Customs Unearthed: 40s Custom Job - but who built it?

Nope. They were regular RWD.

 

Hmmmm...that car looks an AWEFUL lot like a car in a pic my freind's dad has hanging on his wall that he built "back in the day".
I just happen to be going there tonight. I don't have my camera with me, but I'll look over the pic and if it's the car, will get as much info as I can.

 

As far as I know the Hollywood Graham was made from Cord body with a different nose.The first year was 39 and it was made by Hupmobile and called a Skylark,then Hup went out of business and it was built by Graham for two years and they were all 4 doors.They only made about 3000 of them.If there were any convertibles I am sure they were custom made.I had one years ago with a 392 hemi in it that was built in California and brought to New York in the 60's.I sold it to a guy in I think New Hampshire to help build my new kitchen about ten years ago (dumb move) but so was selling my 62 Impala with the dual quad 409 back it the 80's for $1800.00!!!.......Im going out to the garage to cry now.

 

The Buick roof has been grafted on as the rear deck. That is what he meant to say.

I like it, proportions are off but still a cool old custom job.

I'd like to see some more pics

 

It's definitely possible that someone is pulling HIS chain.

 

I wanna say Hollywood Gram also because of the dash, and somebody filled in the top of the hood. Looks better this way than stock, IMO.

 

True.

I'll let him know. He'll find that interesting and yes he said it was originally a 4 door sedan.

Cool! Even a telephone camera snapshot will add vital information to this thread.

 

Pour some salt on it and see if it shrivels up

 

lol...I told Bill to expect some real and honest opinions. I think he really likes it though which is the important thing. He is most interested in finding out who did the work.

 

Ask Bill if that car was on fire once.....I swear I've seen that car before.....before all the red paint.......sold a gl*** willys coupe roof to the owner.......hmmmm Carl Hagan

 

Back then a lot of somewhat custom cars like that got built when someone got their hands on a car that was totaled but not in all that bad of shape. Dad had a supercharged Hollywood Graham but I thought he said that it was a 37. I know my uncle knocked out second gear every time he borrowed it and dad had to order gears from Seattle to fix it.

It's a cool car in it's own respect an might be a way to do up a late 30's through early 50's car that you found with a decent body and bad or missing roof.

I'll agree that on this one the "modern" pieces really loose it for me.

 

It's got a CD player....

 

I don't mean to be skeptical but, are you guys sure that's not one of those recent Cord replicas that someone has done some crafty customization to? Just sayin'.

 

A friend of mine had a car Very similar to that one back in the 60's, but it was made from a Hudson and Stude Americar,,,,,,I wish i had pics of it.........

 

What ever it is I like it and a few modern parts dosen't matter. The body is unique.

 

You guys are a bunch of pessimists

There is no doubt in my mind it started as 41 Graham Hollywood.

Check the similiarities....





Same rear fenders, front fenders (except headlights), same hood (excep the front has been filled), same lower grill, etc.

 

Glen Pray Cord 8/10 (Corvair)

http://glenn-pray-cord-group.com/

Cords Number 68, #14 and #51 Displayed in front of the Leack Auction

 

very unusual kustom..kinda kool

 

That Graham is a beautiful car, what a shame if that's what it started out as.

 

That's sorta like the original axe that my Granddad owned. It's had three new handles and the head's been replaced twice, but it's his original axe. I doubt that someone took a Cord replicar and replaced the entire rear body, then grafted Graham sheetmetal on it. Besides that, even the semi ugly Samco Cord was a better looking car than that Graham

 

It seems to be the general consensus of most here that it is a Graham Hollywood. No pessimism here. I think, along with the 810/812 Cords, that the Cord bodied Grahams and Hupps were amoung the most beautiful cars ever built. That roadster is a bit clunky/chunky to my discerning eye. Not horrible, but the proportions are off. Always roll the car outside and stand back and look at it before you cut and weld.

 

Here's that front shot again for easy comparison without scrolling...




I'll be calling Bill today (tonight - US time) to see if he has any more pics to share.

Imagine how the owners felt when they found a tree on it!

I really like that dark coloured prototype Graham convertible Carl'!

 

I'm a fan of the original Grahams and Cords but I also think this car has potential to be pretty cool, just in a different color and without all the new fangled parts hanging off of it. The windshield doesn't really work either, needs to sit back a bit further.

 

I agree. The style is of the earlier era of customs, but someone threw on some cheap 80's ****. But it definitely looks as if the later **** is mainly cosmetic and easy to swap out, which I would do. I like where this was going.

 

Sorry but this is not cool, neat or unique. This is just plain FUGGLY and whomever did it, hopefully this was their first and last attempt at building a custom. Different isn't always good or neat. YIKES!!!!

 

Maybe the "newer "stuff like the 65 seats are there just to fill in till he can get the correct parts to restore it correctly?Says somewhere that he has pics of the origional nerf bars and plans on reproducing those so maybe the newer stuff is there just so he can enjoy the car now while finishing a true restoration of it.Can someone Photo shop this to a black car I've seen cars change dramatically in look with just a color change and it was called black something originally right

 

Man, the wheels would make a big difference. Those modern daytons need to go quick. Either some Caddy sombreros or early Caddy wires with wide whites.