Features Kustoms blues? I need to see some kustoms....

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Couldn't see these posts and not comment. Ed has been one of my personal heroes from the custom scene here in Denver for years. He took me under his wing years ago and showed me some upholstery basics that I use all the time. I was doing an apprenticeship at his old upholstery shop in Sheridan way back in 1987. When we would finish the day's work, sometimes I would help him putter around on his rescued Studebaker pickup. I absolutely loved that truck! It was tucked back in a dark corner of the shop with various shades of gray primer on it where all the radical body mods done in the 60s had been touched up. It was so far away from roadworthy I never thought it would ever be back on the road. I remember the first time I saw it back on the streets at a cruise night at the old Gunther Toody's in Arvada. Every square inch of it just dripped cool! I remember talking to him about it and he said he liked it, but he missed his chopped Merc!
I can't seem to find any pictures of it when Ed owned it, but I did find a picture of it shortly after Ed's son Troy traded it to Dave Pareso.



Anyway, here is a picture from the '82 Leadsled I found somewhere of Ed's Merc in primer. He was pushing the envelope with those (then) modern Datsun taillights. I used to see the car cruising around town all the time, and I thought it was the neatest thing on four wheels. Note Roger's "Praise the Lowered" on the quarters.



This next picture is one of my all time favorites. This shot was taken by @PasoJohn at the '84 Leadsled Spectacular in Des Moines. Lots to check out in this shot. Ed is standing at the back of the car on the right rear, and Mrs. Banes is kneeling down shooting some Windex on the left front hubcap getting the Merc all ready for the show day. Any gal who is willing to help out like this is a keeper!
Notice "Praise the Lowered" is on the car again. I have to ask, did you paint it on the Merc a second time after it was painted, Roger?
Man where does the time go? 1984 was a long time ago.


In the background you can see another awesome custom rescued by Roger (@40StudeDude) and his brother Dan. You all have seen the "Hint of Mint"--this is the rescued version before the long rebuild that took it back to show car status.
Here's a few pics I found of it online after the restoration and before the pink scallops were added. Such a cool car!
One more question I have to ask Roger. I know you have a few nice customs, but don't you miss the '57? E

 

Here it is as it appeared in the Custom Cars Issue.

 

It`s kind a weird this showed up 3 years later.

 

Jim, I know they are not the same car, but I immediately thought of the shortened trunk treatment on the "I cut it" merc when I saw the pics of the rear of Ed Bane's Merc. I remember seeing the car back in the day, especially the 'modern' tailights as I drove my '55 Ford home from Des Moines in '84. Going west on I-80, I recall passing and being passed by Dave in the Merc.

 

No, I didn't do the second time...I believe local pinstriper Rody (Kuschnereit) did it as Ed used him to stripe all his cars...
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In the background you can see another awesome custom rescued by Roger (@40StudeDude) and his brother Dan.
You all have seen the "Hint of Mint"--this is the rescued version before the long rebuild that took it back to show car status. [/QUOTE]

NOT quite Ed...the photo below is the "rescued version," as Dan and I found it on a used car lot in 1984...it was seriously hurting...gas tank leaked, bucket seats held up with bricks, wiring missing from the steering column (no brake lights), radiator leaked, tired 283" smoked as I drove it home, second gear gone in the tired 3-speed, cracked bondo all over, windshield cracked, vinyl top hiding the cracked roof, '57 Olds rear window simply pop riveted in, gold velour interior...and supposedly "Candy Tahitian Orange" paint (not even close)…!!! BUT, there was zero rust in the car...took 6 1/2 years to redo the car...

No Ed, I do not...the Hint of Mint is in good hands (new owner) at this time and it being taken great care of...matter of fact, I don't miss any of the cars I've built and sold...and here's a shot of my current build - a 1948 Cadillac Sedanet--- the '55 Cadillac may go up for sale soon...
Still have a way to go on it, but at least it's on the road and driveable…

FWIW, the purple Stude was sold to Dave Pareso...and since then, Dave in turn, recently traded it to someone in the Midwest for a Barris modified sectioned shoebox...that car was recently sold and Dave picked up a '46-'48 Ford coop sled to go alongside his '40 Merc sled and the '51 Merc was recently repainted in Peach with Purple flames...and just so you'll know, Ed and Judy Banes moved to Rapid City, SD, a couple of years ago...and Dave and Chrissy Pareso just moved to Orange, Texas at the first of January...and I'm not moving anywhere, except on down the highways...

R-[/QUOTE]

 

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Thanks for filling us in on some "Hint of Mint" history Roger (@40StudeDude). It was a cool journey it had with you guys. I miss seeing it around town. Wow, so you're thinking about selling the Caddy, huh? I guess I can understand since you finished it some time ago now. I guess it's time to move forward with the "new" Cad.
I knew that Ed and Judy moved away. Sad to see real custom folks leave town. Thanks for the update on some of what has been going on here in the custom scene. All news I hadn't heard.
It's a bummer that we didn't get to meet up anywhere last year since most car stuff was shut down because of the virus. I hope this year things will ease up a bit and we will bump into each other at a car event somewhere soon! E

 

Here’s a nice ‘52 Chevrolet custom in this months CKD magazine. And no, the girl does not come with the car.


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Wasn't there a thread about the restoration of this car a few years or so ago?