List ?? Anyone who has a list and checks shit off as they go to fit in a certain era is not genuine in my opinion.If you build a car from this time or anytime then you have to know your shit and really have it in your heart to nut up and do it.I have spent years of late nights reading and doing homework to learn what I feel a kustom is. You cant just learn this stuff real quick on a msg board or websites.My education came from years of books and old magazines from the era of what I liked,which happened to be this era we are talking about. Dont take this wrong ..... im not trying to be a dick about this topic but I think if your car dont fit this early style, then who cares dont try to change it to fit,just build it how YOU want it.Like Pro Stock John said" My car is influenced by these early cars". Their is nothing wrong with that John,your merc is badass. Im a little twisted in the head when it comes to my merc being period correct,this engine swap has been a huge hurdle and I was almost ready to sell my car on more then one ocasion,im very picky and I have been very picky under the hood as well and it has been a tough and expensive road and it has worn my ass out.Like Hombres Ruin said " You want to be hardcore on the outside then why not be hardcore on the inside,its the heart of the car?? Sorry fellas but to be called "Period Perfect" you got to come correct inside and out and crate 350's just dont cut it on a true period sled.I talk to a shitload of old timers every wed night at Art Chrismans and you dont want me to write what they say about period customs with 350's or what Jim Mcneil says for that matter.
About era correct or not. Let me just say, to each his own. If you don't go for this style all the way, then it's all fine. Let people build what they want and be proud and satisfied with that. The problem occurs when people say that they actually are building this style and then miss the goal. It IS important with correct wheels and hubcaps, it IS important with a stance instead of a slammed car, it IS important with parts manufactured the same year or earlier than the style you are going against etc. But if you look at all the hundreds or maybe thousands of kustoms built these years, it shows lots of variations. From mild to wild. But popular modifications is called that because they were just that, POPULAR. And popular is when more than just one or very few use something. And here comes the "listing" of modifications and parts/accessories. Not mandatory, but popular and used by many. Hope we all can agree on this. Well, time to shovel on some more coal and move this train forward, so we don't get stuck. I know it is a little more than 20 years this was built, but it is really nice and not shown here before. My friend John D'Agostino's old Stardust.
I don't think anyone here is building a car off of a checklist of what's "cool", and I'm pretty sure anyone who's made it through 16 pages of this discussion "gets it" in terms of what a custom is. But I also think it's fair to say that there are tried and true elements that can "make" or "break" a custom that is defined by this era. I can name a few phenomenal cars that are 100% CUSTOMS but wouldn't fit in this post because we're not just talking "customs done right", we're talking about a specific era. That being said, here's one that's "done right" from this era and throws another rule (shaved handles) out the window...so screw the "list" and let's look at some cars Alan Egelseer's Merc, built (I think) by the Kennedy Bros, photo taken from Rikster's site...
I'm posting this for Fat141 in Oz. HOPING THAT MY MILD CUSTOM FITS THE BILL. Frenched lights with Merc rims, 52 parking lights in 51 grill, burgundy acrylic laquer... Nosed and decked, frenched license plate, flipped Ponti bumper bar, lowered tail lights... Frenched antenna, white tuck and roll, Ponti side trim. One piece hood, Custom hubcaps, one piece bumper, W/W's, side pipes, visor, hood closed.... HOPE I HAVE COVERED MY ARSE FOR A MILD EARLY FIFTIES HIGH SCHOOL CUSTOM. CHEERS ROD
Here's some info of that car (courtesy of 32 Barn Car): This is an Original Southern California Custom , purchased new by Gerry Huth (the muffler Huth) . Delivered in 1939 , Huth had the top chopped when it was less than 2 weeks old . Driven and used for years in Cali. , it changed hands several times , was owned by a Charlie Mars then ended up with its last owner , Carl Morton . Carl bought and owned Valley Customs , purchased from Clayton Jensen in about 1961 . The car is still titled in Carl's name at the Valley Customs address . It is originally a pre-war custom car and therefore not really built within this era. How this looked like and what modifications it had around 1950, I don't know. It surely is one of the nicest kustoms around these days and I wouldn't mind seeing that in my garage... Of course, there were customized cars with door handles. Exceptions always proves the "rules", so to speak. Valley Customs also done some nice "sport customs" in the style of that great 1940 Convertible built by rodncustom's grandpa. (pics in post #301). Not a taildragger kustom and with no fenderskirts or spotlights. Exactly, like you say. It's not about a custom being well done, it has to be in the style of this specific era. Therefore the Chevy above is not at all in this era. Sidepipes, sunvisor, radial tires, fishtail exhaust pipes etc. Nice car, but not really what we are looking for. Thanks, though!
Actually its NOT the Gerry Huth car... it is the Kennedy Brothers built 1940 Mercury and now owned by John Mumford.
Here is a 1947 Buick currently being built by my friend Jon here in Norway. I forced him to remove the drip rails and will do my best to guide him further into the right direction. This is how it sat this summer after being pushed out of the garage for the first time after a winter season of hard work: And this is a fast photochop by Rik: Rik's photo will be a guideline for this build, and Jon will redo the rear quarter windows and the section where the roof meet the trunk in order to make it like Rik's photo.
John's 36 Ford sure has the right - perfect - look. But it will not fit this list because it has some - a lot - younger suspension components.
lets see if this makes since, to build a true early custom one must first restore the car then build a custom out of it.
I came across the HAMB right after I bought my '51 Mercury. I didn't really have a plan in mind, but I have to say that I loved all of the older era customs so that's what I ended up doing, redoing my car so that none of the visible parts are post 1955 except for the tires. Having had bias ply slicks for years some of which I drove on the street, I didn't get excited about putting a set of bias ply tires on the Mercury. That doesn't mean I won't do it in the future but for now, I have plans to drive the Merc far and wide this coming summer. This board and Rik's site have been my primary places to research stuff. While I'd love to meet customizing icons I have limited access living in Chicago and holding down a fulltime job. Lucky444, are those Studebaker 54-55 hubcaps with custom bullets? Nice.
Oh,dident look that way because it sat right. When they put independent suspension on they usually lay on the ground and dont look that good.
Same here !!! It wouldn't have been said any better ! That's why i'm not trying to explain anymore ! That saying will be mine now !
I agree and do know what you mean but I am in disbelief that its come to this. The last thing anyone should be worried about when evaluating what catergory a custom fits in is the suspension, unless it affects the track width or any other visuals. If things were better, Id build some chopped 50 Merc with a Dick Dean style chop with rain gutters, bias plys, 57 Caddys and a 78 Caddy pillow cushion seat. LOL
That 36 is a real great looking kustom, it is all traditional when it comes to the look. But sorry to say, underneat it is as modern as many Street Rods. I don't mind the car at all, it is a fantastic kustom. But still, if you go back to post #1, not even that one does answer for what J.B. is asking about...
Anthony... I love the car don't get me wrong. I have it on my site with a LOT of photos. And it belongs on the HAMB as much as it can. But like RPW says it does not belong in this particular post. J.B. is the boss here, an he has made the rules
Seems like there is alot of Ford and Mercurys,back in the days were they the first choise for a kustom build? Ok the 49-51 Mercury is a classic kustom car and the 36 Ford is so beautiful original that you dont have to do much to get a really nice car. But it would be interesting to see builds on other cars.
Anthony... you should do your home work a bit better Here are Paul's words on the headlights! "Headlight rings are original 52 Merc shortened to better match contour of the fender. Bucket is spaced back accordingly." Now if you had complaint about the temporarily aluminum license plate frame!!!
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