Gary Emory surprised me this morning with a photo of a Valley Custom Shop created Custom 1941 Ford that I had never seen or heard about before. The car owned by Kurt who was a merchant Marine and had the shop work on his car while he was out to sea. According Gary this was the most radical 1941 Ford to leave the Valley Custom Shop ever and yeah I think he is right here. The car is really radical. And unlike any other Custom Car created by this shop. The car has a wonderful mix of typical late 1940's early 1950's molded looks we are used to see from the Barris and Ayala shop and the subtile chances as the opened wheel opening, the raising of the fenders, the removal of the running boards and the leaned back windshield. All more subtile changes we are used of from the Valley Custom Shop. The business coupe (short doors) has been chopped really nice with a lid back windshield and very nice sloop on the rear portion of the roof, a perfect balance between the side and rear quarter windows and nicely rounded corners. I really like how the running boards and whole bottom of the main body has been removed and the fenders raised to sit at the same level as the now shorter body. The hood was sectioned accordingly. The fenders were welded solid and also had the crease hammered smooth and molded to the body. This all results in a very pleasing profile. Gary saw the car for the last time when he was 13-14 years old. The car was then painted white with a leopard skin motive seat covers. Unfortunately this is the only photo Gary has ever been able to find of this car.
A pretty slick profile for those days. The sail-panel is especially graceful. What year(s) was it built?
Wow....thanks Rik for posting.Im not really a fan of some of,the stuff that has been done to this car but I have to admit...this thing looks so good and different then most.I have talked about Neil Emory plenty of times on here but him and the shop are usually overlooked.I would love to see more of this car especially from different angles.I cant believe how much work this car has into it. Long Live Valley Custom !!!!!!!! Just another Custom shop that turned out cars that dominated the streets but usually get over looked this day and age. Thanks for sharing the photo.
Fuc#in A ! This car just shuts it down.I cant stop lookin at it and im lovin it more and more.I wish there were more pictures.Sorry Rik this type of thread doesn't get near the numbers of a clubjacket thread or other threads on here anymore but trust me this picture is very appreciated.
I love the fact that the Valley Customs business card only lists one specific customizing procedure on it and it is sectioning. It is no wonder the were the most well known shop for sectioned cars. Obviuosly they did a hell of a lot more than sectioning but it was clearly their "calling card" so to speak.
LOL I am sure they did. I just found it interesting as the first thing that comes to my mind when a Valley Custom is mentioned is sectioning.
If I remember right they had a very cool card that was Confucius saying to bring your car to Valley Custom. I might be wrong though.Someone had it and it was killer.
It is unbelievable that this car never got the attention that other Valley Custom cars got, and that only one photo exists of it...I certainly agree that it is an outstanding example of an early custom, but so different than other Valley cars, hope that Gary can enlighten us more on it, or maybe others who know more about Valley Customs. I got a text from Gary Emory years ago correcting my comments about the SoCal streamliner whose body Valley hand-crafted, but never heard back from him...think he lived in the San Diego area, but don't remember for sure, it would be great if he joined the HAMB and shared more stories about Valley Custom...
Jeff, the Confucius card is not a business card. Its a magazine ad... but as you say really great anyway!
Gary Emory has been sharing some great Valley Custom Shop photos in the past. Here is another early photo of the Ralph Jilek 1940 Ford that the Valley Custom Shop built. This a bit blurry photo shows the car after the body work was all done, and the car was put back together But there was no interior in the car at this point. Also the hubcaps are not what we are used to see on this car, and the 1949 Chevy license plate frame also had not been added to the bumpers. Thanks to Gary Emory for sharing these amazing photos from this amazing Custom Shop. Gary also send this early photo of the Ralph Jilek Valley Custom Shop built sectioned 1940 Ford convertible. This photo is also a bit blurry, but I guess Gary took some digital photos from original prints hence the blur. But in any even this is a very interesting photo and the first old photo I have seen of this car with the original Carson Padded top in place. Floyd Tipton from Burbanks who did a lot of the Valley Custom Shop cars had already finished the interior in off white and dark blue. The photo shows an all original 1940 Ford dashboard - except for the plated glove box door - and with a 1946 Mercury steering wheel (with broken horn ring?). It also looks like the car gets quite a bit of use judging the stains on the diamond pattern upholstered floor mats. This photo must have been taken pre 1952. In the February issue of Hop Up magazine the Ralph Jilek 1940 Ford was featured with a modified 1940 Ford dashboard and a 1949 Mercury steering wheel. And here is one Gary send of the Jilek Ford as we know it best.
Thanks Rik and Gary!! It's nice to have at least one good custom thread at the top of the board for a while.
Thanks to Gary and thank you Rik again for sharing these pictures with us.The Jilek is just so beyond words and that is one car that to this day I truely believe it belonged in the heaviest Custom show we have seen and that is "Customs Then & Now." I wish we would of been able to get that car.I love seeing these early shots of this legendary Custom. I still cant stop thinking about the new one you posted earlier,I think that car alone is making me look at sectioning in a whole different way.I am craving more info and pictires of that car.
The '41 coupe is indeed something unusual from Valley. It has remarkably good proportions for a radical coupe of that era -- and it's loooooow. I certainly hope that there may be other pictures of this car yet to be found.
Jeff, thanks for posting, somehow I must have missed this earliar....I loved this car since the first time I saw it in Rod & Custom (I believe)...there isn't a better looking front end than a 41 Merc, and I love that its a 4-door.
U-235...... I love that 41 four door,I think that car is the one that really opened my eyes up to appreciating these early four doors.If it was mine I would probably skirt it and put on some spotlights but I do know that wasn't really Valley Customs style.So looking at this four door you just have to appreciate how clean it really is. 50fraud.....I think that is why im loving that newly discovered car when im not a big fan of sectioning.It has to be the fact that the car is sitting very low compared to most their other creations.
Thanks for sharing the pic of the 1941 Ford Rik.The different tire/hubcap combo makes me wonder if the car sometimes had skirts on.Would have looked good for sure.
Great photos and story. I had the pleasure of meeting Neil Emory about 30 years ago. At the time I knew of Valley Custom and when I was introduced to him it took me a few minutes to put two & two together..When I did I was like a little kid..I just met"the" Neil Emory. I had to go back and talk his ear off. Very nice man. About three years ago, I met a guy named Bruce Jensen out on Van Nuys Blvd. Told me his dad had a custom shop years ago. Yep, It was Clayton Jensen's son...Small world. Oh...And Gary lives in Oregon now. Runs Porsche Obsolete.
I wonder if this was a Valley Custom car. I've never heard it identified as such, but it's so clean and has the same character as the '41 Merc -- I wonder?
I just love the newly "discovered" Valley Ford...what a study of late 40's full custom....wish I had seen this pic when I was first starting mine!!
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