In 1964 Bill Cushenbery was building an all aluminum bubble top concept car named 'SILHOUETTE II SPACE COUPE' that would have been the pinacle of his career. Unfortunatley, things did not go as Bill had planned and he lost the car. In 1999, Carl Green and his son, Rick found the car in El Cajon, California. After 9 years of research, struggle and false starts, the car is now in process of completion/restoration. You can follow this story on www.youtube.com/user/cushenberyproject and also on www.cushenberyproject.com We are completing the car with as much 1964 era materials, parts and equipment as possible because we want to finish the car for Bill 'on schedule' just like it was 1964. It's the least we can do for him. It's much more than the completion of the car, it's the restoration of Bill's legacy. I want to stress that we are NOT overrestoring this car. We are COMPLETING the car for Bill. Through his blueprints, drawings, photos, and interviews with guys that knew Bill and the car, he is once again the project director, not us.
I think the car will be completed well before Detroit but that was a realistic goal for us to shoot for. There's a lot happening between now and then. We have to coordinate the unvailing with ISCA, the magazines, etc. so it all comes together in the right timeline. CG
In June of 1964 my buddy Harry and I drove from the Chicago area to California. We had just graduated high school and hit the road in his '54 Chevy. Ignoring most "tourist" attractions we opted for "car-related" destinations instead. They were important to us at the time because were car guys. One of our stops was Bill Cushenbery's shop. We held him in high regard and wanted to meet him. Well, Bill Cushenbery was hands-down, the nicest, most-cordial guy we met on the entire trip. He shared his brown-bag lunch with us and answered many questions, he even asked a few. He let us have the run of the shop and in poking around we spotted some full-sized drawings pinned to the wall near his office of an odd, sportscar-like design. Harry and I were avid car-modelers and even thought we had a future in automotive design (kids!!!) so we were checking out the drawings and were discussing, no, make that criticizing the wheel well treatment when I felt "eyes" upon us, Bill was standing right behind us, listening - man, was I embarr***ed. I apologized but Bill stopped me short and said he puzzled over that very feature and was interested in our criticism - add humble to the list of his personality traits. He said that the car was going to be completely hand-built from metal and he felt it was going to be his best effort yet. Now we were rod and custom freaks and had fully expected the El Matador to be right there (kids!!!) so this was a departure from what we had come to expect from him. I've shared this story with many people over the years and they all ask what car was it and all I could say was, "I don't know, I never saw it or heard about it again." Now, I know.....THANKS!!
Way to go, I remember seeing that car at Starbirds museum, great profile. I am in the middle of my own cushenbery project
That's great news. I can't wait to see the results. Without question, Bill Cushenberry ruled the 60's custom world. Carl, I know you will be faithful to your mission. oldbobsign, thanks for giving us a peek into his humanity. I never met him, but I knew Max and Gary Cushenbery in Wichita, both body men, and I can vouch that quality car building and humility does indeed run in that family. Bill's cousin Gary was building very high quality, state-of-the-art rods in the '70's. His dad Max ran a high quality collision repair business there at that time.
Having owned the El Matador in the seventies, my ears perk up at the mention of Bill Cushenbery. I have been following Moriarity's project of the Dream Rod and now this adds to the fun. Is this the car that was out behind Starbird's Museum? I also have wondered whatever happened to the Silhouette. If I can be of any help whatsoever, please let me know. I can offer computer graphic help, web space and design help, I will come to Detroit for the Autorama and help you push it on and off the trailer even. (Will require shoveling snow) Bill Cushenbery was way ahead of the curve and I admire his work greatly.
I saw the Dream Rod at the Detroit Autorama in 2005. I heard you had aquired it and were rebuilding it. Its so great to see Bill finally get the credit he deserves. Man, what a great time we're living in! I can't wait to see your car. Will you be at the Autorame in Detroit? CG
Yes I am going to debut the car in Detroit, the car you saw in 05 was a semi clone convertible version of the dream rod. see you there!
A couple buddys of mine out at the salinas,ks show not too long ago were telling me about this project... I tried finding the link on youtube and it was a no go!! thanks for posting it!! sounds like a great project.
Hey, Serious "WOW"!!!! Ya learn something new everyday! I always thought this was a gl*** car. Do ya know anything about the methods Bill used to form the metal panels originaly, were they from other vehicles, cut to shape and than welded in? Thanx, S****ey Devils C.C. "Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted PorK''
Good luck with it! That thing is over the top awesome and definitely deserves to be finished and seen.
I cant speak for the space coupe, its handformed aluminum, but the dream rod is made from 60 pontiac doors and front frnders, 60 corvair quarter panels and studebaker roof. the rest is sheetmetal over a conduit skeleton
Hey, The backlight frame in the 05 photo is different & much smaller than that of the primered vehicle, what back are you going to use? Man, talk about the ' project of a lifetime'! This is going to be reshot in acrylic lacquer, no , and not silly urethane clear and overcut and polished? S****ey Devils C.C. "Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"
We have two projects going on here, Moriarity's 'Dream Rod' and my 'Silhouette II'. They are both Cushenbery cars but the Dream Rod was completed and shown in both automotive magazines and on the Show circuit. The Silhouette II has basically never been seen because it was never completed. We will both be at the Detroit Autorama in the spring of '09 and hopefully we can put together a 'Cushenbery Reunion' of a group of his now restored customs. It would be a great time for Bob Larivee to take advantage of this timing and put together some kind of special event for Bill. It's time to give Bill his proper place in automotive history.
It means our webmaster totally screwed up the word 'RESTORATION' also 'SILHOUETTE' took a hit. I emailed him this morning and hopefully it will be corrected. Thanks
whamoman, thanks for the great interviews on your site. More of this type of interview should take place as these older pioneers are the only ones that can tell the true story. Your interview with **** Dean was priceless and I knew him from those early Detroit days. I was in the Detroit Autorama with **** and Bill Hines way back in 1958 just before they both left to go to Ca. and work with Barris. The part in the interview when you were talking about Cushenbery and his not wanting to talk, he did the same to me when I had the ElMatador and tried to trace him down to get information. I know I was talking to him, before he wouldn't admit that it was him and wound up hanging up on me. I'll be back at the Autorama this year to see both of the Dream Rod and the Silhouette ll. When I had the El Matador, I almost bought the El Marquis but thought the asking price of $1,800. that Sam Costa was asking was outrageous. Kick Me Now. I am retired in the Georgia Mountains, but through the magic of the internet, I get to keep up with the american saga of hotrods and customs.
The drawings we saw were pinned to the wall and were full-sized or perhaps three-quarter or half-scale, they were arranged flip-chart style and I had lifted several sheets and we were pointing and gesturing when I "sensed" Mr Cushenbery behind us. I recall they were construction drawings from the p***enger side - straight on. We never saw any sketches or smaller collateral drawings, just the ones on the wall. The ones on your website, on the manilla illustration paper look very similar.
The Jalopy Journal
