Featured History Transitioning from Customs to Low Riders

We don need no steenkin labels man...

But seriously, I see not a transition and more of an almost tidal inspiration. The leadsleds inspired the lowriders who's style inspired the sleds a bit and back and forth it went. And in fact still goes. Styles are and always have been regional and yet many emulate those regions in different spots too thanks to media. Magazines back then and just about anywhere you wanna look on topic online. Some cars look so good as offered it's almost dangerous to grab the saws and lead. 65 Riviera, drop it just a little, wheels n tires, maybe some custom paint but nothing "out there" that owns the car. Perfection. 61 Invicta bubble top. Paint n stance, maybe very light shavings of factory jewelry, Skylark wheels. Pick your white wall because a 2" or ½" would be money. I hope I'm understanding the****ignment

 

My 64.

 

More raw thoughts. No matter where it all began or where it is now, sometimes no saws or torches belongs to any standard bearer. I'm sure the term "bombs" came up in some replies prior, yet in case it didn't do we set them in their own corner or are they not-so-distant cousins to the whole landscape? I'm thinking if anything was a dealer on the corner to a specific venue then a case could be made for their influence. On both in fact. The word custom (kustom?) usually starts with the mental image of 49-51 Merc sled. Of course there's others but, well you know. Bombs are usually late 30s thru late 40s sedans, lowered, accessories, custom paint, the "right" rollers and wheel covers, and boom yer a bomb. So which one*****led who's teat that moved or even created the next venue?

A lot of the notable customs were also heavily influenced by the early coachbuilders. When T. "Bob" Gregorie chopped, channeled and sectioned a Zephyr into a Continental, Howard "Dutch" Darrin did the same with Packard, and Harley Earl did what he did to practically an entire product line, I think the while gig here in the topic can thank those guys for showing us undiscovered territory. Earl did fade away fenders before Westergaard (sp), and in fact the initial clay model for the Packard Clipper featured full length fade away fenders as in headlight to rear fender from Darrin. Packard brass wasn't having it. They even wanted conventional running boards (!) But settled for large and rubber covered sills under the doors. Yes, I love Clippers. Lowriders? They can, and will, drop anything. 2 words from a not so distant past. Mini trucks. Doesn't matter if air or oil dropped and raised it, same spirit adapted to times. Which twin has the Toni? But anyways, here's to 1st influences in 4 pics below, as offered direct to consumers.

 

Great points. The Coachbuilt and Concept cars are probably the original influential factors of the Custom/Kustom car and Lowrider scene.

 

Great looking ride. Thought it would look cool full size.

 

In most any concept drawing the artist/designer always had em laid out. Made em "feel good" just lookin at it. Even old films promoting product, they lowered a lot of cars purposely. The 1st vette films, I think I learned somewhere that they packed the car with sandbags for a lower stance in the shots.

 

Yes and a lowered roofline. Definitely more custom than stock.