History Custom Craft: A Firsthand Look

Looking at the Studebaker and Corvette in the magazine makes it easier to understand why customs died out in the early 60's, most of the rest of the cars were tasteful mild customs. Show cars were awarded points based on the number of modifications rather than the final result.

 

That was fun.

 

The cover car looks like Batman's high school football helmet.BTW,I like the '32.

 

The mild customs, especially the '57 Ford Convert, are pretty nice. The Deuce is also very nice. But......that cover car is not what I would have chosen to put on the cover of my magazine. I agree Model A Gomez that it was cars like that that soured folks on customs. It would have been hard for me to have put down a quarter to take a chance on what might be in the inside a publication with that on the cover....of course then curiosity did kill the cat.

 

first off, i am not a custom guy, but what is so bad about that cover car? it looks well done, is in proportion, the lines flow. i see mirrored shapes and balance. big tail fins and fifties look! looks like a perfect example of a custom car so what am i missing?.

 

Thanks for the look inside,I always enjoy getting a peek at some mild customs. The 57` ford drop top or the 55` Chevy would be my top picks on cruise night.

 

What is missing tb33anda3rd is the other poster's ability to be actual custom car guys! A true custom car guy can look at a car or truck and see it as a bare canvas . We ask ourselves , what can I create with this raw material! Don't get me wrong , custom cars take a lot of skill to accomplish the end result . But it also takes a sense of style and a eye for proportions and flow. Most people do not have it or the skills . I think the Studebaker on the cover is a very well executed car for the time, but I would have done something different with the lower front grill area . Eight headlights are a bit two much even for the 50's . Customs died out in the early 60's due to the cost of construction and the fact that you could buy a new 409 Chevy, 406 Ford or a 413 max wedge Dodge for the same money or less and make payments! And custom car shows where starting to take a back seat to Drag raceing!!

 

thanks for another good read, Joey

regarding that crazy Stude custom there's something to find at Riksters archive.

look for Bill Johnsons early custom photo collection here:

http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://images21.fotki.com/v515/photos/2/223020/3452147/STUDEBAKERBEFORE2-vi.jpg&imgrefurl=http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/custom_car_photo/twochops_bill/early_customs/studebaker-before-2.html&h=499&w=750&tbnid=-ubSTjKVAkUZeM:&docid=3OgHnT5r7Q0JEM&itg=1&ei=TajQVsPXPMG2OvuklKAP&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=1231&page=1&start=0&ndsp=52&ved=0ahUKEwiDsoDhlZbLAhVBmw4KHXsSBfQQrQMIdzAc

 

I remember that mag back when I was a young'un. The 55 Chevy was probably scalloped
by Andy Southard before he moved west. He was the best on Long Island for that kind of thing in those days. I used to drool over his 58 Impala whenever I saw it.

 

Door looks like modern charger .....

 

Space ship..get ready for lift off...ha ha

 

Remembering "back-in-the-day"! When Olds, Buick, Caddy engines were the "soap de jour" to replace the anemic flathead or inline 6! The SBC's and Y-blocks stayed where they belonged - in their stock locations but with some HP enhancements. Lots of experimentation - with fibergl*** and resin kits with rock-hard bondo (most one car garage or driveway builders did not have welding or leading skills nor the equipment). Ch***is detailing? infrequently important. Surface cosmetics dominated however nicely or horribly executed.

 

@oNE BAD 51 MERC thanks i thought it was me. i don't mind the 8 head lights but can see it not appealing to everyones taste. that car should be the poster child of customs.
@40two does the car have connecticut plates? where and when is the "after" photo?

 

Those are definitely Studebaker doors. That cove looks to be '53 through '55. The front fenders however do not follow the body line like it does on the stock car.

 

Don't know know how you do it Joey. I still have this mag in my stash, maybe it' s time to go thru them. There were several east coast mags in this Era and some of the trends reflected were somewhat specific to the area. Anyhow, thanks for stirring the memories!

 

Whatever it was, an amazing amount of work went into this. I would have loved to happen upon this car in a junkyard, just as shown in the photo...a real piece of history and someone's dream. It makes one wonder about what happened to many of the other early radical cars that have disappeared. Thanks, 40two.

 

It seems that the car has burned. Just look at the discoloration of the steel and the way the roof, the fins and the trunk are warped and bent.

 

That frontpage custom started as a wrecked studebaker.
The amount of work in this car was unbelivible.
I have a old magasine where it was feutured.

 

It looks to be a 53/54 Studabaker with 59 caddy tail finns and multiple other custom highlights. I love it, I would smooth the top out in white sport topping with the Carson style touch.

 

Man I almost remember that, can you post any pictures of it.

 

Cool car, call me crazy but I even like the eight mirrored headlights. This car has a nice flow.
And no living car was harmed during this build.