Anyone recognize this 56 Chevy custom?

My Dad bought this car a few years ago and is now trying to find out more info on it.
The car was supposedly a Barris built car that was shown in the early sixties. We were also told it was featured in a few mags including a car craft in '63 but aren't really sure.
Sorry for the bad photos, these were scans of the original photos when the car was picked up. The born to cruise lettering was actually painted on the windows and has since been removed.
Any info is appreciated.

 

Oh man that thing was in Popular Customs mag in the mid 60s!

 

looks like someone was on acid when they did the back

 

Wheres Tom Davidson or Moriarity???

 

Oh man, bigger pictures please, is that thing cool or what? Over the top for sure but it screams sixties, wanna sell it?

 

I'll try to get some bigger photos.
He (My Dad) retired a few wks ago and is now thinking of downsizing his collection to a select few. He is more of an "original" type guy and may end up selling this one but as of now hasn't mentioned it.

 

Good memory, that's why I put it up here on the HAMB, I knew someone would know something about it.

 

00 Mack knows everything, he'll get you a definitive answer real soon, he's insane like that.

 

the rear is so wild!!! with a diff. stance, that is cool

 

Not my cup of tea..

 

I'm pretty sure it is in one or more of my old custom car annuals from the sixties or seventies can't remember a thing about it.

 

Alright, Ill get the hell outta here. It had a nice feature and everything. I think it was gold flake and it hae a 53 Buick style vertical grille strips and spokes..Ill be back in an hour or 2!

 

PM sent

 

Feb 63. Car Craft, TOP10 CUSTOMS, owner/builder, Marv RIngheim, Portland, Oregon. THe color was purple but looks gold in Black and White.

 

Full feature Jan 63 Car Craft.

 

This MS must be affecting my brain. I dont see the car in any Popular Customs mags and it didnt have spokes. This is a key moment in my life.LOL

 

I looked through my old car crafts and haven't found Jan or Feb of 63 yet.
Thanks OO MACK for the info.

 

As mentioned before the owner/builder was Marv Ringheim.


The scans below come from the Custom Chevies Spotlight book (1963). The car was on the cover.
I will scan the feature (one page) article on this car inside as well as a two spread article in the first CUstom Cars Yearbook of Hot Rod magazine (1963) as soon as I have time (later today)

The Hot Rod Yearbook states that Marv is a Body and fender man... indicating he did all the body work on the car. I don't think this is a Barris Custom... very nice sample of early 60's custom car styling though. I always liked it. Great find for your father.

 

Thanks Rik...This was one of the finest Customs ever in my mind. In it's original form. Permanently embedded in my brain from the first day I saw it......Centurion9

 

Here are the scans of the Spotlight Custom Chevies booklet (1963)

Larger scans can be downloaded from my SITE

Cover


Inside feature



And these two scans are from the Hot Rod Custom Car Yearbook (1963)

 

And here is the February 1963 Car Craft 10 Best Customs feature.
I don't have the Jan 63 issue... perhaps somebody else can scan it.

 

Hmmm ....Interestig

 

Marv had a body shop in Portland, dead now. He did a lot of Corvette work. The lavender color shown here was actually the second color for the car. He first painted it "Hams Beer Truck Blue" also known as '56 Dodge Royal Blue, but when he rolled it outside to show some buddies the new paint job, a comment was made that that was the same color Ron Hing had on his '56 Chev Custom (which I owned until recently). He pushed the car back in the shop and reshot it that night! No paint booth just a dusty body shop and acrylic lacquer. Those were the days.

Although being labeled as a Barris car it is not. I saw the car being built. Marv did all the work himself. Design aspects are curious but in '63 it was way cool and out there! Marv sold the car for $1800 to get money to buy a wrecked Corvette to rebuild.

 

Wow, A little to wild for me!!!

 

Thanks for all the info guys. Dad will be excited to hear some history on the car.

I'll post some better photos asap. It looks better in person than in these photos. There are so many little custom changes (lots of major ones too) that everytime you are around it, you notice something different.

 

I agree it looked better in it's original form. Seems everytime it changed hands something new was done to it. Guess each new owner wanted to put their signiature on it somewhere, lots of old customs had the same fate.
I was really surprised when dad bought it a few years ago as he is more of an original type of guy.
Guess it is never too late to get into customs

 

The biggest reason why i love this place is because of cars like this & kats knowing there sh!t....simply awesome!!

 

This is the type info we were looking for. Thanks for the history!

 

Let me dig thu some old photos,If I remember correctly Ive got pics of it from the PRS (Portland Roadster Show) at the old expo center somewhere,I remeber 3 different 56s this one, a black one with 58 headlites (Chuck Shutz?) and the full custom ragtop outa Vancouver WA.........Times like this I wish Russ Meeks was on here........

 

Bruce Heather must be contacted about this one.