there is a posibility that someone at some time perhaps could think about mabey doing something in the field of this area of building at an un specified time.
I've always been a fan of that car but can never understand why a guy would want to build a clone of an existing car. Building a clone of one that is long gone or a clone of an early version of a custom that had later been changed drastically from the original build is a different story though.
Does anybody have any pictures or articles on the build of this car or even know if there were pictures ever taken in the mock-up process? I know it was along time ago!
Gray Baskerville had the deal on the photography on that one -- he was there quite often snapping pictures. So check the issue of Hot Rod magazine with the feature. I just remember the deadlines on the car and Roy cursing when having to make that rear bumper. As for duplicating the car? There were various diecast models made of it -- good to get the proportions right if one desired. The real thing spends time at the Peterson Museum and was at the SoCal shop in Pomona a few weeks ago.
I have some construction pics somewhere (from my Dad) and a pic of the 1/1 tape drawing of it, but I think it was maybe all in Street Rodder. He used to give me dupes of whatever interesting photos he had. I remember showing Harry Bradley pics of Cadzilla in class, and he was surprised and interested... I would say building a copy would be a pretty ambitious undertaking to say the least!
Very precise statement! There was a guy in North or South Carolina who fell in love with Cadzilla, and wound up building several "inspired" copies of Cadzilla. Not an exact clone, but using most of the styling cues from it. He brought one up to Gettysburg back in the late 80'2 or 90's and a few years later, had sold the first, and brought a second one. Don't remember his name, though.
A LOT was done to that car. Of course a clone is possible. An exact clone would be a huge project for one person, and especially for anyone less than an expert in multiple fields. I have a '48 fastback/coupe I have had for quite a while. Along with several other projects it's definitely on a back burner. I was contemplating what to do with it when Cadzilla was made. That car was done right. Not only does the car look good and have good proportions, all the tradeoffs that are typically just lived with were addressed on that car, things like interior floor to roof height, ride height adjustment, and rear wheel/tire access. Anytime a car enthusiast sees a customized '48 - '49 Cadillac ccoupe, Cadzilla is in the back of their mind. Although another approach could be taken, I see any major customizing or sheet metal work I am willing to do to the car as just, not as cool and correct as Cadzilla. I am not saying I think Cadzilla is perfect, but there no question it would be a monumental investment of time and effort to equal or exceed it.
Doors were pretty tight on that build I was there and was told NO PICS!! by Craig and this other guy and it was no done in the general shop area it had it own room!
Just be creative and build something in the same style. You could improve on it by doing better tailights for example.
everything we build is kind of a clone of something out there.there is only so many ways to build a car.what we all do is already been done somewhere. i think.
Naw. I disagree. NOBODY could fuck up a car like I can. Mine are all one-offs, since the possibilities of someone making the same mistakes are slim to none.
Somewhere I read a comment about that car that it led to more scratchbuilding of one off cars because by the time they were done modifying it it could just as easily have been built from scratch.
everything is handmade except for the dash and some of the body skin. they destroyed a nice original to build it. it would be a difficult car to clone.
I don't understand WHY someone would want to do that. If one has the skills (uber-high) to build a clone, why not build something else and wow us all with something new. I have never understood the whole clone thing.
I kinda do... The skill of Fabricating the metal is just one part of whats needed to make something nice. You just have to go back through history to find lots of well made cars that are really ugly. So I can see why somebody would want to replicate one they really like. But, with all due respect, for me that wouldnt be Cadzilla. I'd go for someting like the Pininfarina Alfa 33. Or the Iso Scarabeo. Or maybe a phantom Zagato inspired version of a car that Zagato never built...
You really want to know why? I'll tell you! I'd been building street machines since about 1976, then got heavy into doing customs in 1980 or so. Built a lot of nice cars, as TeddyP here, and some others will tell you. But I never got any recognition at all...probably contributing to this is being here in NJ, not in Cali! Anyhow, my buddy Vic talks me into building a clone of the Kopper Kart, and within a year of debuting it, March 2008, I was featured in a chapter in Alan Mayes book, Old School Customs, had my name in every rod and custom mag out there, had pics of 2 other cars I had a hand in, on the cover of Kustoms Illustrated, besides the 3 issue coverage of the Kart, and had my "driver" 61 Dodge featured in Spike's book. This is all attriibuted to building the Kart, and thanks to Vic for talking me into, and helping build it. NOW everyone keeps telling me I need to build a cool custom of my own design (like I haven't been doing it for 30 years)...but anyway, I AM finishing up a pretty radical 46 CHevy couple I've been playing with for 14 years. We'll see how much attention it garners! Not that I am into all that attention, I was perfectly happy just building nice cars for the guys I know. But all that ink is from building 1 clone, not 20+ good looking customs, and even more OT cars. I did the Kart for a very good friend, and because I thought it was important to bring back a classic vehicle that has been lost for almost 50 years, the "attention" was farther down on the list.
Steve Sanford did a very inspired rendering of a '49 Cad in Hot Rod several years ago. I don't recall the issue date but if someone knows and can post it, it would be appreciated.
I think anyone that saw the Cadzilla and was impressed with it (in one way or the other) and ends up building a sled later in life is influenced by it. Even if only by painting it black, or changing up the body lines to give it more flow. Clone, no. homage, yes.
I see a real difference here. Not being up on my Kustoms my sense of history sucks but.....the difference is in re-creating a car from the past that has been lost due to accident or neglect vs. cloning. To me cloning is just copying an already existing car like Cadzilla or, heaven forbid, the American Graffiti 32 5 window. That said, I don't know whether the original Kopper Kart exists. If not, you re-created a legendary car and obviously did a bang up job of it. If it does, well...props to you for a very nice copy. I still don't get it. Copying, that is.
Yeah, I get your point about copying something that is already out there, or, as in the Graffiti coupe, a whole bunch of them. I guess if you REALLY like something, or just have no imagination? But then again, I wouldn't mind driving around in a Batmobile. Clones of long gone cars make more sense. I've seen hundreds of pictures of the Kart, during our planning and build...but to actually see it, up close, in person, in color, still gives me chills up my spine. AND it presents an icon of Kustom-ness that many people would never get to see, it only exists in the old magazines. Maybe it even inspires the young ones to get into customs, they are so fascinated by our clone. It certainly makes the older leadsled afficianados smile!
Sounds like you are refering to the Sedanettes built by Larry Hinson, when he had a shop in Mt. Holly NC (West of Charlotte NC) He closed his shop,but I think he still has one of the cars. Seems like he still has a shop at home ,but may not be doing customer work. Anyway ,the cars were killer... Stan
if it were me id rather clone the eliminater coupe then cadzilla it just dosent do anything for me much like chezoom they both remind me of the other
They had alot of photos in the feature mag. If you can find it then you would have a great baseline. The car was and is an amazing piece of work. Vehicles on cloned all the time. Barrett jackson decided to label them Tributes because it sounds better.
the Real one is in So-Cal getting fresh paint job.... or at least a face lift... I took these at the open house at LARS
HERE HERE!! Your clone got me buying parts for a vehicle I don't have yet and trying to find garage space I don't have for CURRENT projects! Keep up the good work! On a side note, is the Kart going on tour again any time soon? I've missed seeing it and I've had the pleasure of seeing the Hirohata clone up close (still about shit my pants!) and between the Kart and Moonglow 2, there's not many clones I'd travel to see around Ohio! Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Here is the car I am building for my wife. I am not trying to build a Cadzilla but something with simular flow. A little modern for a build thread on this forum though. I have better pics on my personal FB page.
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