History Custom Car builder SPOTLIGHT: PAUL BRAGG

A huge thanks to you and Paul for sharing ,Rik!

 

Thanks for taking your time again, Rik! Beautiful metal work!
--mika

 

No Thank You Paul for sharing your photos with us!! I think I could speak for any of us on here that if you have more that Rik could post I would love to see any and all of them!!

 

I never even thought that kind of craftmanship is possible, now I know. Makes me feel my own brain and hands are not connected at all. Thanks Paul for setting the bar, and for Rik sharing this stuff.

This is just car porn at it's finest!

 

Bragg's work is simply awesome. Every year for Paso, that was one of the highlights...to see what Paul had there, and what changes were made to his cars. He has really good taste and amazing skills, what more could you ask for in a customizer. My hats off to you Paul, your an inspiration to us builders.

 

Being a metalman for nearly 50 years I can really appreciate the outstanding quality of other metalmen. But what amazes me even more about Mr Braggs work is the design and flow of his work sometimes much harder to achive then doing the work (at least for me) His style to me appitamises what a Custom should be,Better looking then when it left the factory. Just not enough OOOOOO,s in SMOOTH to describe his work.

 

This is why I love the HAMB.

 

A true artist. Hopefully the pics and this thread are "archived" somewhere. I find some great threads here and the pics are no longer available.

Took me forever to read thru this from having to right click and save.

 

Most of custom car stuff can be found from Riksters site.

 

Great work, all over, but this is what really got me. Instead of cutting all the way across the quarter, he stopped at the wheel well and re-wrapped everything in front of the wheel well to match the existing structure. Brilliant! I did that with the doors on my truck, but I don't think I would have thought of doing that on the quarter. Beautiful work on excellent designs.

 

TTT for paul ​

 

Wow! Some unbelievable work. Certainly gives us all something to aspire too. I dig the little OT Mazda. Way to recover a piece of garbage and make it cool!

 

Paul has been doing some more work on his own personal 1941 Ford short door coupe project.
A few photos he send of his magic metal work.

Working on the hood, making it one piece...








Cut down and molded in headlights.
The cut down light is on the left with he removed section with yellow green tape and the stainless ring next to it. The stock assembly is on the right. Paul did not mention what he used, but they do look like 52 Merc units.






But first the two part front fenders had to be tackled. And the grease had to go. This has already been done on the rear fenders. Go to page one of this thread to take a look.








And here we can also see that the headlight ring was welded in place.










With some lead, and filed and sanded smooth....




The other side.










Thanks to Paul Bragg for sharing the great photos of his fantastic metal skills.

 

Thanks for sharing that Rik.
What awesome metal work...some people make it look soooo easy!!

I can do that...yea right!!

 

WOW!! Thanks Rik and Paul for the great pictures. That is going to be an incredible car. And Rik the headlight rings appear to be the nightprowler '52 merc rings as you had mentioned mine are painted that same green color.

 

This is definitely one of my favorite projects in recent years. Look at that profile in the last photo, it's a homerun.

 

wow great metal work, love that 41

 

Thanks Rik ! Man I love looking at his work..stunning quality and design please thank him for sharing with us!!

 

Paul Also send me some photos of some of the sketches he makes to help him with the final designs of each custom car he does.

Frank Livingston's "Moonfire".








Pat Bragg's Mercury








And Ralph Bagdasarian's 1953 Olds

 

Unbelievable metalwork and drawings...simply a pleasure seeing this kustom come together...Paul Bragg is amazing. Thanks Rik and Paul for sharing these pics...

 

Unreal !!!!! That 41 is stunning! I dont see how guys on here are always saying they dont like cars with shaved driprails,I mean just look at that last side picture and tell me that roof dont just look perfect. Driprails ....... I dont think so Son !

 

I'll second that one, Jeff...driprails were always gone on early kustoms...they only get in the way. I left mine on at first, but they're gone now

 

I never get tired of lookin at this chop...superb!!

 

Well you do know your kustoms my friend and you are right.All they did was get in the way and that is a fact when we are talking old kustoms.

 

What an amazing tribute! Thanks so much for putting together all the history and photos, Rik! Wow!

 

Let me tell you ..... If I had this car .... the way its sitting right in this pic ( stance ) would be pretty close to the way I would have this car sitting.Maybe a tad bit lower in the front but not that much.This car is stunning!!!!!!

 

Thanks, Jeff. You do too! It's your Merc, and the kustoms Paul Bragg has built, and others that have made me go back and rethink my own kustom...and make some changes...

Rik, when's the next update...we need more please

 

You know what's awesome about this car is that he kept the '41 front sheetmetal, but filled in those lines...I just love how the '41 fenders pucker in, unlike the fatter '42-'48. But getting rid of those lines looks great!

 

what a wonderful thread.
what a talent.

 

Just found this thread, I saw his chopped dually at the 3rd annual leadsleds in Ohio. I then found his Merc at that show-have been following his work ever since. I believe the cover page in TRJ appeared in another magazine first. I`ve seen more on this thread than I`ve seen in all the magazines I`ve read about him combined. THANKS!