History The Clif Inman '57 Chrysler

Most people must not be as curious as I... The '36 Chev short top PU was Joe's shop truck, and still had the name of the glass shop on the tailgate. It sported a 324 Olds and Cad LaSalle sideshift tranny. My wife bought it from Mrs. Wilhelm and drove it for several years before selling it to a lady in Germany. The car behind is a Nash coupe that was their family car for many years, 'till Joe's brother wrecked the front end. Joe jury-rigged a radiator support and headlight bar, and continued driving it 'till Mrs. Wilhelm lowered the boom. It was relegated to the shop. Along comes an old customer who has a 140 Jag and wants to customize the critter. Joe had an idea for the front, but didn't want to just hatchet that Jag. So, he takes the front clip off a LaSalle (probably where the tranny came from), sticks it on the Nash, and does the necessary changes to make it look how he wants the Jag to look. It met with his approval and the "Jaguar Royale" was born. People say it was not "pretty", but it was invited to Pebble Beach, not once, but twice.
Now for the rest of the story..... I found that Nash sitting in a field outside Livermore, CA, bought it, and sold it to the same fellow who still owns the "Buzzbomb"...
Are you following this??
The Nash now lives in Nor Cal.....

 

Yes its still around ... but it's not in Clif Inman's family.

In the summer of 1977, my father ("Deuce Bruce" Olson) and his friend (Gary "Goodguy" Meadors) were making frequent trips to the Fresno California Hot Rod shop of Pepper Snow & Ronnie White (Snow-White Ltd.) ... to shoot photos for magazine articles ... and to check on the progress of the Jag chassis going under our "Resto-Rod" '32 Roadster.

During one those visits to Fresno, Pepper & Ronnie mentioned to my father (who at the time was in the process of restoring two '57 Chrysler 300C Coupes & two '58 Chrysler 300D Coupes) that they knew where the Clif Inman (Joe Wilhelm built) '57 Chrysler was "hiding."

It wasn't long after that conversation that Ronnie & Pepper took my dad & Gary over to see my father's all-time favorite Custom! The owner of the vehicle offered to sell it to my father ... but for way more $$$ than my father's "car hobby budget" could afford (i.e., besides the four Chrysler 300 projects, we were also building the '32 Roadster & a Chopped '32 Tudor).

Fast forward several months later ... my dad was chatting with Rod (@RodP) Powell who had a client wanting to purchase a "milestone" custom. The client was film and record producer, William E. McEuen (famous for working with Steve Martin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens, etc.). Arrangements were made ... and a few weeks later, Mr. McEuen showed up at our Fremont, CA house with a "large stack of Benjamins" to have my father purchase the car for him ... and deliver the car to Rod's Salinas, CA shop to "freshen" it up.

The whole story is chronicled in my The Inman '57 Chrysler Custom album ... and in this chopped black 57 chrysler custom? thread from 2008.

As for the car's current whereabouts ... unless McEuen's estate (Bill passed away on September 24, 2020) has sold it, I assume its still collecting dust away in one of his Southern California warehouses

 

Are you confusing Bailon and Wilhelm??
Joe Wilhelm built and then rebuilt the Mark Mist. I brought the car out of storage and cleaned it up for Paso a number of years back. Say what you may about that puppy, but it was a true art creation. The inside was really wild and way ahead of it's time. It originally ran a SBC, but Joe was in the process of installing a nailhead when he quit working on it. The current owner has finished the Buick install, and has it ready to drive. It still carries the Wilhelm paint, which is pearl silver. It looks wierd because it was done in a hurry. He had painted it a dark purple, and Mrs. Wilhelm told him it was ugly. So, after being purple for less than a week, it was changed.
The mark Mist had Jag suspension in the front, and a full belly pan.
I took possession of the Mist just long enough to make a three way trade which got Kurt McKormick his Cad custom, Mrs. Wilhelm a new car, and a new owner for the Mist. I gota big thank you from all three, which was just fine....

 

The quads were available in 57 as well, but it was a mixed bag as in late 56/early 57 as some states still required single lights, but by late 1957 they all had the quads. The original fenders used to get the quad headlight metal on Taboo were out of a 57 300C

 

would be awesome if it did, or at least the nose is sitting somewhere. I can see someone putting a more stock nose back on the car at some point.

 

If it did - I think it would look great in your driveway!

 

Last I heard it’s still in a warehouse owned by a producer
Movie/music I forget which one
I’m friends with Clif Inman on Facebook he only has his
Oakland Roadster show 1929 roadster survivor

 

"Talent based restraint" Always in short supply. A car for the ages.

 

Being the rebel that I am, I prefer this one.

 

See my POST above.

 

Coincidentally, I just pulled that Andy Southard book out a couple days ago and was going over the picture of this car. From the pictures I actually used to think it was a very dark blue It's difficult to photograph a true black car.

 

That would be the Star and Bar on Bascom and San Carlos.

 

Out of all his cars, this one (and this version) is my personal favorite. IIRC, it was restyled several times more but it did nothing to improve it.

You're just not enough of a custom guy Ryan.... LOL

 

Very cool! Never too old to learn something new.....isn't it great?

 

You guys want another photo from Clif's collection?


This is the 1954 Olds Clif sold to buy the Chrysler. It featured mild custom work by a couple of local shops. Flyers Body Shop was one of them. Bondo Pete was another fellow, but Clif can't remember the name of his shop, just the nickname they had for him. I have some more info and photos on that one here: https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Clif_Inman's_1954_Oldsmobile

 

The Wilhelm built Cliff Inman Chrysler was the inspiration to my "Cajun Queen" built in Sweden, some of the Chrysler concept builds from the coach builders at the Ghia factory in Turin, Italy inspired also.

 

That is a really beautiful car! I've seen it online for years. Love the chopped '60-62 Chrysler roof.

 

One of the best customs of all time. A custom should improve on the stock lines, clean and tasteful.