Unbelievable how things happen! I took the 61 Dodge to the local cruise night last Saturday night...actually only the third time the car has been out. As I pull into a parking space, an older guy comes running up to the car. As I get out, he says "Nice car! Do you want another project like this?" So I'm thinking, "yeah, right, I need another project." So I told him "no, not really, but what do you have?" He says he's got a T-bird, just like this (my car). Now, I am not sure, but I think a 61 Dodge is a pretty far cry from a T-bird, so I'm thinking this guy is a real dipshit. But anyway, not to be rude, I don't blow him off. He tell me that the car has molded in pipes, just like my car. OK, now I'm interested! The bird is a 1965...and it's chopped. Whoa, now I'm really listening! Chopped 65 Tbird, with molded lake pipes.... So I ask him..does it have skirts, that are opened up in the front into a scoop, with teeth behind them. "Yeah...how did you know that?" I helped customize that car!!!!! What a coincidece. Back when my Dodge was being built in my old boss and mentor's shop, in the early 80's, the owner of the Dodge, George Wallace, brought in a friend of his to see my boss. He wanted to build a custom car out of his 65 T-bird, like George's. After some discussion, John Pazcik, and the T-bird owner, Elijah, came toan agreement to work on the car in stages, when he had free time, just like George's Dodge was being built (I related the story some time back, about my Dodge) Anyway, we did a bunch of the usual stuff on it, nosed, decked, shaved handles, etc. Then we got into more detailed work. We scooped the quarters in front of the skirts, molded in lake pipes, rounded the hood corners, and partially pancaked the hood. Elijah wanted to take the big step, to beat out his buddy, and chop the top. They had a friendly rivalry going with customizing the cars. Well, we chopped the top, but never finished the trim, or glass. John soon moved shops, and then moved again, eventually getting in financial trouble, and getting out of the business. The T-bird disappeared, only to be seen briefly, in South Jersey, at the swap meet in Englishtown, for sale. Then it disappeared again. Now, it appears again, drawn out of obscurity by it's rival, and shopmate. Crazy, how things happen! So, I am into too many projects of my own, so I tell one of my customers about it...one who I met in John's shop long ago, and who I recently did a late model custom for. He had John work on 2 of his cars back then, a 55 Ford, and a 54 Chevy. Never finished. I got him interested in looking at the T-bird, especially as it was a custom that Pazcik was building, and I could finish for him. We looked at the car last night. It's rough! Save-able, but rough. I'm not sure he is going to go for it, it may be too much of a commitment in time and money to finish. I might have to get it myself, so it doesn't disappear again. The past means a LOT to me, and John Pazcik was one of those unsung heroes of customizing, who never got his time in the spotlight. He worked tirelessly on many cars, but loved customs. He taught me the ins and outs of custom bodywork, and paint, and helped me build my Olds. He had a 54 Merc that was big on the show citrcuit in the late 50's and early 60's, but never got national recognition, even when he brought the car back out during the early revival of customs in the 80's. Now he's in a nursing home, and I've been trying to bring the Dodge, as well as a 48 Merc he did, up to see him, but twice we went there, only to hear he had been sent sent to the hospital.
WOW, another great HAMB story, when will they ever stop? Pretty cool car, definetly deserves to be saved. Recently saw a cherry '64 original at my friends shop , for some touch up work. Man, those cars where way cool without any body mods. Love the "swing-away" steering column situated amongst all the chrome, in the interior. This project cries out for some Watson scallops, keep us fell's posted on the "rest of the story" Thanks for sharing. JT
Please let me sidetrack a little. Is there a modern source for chrome spears for scoops? You can't just strip side trim tips off three '55 cars anymore. I can do aluminum plate, but looking for a little more sparkle.
hi mark it,s a shame a lot of john,s customs are poping up lately he really would enjoy knowing the are still around he is a unsung hero of the custom movement and he got a lot people in to customs hope you get the dodge over to him i,m sure he get a big kick out of it
Wow, Mark! What a crazy story, and it would be awesome to resurrect two of Johnny's cars. 65 Thunder-chicken wouldn't be my personal choice of kustom material, but it can be done and you're definitely the man to do it. Let's see, we know of your 61 Dodge, the 48 Merc, this 65 thunderbird, Barkoff's got the "renegade" and the sister car is still around Metuchen (the one with the 55 chevy headlights)...johnny had a hand in your 55 olds...are there any other John Pazcik cars still around? did he have a hand in Manny's "baby blue" merc?
