You got that right.So im not the only one who has fantasys about early customs. When I just recently drove by this shop I parked right next to that sidewalk you are talking about.Yes its a different world there now but..... its where these pictures were taken and where these rolling displays of art were drivin and that is special.
perfect. the way the front was brought down just enough to hug the contour of the whitewall, the beautiful motorboat stance, the graceful contour of the skirts, the BEAUTIFUL shape of the peak of the hood flowing down into the grille, smooth hood sides... here's the beauty part of that photo... notice how the top disappears into the background, yet you can still see it by pure intuition. also look under the car. the perfect bit of sunlight separating the car from the shadow it casts on the ground. frames the vehicle perfectly. as much credit to the photographer as the builder. that picture gets better every minute.
There is an older guy(might have passed away by now) that took me to the supposed site where Westergard crashed off of Highway 160. If he was telling the truth or not it made me appreciate his stories none the less. Also what is now Fulton Ave in Sacramento which used to be fields and dirt roads but the general location of custom shops and the Thunderbolts hangouts from the 40's.
Yeah as the others mentioned that Johnny Zaro's 1941 Ford. Or perhaps it was even John Vara's at that point. Here is the same day, same place, different camera position. In the front is the Jesse Lopez 1941 Ford, behind it Sam Barris his 1940 Mercury and in the back behind the shop is the 1941 Ford. The lighting and the stuff behind the shop makes the rear look a bit strange... but it really is the Johnny Zaro 1941 Ford. Photo from the Bob Sorrel Collection first posted by KurtisKraft
Here is another nice one. 1940 Chevy with a Hall top. The photo comes from the old Hall Top Shop, and Ron Brooks donated it. The Frazer grille was added by a very young Frank DeRosa, and this car was once (in the 1950's) by one of the three Crellar brothers. But originally it was owned by Hank Ramsey(sp). Ron who owns the other 1940 Chevy from the Crellar brothers also owned this car for some time. Here are two photos of the two cars sitting side by side.
Last thing I heard was that it is still around, but in worse condition as what can be seen in the photos above. I hope Ron will chime in and tell us more about it. I believe Gary Minor also owned the car at one point... most likely after Ron had sold it.
I could have swore I saw the other 40 Chevy conv. at Carlisle , Penn. flea market on year in the eighties, early seventies. Or it was a car done up similarly. The 40 I saw had filled running boards , that big ass back bumper, and had a grille like that, I remember not figuring out what the grille was from. It was in original rough shape.
This looks flatout PERFECT for an early Custom. All this picture needs is the Rex Liquor store behind it.
Lets not forget the Creasman Car,this thing was running the streets of Los Angeles in the early to mid 40s and the fadeaway fenders were added in 47 or 48.This is one of the first chopped cars in the Los Angeles area and it is still crushin pavement today.
These great shots of the near all custom bodies 1940 Mercury where posted on another HAMB thread by BellyTanker. The car was built by his father for Albrecht Goertz. The finished car photo comes from a Dan Post book.
Art Lellis and Jerry Moffat opereated in the mid/late 1940's a small Custom shop on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. They called their shop Olive Hill Garage. There is not much known about their business, and only a few cars have been identified as coming from their shop. Atr & Jerry where talented graftsman, and besides that they had a very good eye for design. So the cars we do know from them, are all very well designed. This 1939 Ford Convertible was one of the personal projects the shop created for the owners to drive, but perhaps even more important promote their business with. Both Art and Jerry had similar styled 1939 Ford Convertible with raised fenders and sectioned hood. And amazingly both of these 1948 Hot Rod Magazine feature cars have survived, and are still with us today. Art Lellis his 1939 Ford had a Rynyan Auto Upholstery Panoramic Padded top and full leather interior. And as we can see in this photo the running boards where removed, the front fenders raised and rear fenders reshaped to sit level with the bottom of the body. The 1937 DeSoto bumpers and motor cycle taillights are the perfect touch at the back. also notice the mud/rock flaps at the back of the front fenders to prevent the body and rear fenders from getting the paint chipped.
