History Custom Car builder Spotlight: AYALA BROTHERS

yeah, that girl is a knockout.

 

This small building and sign are all that is left of the original shop on Olympic Blvd. in East LA.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...wNeoyNz2jOo9YS-RxSNgLA&cbp=12,286.67,,0,-7.78

 

Just cant say enough about these guys. One day its shooting the cover for MotorTrend and the next day its a pushcar at the lakebed. One of my favorite pictures EVER.

 

Jeff

That has to be one of the greatest pictures. I love it!!!

 

Bickford ..... Yes these guys were the real deal and I STILL feel they dont get the credit they deserve.Even though they get more recognition today then they did 5 years ago.

 

Just read and reread all 10 pages. thanks for a great thread and some photos and insight into two of the greatest kustomizers ever . Keep 'em coming Rikster and thanks again,

 

Jeff

It does suck that they didnt get the reconition they should of got before. Its hard to say what car builder where better, but they had an amazing style of there own. Glad to see that other are now finding out about them.

 

Rik, correct me if I'm wrong, but think that Gil and Big John Mazmanian went way back...to the 40's, and somewhere there is a picture of John and Gil in a custom Merc convertible that Gil did for John....right after he got out of the Navy in WWII.

 

Just a reminder

 

Wow not sure how I missed you posting this Jeff but that is a great shot! The Ayalas ruled!

 

Yes you are right they did rule,I just wish we had more pictures to look at and study,I still feel these guys are still overlooked.Its like everytime they get mentioned in a real magazine article its not just about them,it seems as if the other shop always has to get talked about as well.I just dont think that is fair,these guys were doing there own thing and I wish more people would see it that way.I have never heard of Gil Ayala taking credit for other peoples work,it just seems like he was a standup honest guy.

 

It has been mentioned in this thread here before that there are several
Custom Cars that where started, or even finished by Ayala and then where
finished, or redone by Barris. And then basically lived on as Barris Custom
Cars from then on.

Most of us Custom Car enthusiast know this, and will never forget.
But I thought it would be nice to visualize this a little better... just to mark
how good the Ayala brothers really where, and to give them the credit for
the work they did on those particular cars.

Most likely there where plenty more Custom Cars that where started by the
Ayala's and finished by Barris, or even other shops that we don't know about... yet.
And most likely there where cars that where create elsewhere and where
painted at the Ayala shop. And perhaps where then known as Ayala Customs.

But The Barris Ayala mix is the best know, and I think its good to once again
give credit where credit is due.



The first one is the Jack Stewart 1941 Ford that was mostly built at the Ayala Shop,
but that was finished by Barris, and at some point also wore the Barris Crest.




Then we have the Wally Welch 1950 Mercury that The Ayala's completely
finished for Wally in lime green/gold paint. In 1951-52 Barris completely
redid the car, added two extra DeSoto grille teeth, a new custom interior
and purple paint. As far as I know the Wally Welch Mercury never had a
Barris Crest.





The Louis Bettancourt Mercury was also completely finished by the Ayala's.
This time in a lime gold paint, and about a year after it was finished, Louis
took it to Barris for a redo. Barris added a new custom made grille, Cadillac
side trim, new bumpers and hubcaps, and painted it Tingia maroon. This car
also wore the Barris Crest (on the hubcaps as well as on the front fenders).
Later Louis sold the car to Johnny Zupan and Barris again updated the car for him.





The Ayala's also worked their magic on this 1950 Mercury for an unknown
owner. They performed a near fleetline chop and extended the rear fenders
with Olds taillights and fender sections. In 1955 Buddy Alcorn was the owner
of the car and had Barris redo the car with new 55 Plymouth taillights and a
lot of other modification. Barris also added a crest to this Barris recreation.





And then we have the Dan Landon 1949 Chevy.
I have no hard evidence of this, since I have never been able to find any
construction photos of this car (which by itself is another hint), but I think
this car was built, or at least started by the Ayala's.
All the Ayala characteristics are present in this car. Extreme flowing lines
with molded in character lines. Sectioned top for perfect proportions.
Those are all typical things the Ayala's did, and where not generally done
by at the Barris shop. And I have one magazine/book article that wrote about
this car being done at the Ayala's. However I have no real proof, no
construction or primer version photos, its just a hunch....

 

Thank you Rik for doing this post.Im always trying to bring it to the top to bring these guys more attention but when you do a post like this , you really bring good attention to the great Ayala brothers and I think they deserve it and I dont think these magazines have done a great job of doing so,Thanks again.

