Bradley Designed 1940 Mercury. Built by Donn Lowe for John Babcock.
Perhaps to modern? for this post... but still like to include it.






Another Harry Bradley Design...
Sam Foos and Donn Lowe built 1949 Ford

Paul Kelly Photos





John Fisher's 1936 Ford Coupe.... nothing new... done before in the 40's.... But its just so PERFECT... I think this car alone inspired many people to built 1940's style custom cars. It was/is showed so much that I feel this car has done a lot for how the custom car scene looks today.






Another one.. but I think its a little older than 15 years come to mind.

Doug Thompson 1949 Chevy....
I was speechless when I first saw pictures of this car in the magazines. I still love every bit about it today.






I have always loved the look of the old custom car styles combined with modern development technologies. The Harry Bradley Designed cars are a perfect sample of this.. and so is this car that was builtd and designed by Paul Kelly.






From Finland the 1949 Buick built by Kartsa.... this car has it all. Perfect flowing lines, and perfectly shaped body lines.

Janne Kutja Photos

 

troy trepaniers 40 ford convert with the belly pan---saw that at back to the 50's in mnpls maybe 5 years ago---

 

I think Cole Foster's/Hemet '36 Ford deserves to be on the list.

 

A much milder custom that I really like and that made me look for more info on the car over and over again was Steve Hager 1946 Convert with Plymouth grille. A lot of mild body work makes this a stunning custom, thats shows a custom does not have to be Wild to look very good.






Gary Howard built Jimmy Vaughan's 1954 Ford.







Mark Morton's 1954 Mercury

Dave Lindsay photos





There where many 1949-51 Mercury's built in that period... two left a real mark for me.

Jeff Neppl's 1950 Merc (last chop by Dick Dean)








And Terry Hegman's Merc is just perfect in every aspect.

Howard Gribble photo


Dave Lindsay photo

 

Totally agree with Rikster on Don Thompson's chevy

These two spied at the primer nats have left a mark on me

 

Yes, I was going to mention Morty's Merc also! One of my favs of any era.

 

I think your Chevy might qualify, Dennis. Made a lot of guys do flaked roofs on thier cars.
Might also include the John Kouw built sectioned Shoebox Ford. When it came out, there just weren't any "new" sectioned cars around.
Maybe Richard Glymph's T-bird for bringing back panel paint jobs? Yes, way before, Kirk's sported his.
Rick Dorr's Caddy for reintroducing fade away paint jobs.
Trying to pick cars that reintroduced old styling techniques that seem to have caught on with today's builders. If that is what you meant by influential.
How about that T Bird with the Starliner roof...lots of guys taking that idea and running with it.

 

Have they leant the screen pillars inwards? Interesting mod. One way to reduce the "weight" of the roof I guess. Very cool.

 

Paul Bragg built this beauty for his wife Pat...
I think his car was responsible for a few more sectioned shoeboxes... And for sure for many smiles.






I know this Paul Bragg 1941 Ford is not finished.... but it already has a lot of influents...








Clurt Leipold (cleatus) chevy has been very inspiring for the past few years.. and it it getting better and better.






Kirk Jones and Alex Cambino put Lace and panel painting back on the map for the traditional 1960's customs... (Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but this one is a typical sample of a 60's style custom.. a very good one)

 

Yes they did.

 

Jimmie Vaughan 1961 Cadillac. I'm sure that car increased amount of custom Cadillacs of that era.

 

Paul Cepedas DeSoto, for showing everyone that other brands can be cool too.

 

Kevan Sledge Merc: One of the best 40 Mercs done in the recent past !


"The car has the most perfect chop ever done on a 1940 Mercury. Slightly leaned back windshield, and recontoured C-pillars makes this top flow just perfectly. The speed-boat stance and all period goodies dont hurt either..." Rik Hoving aka "Rikster"

 

How about Moriarity's "Futurian"

 

Jesus Valencia 49 Chevy: I think its fair to say that this car stopped many people in their tracks.

 

The most influential (to me, 1956) was my buddy taking his near-new '55 chivvy and letting me help nose/shave/deck it. Most people thought he was crazy to fuck up a new car like that. Primered it, in-progress, a panel at a time with rattlecan. He mounted salvaged starter solenoids, hooked up cables for door poppers. I did the wiring to pushbuttons in the fenderwells. The plan was flawed, the switches in the buttons burned out pretty quick running all that current straight through them. My first practical lesson in realizing what relays are for.

 

The man asked for the most influential customs of the past 15 years

 

Theres many im sure, as of now i can only think of a few:
Gato Loco, sure one of the 1st to bring the 60s back from the past in style.

Imperial Customs Danny's Olds for the same reason!


Then talkin about tail draggers, i think this Desoto and the Green Winsdor
have been pretty influential to guys buildin the same style rides,
Both have been around since at least the early '00s.
I might be wrong, but i always thought this was the case.
Great Example of Ass Dragers!

 

I don't know about most influential, but I like everything I've seen...

 

For me anyway......................

 

Awesome question and you sure locked me up.... The question that you asked, not the
best Kustom or your favorite, it is the most influential. Influential is a lot more personal
then just posting pictures of favorite kustoms. The two that I've mentioned below has
influenced me with my walk and because of these guys I'll be a kustom guy for life.

We all Know McPhail Sucks! But his '52 Chevy has to be on the list. The chevy went
through a lot of different stages and it was always on the road. To me it is important
that you drive them and his Chevy was a good example. Just because it is kool doesn't
mean you can't drive it. Kustoms take time to build and anyone can enjoy the different
stages while your trying to reach your goal. You have to be patient to build a kustom
and you can enjoy the steps because the car show thing is really a social thing and not
just a car show. Very inportant lesson that a lot of guys don't get.



Mercury Charlies '51 Mercury, I think that it is the best kustom Merc ever built. All of
the attention to small subtle changes without loosing the classy original style. Besides
that, I meet Charlie at the Starbird years ago and he is one of the nicest guys that has
a passion for Mercs. His passion for Mercs has influenced me and the stuff that I've
learned from listening to him has influenced me greatly.



Lot more come to mind but these two stands out....

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

Yes and Fritz`s "Roswell"

 

Can´t forget Plowboys Atomic Punk either.

 

You know the pitter patter of my heart Ryan. JV's '54 is my favorite custom of all time....with first series somberos. I feel like it lost a bit of luster when I seen it at the Roundup last year with new wheel covers but awesome none the less!!!!



I know this one was built a little over 15 years ago but I think it was finished within that frame. I think it's the be all end all of '54 Chevy's. None have been done this well up to Cole building it and none after...

 

Have to agree w/ Mick, i have a soft sot for McPhails '52 also.
I think the later version in black w/ dual exhaust is the neatest.
Was Gary Chop it involved w/ this car? I seem to remember so.

I think it started out like this

Then to this

Another slight change

And finally my favorite





Please correct me if im wrong!

Edit: Oh yeah Jeffrey, you sure right too, Cole's 54 is one of the best for sure!

 

Lot of great cars in this thread, but I have to agree with Mick, Mercury Charlie's '51 is just.... beautiful.