Features Kustoms blues? I need to see some kustoms....

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NJ's Kustom the Pink Lady 1951 Ford Conv (Pete Spikler/Rolland Platt, Art Riporti, Mikey & Lillian Estok, Glen Gross, and now
Ann Marie Riporti Konko
).
I had the pleasure after 25 Years to see the Pink Lady in person once again @ Spotswood HS Car Show on 10/18/20 and speak with the Riporti family. My father had shared stories seeing the car back in the 50s when he drove his mild custom 49 Merc Conv. The Pink Lady IMO is one of the Best Shoebox Kustom!
Here's photos over the years I have taken ... Also, a write-up I had saved from the past, posted on the net;
This story begins with one man's quest to have a clone of the car of his dreams, and the latter owner's commitments to keep that dream alive.
The NJ Pink Lady began it's life in the early '50's as the clone to the flamingo pink and black 1950 Ford sled convertible called the "Jersey Meteor". The Jersey Meteor built and owned by body shop owner Pete Spikeler of Union, New Jersey, cruised the streets of Union and Irvington Jersey in her "hay day". She was two-toned with Crest liner trim and Canadian Meteor grill, hence the name the "Jersey Meteor". Roland Platt, a body shop owner in Carteret, New Jersey, worked in the area as a teenager and saw the Meteor a cruisin' by and fell in love with this fine automobile. Roland's infatuation went to the point where he just had to clone his own "Jersey Meteor". He began his quest looking for a convertible and soon discovered a green '51 that had been traded-in at a Lincoln mercury dealer in Union. Roland then enlisted the help of Pete Spikeler to begin the transformation.
Over the course of a few years the "Pink lady" was completed in sections. Roland had his clone. In the late '50's the flat head Ford engine was replaced with a 1957 Corvette engine. Roland cruised and showed the car into the early 1970's. The car exchanged hands a couple times after Roland, and ended up in Bayonne, New Jersey. The Lady was stored in a garage, completely dis***embled for a future restoration, with all intentions of putting a flat head back in the car.
The then owner had some financial difficulties and lost interest in his Lady. There she laid apart, forgotten for over nineteen years. In the late 1980's, with renewed interest in lead sleds, Art Riporti of Old Bridge New Jersey, a custom lover and car builder for many years, began his hunt for the "Pink Lady". Art heard rumors of an old custom for sale in Jersey City. After two years of following up tips and leads, Art and his brother finally found the car. The Lady was in excellent rust-free condition and surprisingly 99% complete, with all the '50 custom pieces intact, except for the '57 corvette engine and factory spot lights.
Art brought the car home in trailer loads and immediately began researching how the car looked in the '50s. it took him two years to rebuild, recondition and restore the Lady to it's present original state, with a few modern updates, including a 1980 Corvette 350 cubic inch engine, with the original 3:2 carburetor manifold from the '50s, coupled to a turbo 350 transmission and a '79 Nova posi-rear.
The Pink Lady received a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria interior, '50 Buick tail lights, a kaiser bumper guard, Mercury headlights and side trim, and el dorado Cadillac hubcaps. Some parts were imported from California, including the side pipes and Continental kit, and flush mounted steel bubble skirts.
Mickey and Lillian Estok bought the car from Artie in August 1994 and spent some time making the Pink Lady a dependable driver and cruiser. They have put on approximately 3,000 miles since they purchased the car, going to shows and cruise nights.
It's really pleasing to see the excitement of all the people who remember this originally New jersey custom lead sled that used to cruise the streets over forty-five years ago.

 

Pink Lady Continued - 90s to the 80s ...

 

Love the hubcaps but I would never buy them as I am a cheap ******* and those are $$$$$$.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

What a beautiful, real live, rolling time capsule that is alive and well again. So many touches in this car that are very traditional because they were done back in the heyday of customs! Just stunning mods and cleanly executed. There are lots of great ideas on this. Thank you for posting

 

The Chevy coop top really changes the looks of that Mopar...nice job...

R-

 

Sam Foose ...