 

Here is another snapshot of the Ayala built 1941 Ford Convetible for Wally Welch.
This photo comes from the Wally Welch Photo Collection ANd shows Wally with a friend in front of Wally's car at one of the drag races in 1949 or 1950.

 

What a great picture and what a cool cat.Wally was a serious Heavy Hitter,had the cars the hottest chick and hung out at the Dragstrip,this guy was no joke. Rik check out the 49 merc to the right,I wonder who's that was and I wonder if that car on that day was giving Wally some ideas for his 50 merc he was about to buy and take to the Ayala brothers.

 

Sure I saw that.. and yes I had the same thoughts. I think this photo was taken in 1949, and probably Wally was ready to sell his 1941 Ford and move on to something more modern. So yes, he very well could have been inspired by the 49 Merc parked close to him. Also notice the 1940 Ford with 47-48 Ford bumpers... I would love to see the rest of that one as well.

 

Rik,very glad you posted the picture of the Buddy Alcorn merc when it had the Ayala treatment,I think the tailights look great on this version.

 

They really never did get the credit they deserved and I am sure alot of it was the fact that George was such a great promoter the Barris stuff was always front and center while the Ayalas seemed to be more laid back and did their own thing be it racing or building some of the most organic looking customs of all time.

Although the Stewart car has never been one of my favorites the others Rik posted are definitley at the very top of my list for all time favorite customs.

It shure would be cool if someone uncovered a bunch of Ayala build pictures. I have a feeling not many exist as again I think Gil was more concerned with building killer cars than documenting the process but I would love to see some if they do exist.

And somebody needs to track down the Bettancourt Merc and restore it damn it!!

 

The question is ......... do you restore it Ayala version or do you go with the more popular Barris version????????????????? Me personally........ AYALA version without a doubt and yes it would include a built ass flathead just like Louie had in it.

 

I would be torn. I like the Ayala version but in this case I think I like the Barris version better. I think the Cadillac trim on the side brings some life to an otherwise huge expanse of sheet metal and the lack of any chrome on the side of the Ayala version is a little too plain for me. I do however want to see a custom merc from that era in the lime gold so kind of on the fence.

 

I agree with you about a huge area of metal with nothing to brake it up,I think they need something,that is why I left the trim stock on my car.In this case though I would still go with historical first version of this gorgeous car.It is just so smooth like Gils 42 was.

 

Damn a six year old thread that's still cool, relevant and exciting.....thanks Rik

 

It is even more pronounced on the Bettancourt merc as the beltline has been molded and the trim around the windows has been removed and smoothed so there is absolutely no trim on the side of the car at all to add any visual break up on the original version.

 

I totally agree... and the best car possibly to do this with was the Wally Welch 1950 Mercury. That car looked so great in Lime Green Gold. I have to admit the Barris version with the two extra teeth looked better, but I really wish that Justin Mozart would have gone with the Ayala version when he restored the Wally Welch Merc... instead of the deep Purple Barris version... I have tried to convince him, but he just did not like a light color on a big 49-50 Mercury... to bad.

 

I agree without a doubt,I think Wallys merc should of been done in this color and if I had Louie's today it would most definitely be redone in the Ayala version.

 

Chip from WCK send me an email with a photo he took of Rich Pichette (left) and Gil Ayala at the 1990 Paso Robles show. Gil and Al Ayala where inducted in the Hall of Fame them.




And Chip also send me the autograph he got from Gil Ayala at that show.




So even back in 1990 the Ayala's where recognized for what they have done in the Custom Car history. But the fact that they did not have a promotor like George Barris was/is left them behind a bit.
As far as I know only one magazine how to article was done in Gils Auto Body Shop. Or at least I have been able to only find one, perhaps more have been done, but have not been named. And none of the guys working at the Ayala's carried a camera with them like George Barris always had/has. So not much of their work has been documented as well, and no books have been written about them... at least not yet. But for Custom Car enthusiast all over the world the Ayala's sure get the recognition they deserve.

 

Well it looks like they needed a Marcia Campbell hanging around their shop,since it seems that she is responsible for alot of the early photos at the Barris shop.

 

Chip thanks for sending those to Rik, and Rik thanks for sharing those great pictures.I would of loved to of met that legend!!!!

 

Thanks for telling all of us about all of this great custom history! Great thread!

 

Cyclone Kevin posted this movie in 2007.. I never did see it then, but when I did a search on google about something else I came across it again.

This interesting movie shows the Ayala shop at 6.00 min, it does not show much, just the sign and the scene across the road, but still its very interesting to at least see this.


Here are some stills









I tried to embed the movie... did not work. So HERE is a link to it. Go to 6:00 for the Ayala Shop scene.

According google the movie will be removed April 19th... so you better hurry up.