Man!!.....this car almost takes my breath away.....One of the best looking customs I never seen...LOL......I have been trying to decide on which custom I wanted to build for awhile now......
It sure is a stunner eh ! I sent the pic to a buddy of mine and he hasnt been able to get it out of his mind either...If I could have found a salvageable pair of caddy quarters they would be on my 47 by now!
I'm a novice when it comes to early car customs, and these all look awesome. But I see the Fowler coupe has no door handles.... what's the trick for back then?
CUSTOMCORY, you have a great eye....Gary Minor did take this chevy to Carlisle to sell.He did not have any luck selling the car.The car stayed back east for a few years and then was brought back to California.I talked to the present owner a week ago and he said he is gathering parts for its restoration.The rebuild will be a major task but I hope it see's the road someday. What a great thread! R&C RON
Here is a great color photo of the Barris built 1941 Mercury for Bob Tormey. Bob bought the car as a near finished car at the Barris shop in 1951. This photo from the Tom Nielsen Collection was taken in 1953-54.... perhaps not the right time to be and Early Custom Pick.... but the styling of this car - especially the usage of the 1937 DeSoto bumpers - makes it feel like an early Custom. And perhaps it is. Perhaps the original owner had it customized by Barris in the mid 1940's... he might have ran out of money, or got other interests and decided to give up on it and sell it in 1951.... In any event its a great photo.. and the first time I have seen this great looking 1941 Merc in color.
What a great photo Rik!! I love that car. Bob's son has promised to send me a bunch of scanned photos of his dads car that he has in the attic. But so far I haven't received any....I really hope they turns up one day... Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
Here is another great photo of the 1941 Mercury owned by Bob Tormey from Yakima, WA. This side shot shows how perfect the Barrises chopped the top on this 1941 Mercury. An absolutely perfect flow and profile, with a wonderful stance. Also notice the rather large radius on the trunk corner, which makes the trunk lines flow much nicer into the roof line. The body mods are most likely the work of Sam Barris... he had such an eye for perfect body lines. The rest of the car is pretty much stock. Some of the chrome was shaved, but the side trim remain, thought shortened on the hood. The fenders where not molded in, and even the door handles stayed on... perfect!
Jive Bomber....................Thanks, Those pics just gave me the second "heart-on".......This Year !!!!! (An, And, .....we still got 6 months to go !) ___________________________________________________________ Wish Someone would throw out some info on my 40 Merc Coupe........... supposed to be in Arizona ???? Rod Action Aug '98 "mystery Merc " ..........five page spread ! Still Smoked Up In Tha' Great Smokey Mts Of Tenn.
I have always liked the look of the 1934 Fords done as Custom Cars, and I have showed a couple of them before. Tom Nielsen send me a photo of this 1934 Ford 5-window with 1936 Ford rear fenders from Everett WA. And even though the car does not have a set of fender skirts like for instance the Wes Colins 34 Roadster has, it still looks amazing with the perfect stance, wide whites, Sombrero hubcaps, and the perfect chop. The much rounded shape of the rear fenders - compared to the stock units - works really well with the shape of the back of the 34 Ford, both body and top. From the Tom Nielsen Collection. 1941 Mercury in progress in 1949, also in Everett WA. And a great looking 1936 Ford Coupe built by the same builder as the 1941 Mercury. Not how the Appleton Spotlight is mounted, pointing forward like they did in the early days. And not up like it was more common in the later part of the 1940's and the 1950's.
I don't know the name of the original owner of the 1941 Mercury Convertible. But Tom Nielsen owned the car from 1959 to 1962. And the amazing thing is it still looked the same as it did when it was first built in the late 1940's. The car was maroon, with a black and white interior, and chrome plated dash, and was showed a lot at local shows including the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Engine was Cadillac to which Tom added a three carb manifold.
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