Customs From the net: Cushenbery 'Car Craft Dream Rod'

From the net: Cushenbery 'Car Craft
Dream Rod'

Not really my cup of 10W30, styling-wise,
but still, one of the wildest 'radical customs'
built in the early 1960's.

Mart3406
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http://www.customclinic.com/fullcust/Cushenbery/ccdr/ccdr.html

Car Craft Dream Rod

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The Car Craft Dream Rod was built by
the famed customizer, Bill Cushenbery,
for Car Craft magazine which carried a
full feature on the finished car. Built from
a wide array of parts (including several
body panels from a 1960 Pontiac and a
1961 Corvair!), the fogged candy/pearl
white/yellow custom was powered by a
Ford 289 and was a wild hit on the custom
car show circuit. It was popular enough
that MPC issued a faithful 1/25 scale kit of
the car. A few years after it was built, it
was sold to the ISCA which commissioned
a substantial revision to the car's styling.
Called the Tiger Shark, the car wasn't as
successful as the first iteration, the car
made the show car circuit and was the
subject of a revised MPC kit. Now, the car
has been acquired bya new owner who is
restoring the car to its original configuration.
Thanks to **** "Fuzzy" Fuerholzer for the
restoration photos presented here, and
thanks to famed custom car restorer Mark
Moriarity for the photos of the Tiger Shark
before he started the retro-restoration of
the Dream Rod.

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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> This rare picture shows builder Bill Cushenbery
polishing the multi-hue pearl and candy paint
ob. Note that the body hasn't been dropped
onto the detailed frame.

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> This full color image shows the delicate
candy yellow fogging. Check out the narrow
whitewall tires surround the '62-'63 T-Bird
Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels!

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> This steeper-angle image shows the bodyside
design and the tires better. Check out the
exhaust!

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> This shot of the driver's side also reveals the
off-set headlight pod and the taillight.

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> Some time in the mid-Sixties, the
Dream Rod was restyled to have more
Corvette-like front fenders that enclosed
the wheels. This was not a successful
design.



Check out this mid-process restoration
shot of the Dream Rod. It's clear that a
lot of effort has been required here.

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> Another angle of the rear shows in the
trunk topside reveal as well as the
taillight area.

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> A closer look at the rear deck shows the
excellent welding!

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td align="LEFT"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> A few years ago, this Dream Rod-themed
car was on display at the Cobo Hall show.
Incredible work, and great decision to use
a section of a '58-'60 Thunderbird hood.




Bibliography

<table id="Table4" style="height: 80px;" width="100%" border="0" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <colgroup> <col style="width: 279px;"> <col style="width: 101px;"> <col style="width: 92px;"> </colgroup> <tbody><tr style="" valign="TOP"> <td width="279"> Popular Customs
</td> <td width="101"> Winter 1963
</td> <td width="92"> p. 42
</td> </tr> <tr style="" valign="TOP"> <td> Custom Car Yearbook #1
</td> <td> 1964
</td> <td> pgs. 63
</td> </tr> <tr style="" valign="TOP"> <td> Hot Rods & Customs of the Sixties(book)
</td> <td> 1997
</td> <td> pgs. 56-57
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
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*Some additional pics from Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Dream rod&w=24352376@N08
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It seems nothing ever trumphs the first edition. Cushenbery had it right the first time on the build and thats what most gearheads remember.

 

You did good Mark!

 

nice work bringing it back,came out real nice

 

Wasn't there supposed to be a do***entary made about the restoration of this kustom?