Count me as one of those heavily influenced by Norm's "T". The blue with flames. In 1959 I built my Bob tailed 28"A"roadster ,I was 16 n 17 with those ideas floating around in my head as I shaped my parts in to a rod. When I got my "A" body it was badly crashed in the trunk,so just cut off what was to bad for me as a teen to repair. The parts left an ideas of many rods I had looked at,ended up this way,by 1959 ,.so I had a hot rod for highschool. I still drive an have fun with it !!! and still love 77 Sunset Strip
I wonder what the primered Porsche in that ^ pic is worth now? Maybe almost as much as the Kookie Car.
When Friday night came around I had to descide between the high school football game or staying home to catch a glimpse of the KOOKIE CAR!!!!!!!
Hey Mike, Ha, ha ... Do you suppose ? Well, maybe , maybe not. But, those two beautiful identical cars were something to behold. I'm going to find out who he is and what's his story, if he is still with us. Either way, he sure knew how it was done. Wished I'd of taken some pics and paid more attn.
I fit were mine, I'd take it back to the version just after the Watson paint job. That would preserve the paint, yet still retain much of the Kookieness.
"Kookie, Kookie, lend me your comb" - Ed Burns ( Byrne?) Koolest D.A. on TV! Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I was just a kid when watching the car in Sunset Strip. I think that may have been a catalyst in my life long passion for hot rods and then customs. I prefer the blue with flames version myself.
Just my opinion, but I'd like to see it restored in it's original build also. This is my favorite photo of it. NORM was a very cool Hot Rodder! Sent from my SM-G920P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Didn't the car get wrecked in filmimg at one point in time and Norm got enough money too rebuild the car with a blower on the Cad engine?
Was it modified before or after it was in television shows or Life magazine ? If it was before I could understand but I would have to think since Norm was in the picture in Life and involved in television shows that it was already famous and coveted by many that still covet it today.
sure it was a famous car, but I think things were different back then... Hell look what Starbird did to the Lil coffin
Sometimes I can't get into others heads but if I had built a car that was in Life and on a TV series, I would never let it change. But then I am sentimental like that.
I wonder WHO the Kid with Norm is, and where Is He Now.? I am talking about the kid at the Hamburger Place, not the girl in the car seat. Geez.
It still amazes me that Norm wasn't more attached to it than that after it changing his life like that. The Lil Coffin makes more sense to me as Stucky actually built it and its only my opinion but to me it looked like Starbird did everything he could to make it his. Nothing sentimental to him ?
If I had to choose.......but maybe I don't (at least in the digital age)! Picture all three versions together (the last with just the paint change) in front of some life size 3 'n 1 box art. Now, also include the parts such as the blowers and crazy pipes, etc. along with the caption, ' Using All the included parts is not necessary'! Photo shoppers, please step up.
Put my vote in for the Watson paint job version without all the ugly crap stuck all over it. There are enough clones of the blue one but you can't clone original work like that paintjob.
Some more cool shots from the Life magazine coverage at Bob's. There are several more shots with crowds gathered around it, so there's no doubt that the car or Norm were highly regarded back then.
Can't wait to see that when it's done. The Kookie II inspired the paint choice on the hot rod I am building now.
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