I dont think John had a hand in Mannys Merc. Most all of the cars John worked on are still around as far as customs from the 80s but some never got finished. As a matter of fact that Bissu art chick just painted an awesome pic of Pasziks bodywork over the taillights of SHINYSHOES' old 55 Ford!
Really, Anthony? I have not seen that! Any pics? Some of John's other customs, he built or had a hand in building: Scott Daniels chopped VW with widened fenders. Pete Prachthauser's chopped 39 Chevy sedan (Alley Oop) We did some "restoration" work on Barkoff's old chopped Merc, the one that Sammy DeJohn has. We finished the bodywork that Donn Lowe started, on Manny's 56 Merc, and painted it...later Nitti chopped it (but couldn't put a glass windshield in it) Chopped 40 Chevy coupe that Larry SImonetti's brother bought. Shiney shoes' 55 Ford, and 54 Chevy. Bob Barkoff's Kustom Vette...redo bodywork and new paint. Pete Prachthauser's 65 Impala SS convert...John started the bodywork..I later finished it, customized it, and painted it Candy red. Keith (the sign painter) chopped 57 chevy wagon (abandoned project) Pete Chasses' 56 Olds..unfinished, but driven daily John's unfinished 51 Merc (Marge's car) That's it, off the top of my head, I'm sure I'll think of others. I think something may be in the works concerning a magazine article on John, including our 3 customs...Kustoms Illustrated...or Rodder's Journal? Maybe he'll get some recognition before he leaves us.
Really, Anthony? I have not seen that! Any pics? Some of John's other customs, he built or had a hand in building: Scott Daniels chopped VW with widened fenders. Pete Prachthauser's chopped 39 Chevy sedan (Alley Oop) We did some "restoration" work on Barkoff's old chopped Merc, the one that Sammy DeJohn has. We finished the bodywork that Donn Lowe started, on Manny's 56 Merc, and painted it...later Nitti chopped it (but couldn't put a glass windshield in it) Is that the Manny/Pazsik cxonnection?....Actaully I did the restyling on Manny's Merc in my shop. Chopped 40 Chevy coupe that Larry SImonetti's brother bought. Shiney shoes' 55 Ford, and 54 Chevy. Bob Barkoff's Kustom Vette...redo bodywork and new paint. Pete Prachthauser's 65 Impala SS convert...John started the bodywork..I later finished it, customized it, and painted it Candy red. Keith (the sign painter) chopped 57 chevy wagon (abandoned project) Pete Chasses' 56 Olds..unfinished, but driven daily John's unfinished 51 Merc (Marge's car) That's it, off the top of my head, I'm sure I'll think of others. I think something may be in the works concerning a magazine article on John, including our 3 customs...Kustoms Illustrated...or Rodder's Journal? Maybe he'll get some recognition before he leaves us.
That Thunderbird is a '66 model, not a '65. The whole front clip of a '66 is different, as well as the one year only, passenger side only headrest bucket seat and some other trim that is already missing from this car. Neat story.
Pretty sure they don't repop much tin for this, I know a guy up in Vermont who has two or three of these that look to be in decent shape if you find a guy for this and he needs a parts car. Chrysler interested me, too, looks to be a '59 (not a hemi car for the guy who asked).
Hey Mark... It's Jeff, John's son!! it's been a long time man!! I did a search for dad's merc because Bill P. told me it had been re-done and came across your post. It's good to see people remember his work so fondly. I joined the board here, and I have a ton of old pics from the shop and you and him both working on some of the cars mentioned above. I'll post some soon! Drop me a message some time @ maven17@aol.com
No it isn't, the '66 did not have the side glass for the rear passengers... Check the VIN for the first number, I'd bet a paycheck it is either a 4 or 5.
Damn, I woulda got a bet going there. I guess it is somewhat possible that someone took a 64 or 65 and added a '66 front clip and interior, but it's really unlikely. The "formal roof" or "Landau roof" was really common on the '66's but not all of them had that, some had quarter windows. What ever happened to this car?
he also did a falcon rancho that norma& gerry had and her vette [both never got finish ] thiers a 58 vette he did and a 54 ford pick-up he did in 71 for rich that own the gulf station and body shop he work in it was green with a 69 charger tailight wish i knew what happen to that one
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