I love the grill on this long roof...but...41 Custom Business coupes are my All Time favorite... Just Like "Snooky's" 41....damn they are beautiful cars.
Some of my favorites are: Jim Montesantos 50 Ford Convertible. The Seville. CT Herb Gellings 51 Ford coupe. The blue gator. NJ Chuck Dewitts 50 ford convertible. CA John Nadzons 54 Mercury NJ Theres more I like but I'd be here all night. HAHA Anybody got pics of these? I don't have a scanner. Billy
shoebox72 here is Chuck Dewitts 50 ford convertible. An absolute must for this show. And here is another one for the show... very unusual custom. Nash convertible with Carson Top... I have no idear who build it in the 50's... all I know is I like it a lot. And how about these classic lines on the Ayala built 49 Pontiac JB already showed a picture of the Barris Built Larry Ernst Chevy... But This Photo shows how proud Sam and George Barris where about it. Look at the smile on thes all suited up custom genious craftsmen... For sure one of the best customs... and luckely, its still around.
Great cars ! Those Kustoms based on '39-'48 Fords and Mercs really look great ! Here's Bill DeCarr's '41 Mercury with full fadeaway fenders and Olds grille.Really dig the stance ! Dan Landon's '49 Chevy Coupe.The early Barris cars are really beautiful and I think they all belong here.
Two Custom/Kustom Fords.The first one from 1936 and the second from 1960. 24 years apart...I like'm both and I surely would like to see these two at the Virtual Top 100 Custom Car Show. Jack Calori Ford is one of the quintessential '36's ever and looks good even with blackwalls.Calori also had this very good looking A Roadster with those custom-made upsweep pipes. Aaron Kahan's (Choppers C.C.Burbank) '60 Ford built by Cole Foster.Great car ! As subtle as it gets and so typical for Cole's work.I heard the car has a steering wheel from an old speed boat.Really would like to see that.
that sectioned merc wasnt built by bo huff it was biult by kelsey martin beverly mass. i worked there when it was there..
holy shit!!! i didnt think anyone else knew of the legere shoebox that was built 1 town over from me my dad was friends with him in the old days. legere auto body is still in bizz.. but lennys not into the sleds anymore for some reason..
god i love this post!!!!! even though i built a merc, probebly my biggest insperation was the moonglow, hands down one of the nicest sleds EVER.
yeah dave, i got a Hartford Autorama program when i was a kid with the Legere Ford in it, and have loved it ever since...i built a few model versions of it way back when...EAST COAST RULES!!!!
Someone beat me to it. I was going to say the Limelighter should be on here...of course I am a little bias, that was my wife's grandfathers car back in the day Frank Gould. Here stories all the time about the are from the grandmother. The car won a few award back in the day at the Oakland show....still gives us chills to see that car in person.
well,i'm gonna post some pictures of cars made by people i believe inspired me..these were cars that REALLY made me think!here they are in no perticular order: Cletus chevy Larry Grobe Olds (hell ALL of his cars are awesome,even if you dont care for the paint or flame throwers,you GOTTA respect the skills!) This unknown 40 Ford Coupe Hirohata Merc Matranga Merc The Buddy Alcon Merc These next ones are ALL 54 Chevies that i have their own personalities Mike Ness/Cole Foster 54 Chevy (very exciting!) Jesse James 54 Chevy (love him or hate him,even though he didnt build the car,you gotta love its simplicity) Duane Steck "Moonglow" 54 Chevy (GORGIOUS!!) and those are just a few of my favorites..seen a bunch of good ones here! creepy
No one has mentioned Coachcraft of Hollywood yet. Coachcraft built some truly elegant customs in the late forties and early fifties. Much of their work was in the classic idiom, reflecting conservative flair and cohesive design. Here is the Keck Ford from the cover of the 1952 Trend Books "Restyle Your Car." Check out the removed windsplits and slim chrome trim in the fenders. The taillights are thirties standup units mounted low. The front end (not shown) is pretty much stock. Lots of work here but restrained to bring out the line of the car. Anyone have a a picture of Coachcraft 40 Mercury in the Peterson Museum? That's a definite Top 100 car. Dave
Rot 'n Kustom Here is a 40 Ford based "custom" by Coachcraft of Hollywood. The car still excits today (or at least several years ago) but in my opinion in despirate need of some white wall tires and single bar hubcaps. And here is the Peter Stangel Coachcraft built 41 Mercury (which is in the Peterson museum as far as I know)
I agree.Cool T-Bird.That pic is nice too.Palm tree and all.Those late 50's/early 60's car look terrific when done right.I like the styling of this era and those cars look like jet-powered spaceships and this particular T-Bird looks like a low flying rocket.Really dig the big,round tail lights which are typical Ford.The chop and stance is perfect and all other details are typical John D'Agostino and the car also would look good without them. There's this guy with a Thunderbird living next town about 3 miles from me.The car is completely stock and really is in top condition.It's all black,interior as well and the chrome nicely contrasts to the black paint and so does the wreath of pink orchids hanging on the rear view mirror.Every time I see this T-Bird I must think of how phenomenal it would look with the stance and chop of the Johnny Dee car... just imagine to drive the car in a warm summer night, no particular place to go,listening to the early Fab T-Birds...
Kilroy already showed a small picture of the Bertolucci-Ohanesian '40 Mercury. But I feel this is such a georgious, elegant and extremely well crafted custom, it need a few more (larger) photo's so everybody can enjoy it. First version before the '46 Ford taillights where added. The removable chopped top is amazing. Photo taken in front of the Bertolucci shop.
Harry Westergard also worked on the Ohanesian car.He modified the hood and fenders to accept the '46 Chevy grille,chopped the windshield and cut down the the rear of the body.Then Dick Bertolucci did take over the car.I prefer the early version with those small bullet tail lights.Gives the car a very special look. Another Barris car.Ronnie Dragoo's '54 Mercury.Nice lines but would look even better without the small,round front fender emblem. Rich Chavez '51 Old built by John Aiello.Always thought this was a Richard Zocchi car.The Olds really has great lines and I absolutely like the upper grille bar which flows so nicely into the car which is typical Olds/Buick.Just would add some hubcaps.
Here are some of my favorites... in no particular order. 1. Paul Cepeda's Desoto 2. Cole's 54 3. Weesners Shoebox 4. D'agostino's Caddy
Deadender60, thanks for posting that pic of Paul Cepeda's Desoto.You made my day !!! The car looks sooo good on this pic.Unbelievable,unreal sled...leaves me speechless...the other cars you posted are nice as well.You got taste. Here's the Desoto again.Bigger pic and some others I have on my Hard-Drive. That car makes me nuts...what a bitchin' sled....!!! It would look even more better with a real taildraggin' stance.
From the Spring 1993 isuue of "Custom Rodder" magazine: John Kolean's sectioned '51 Ford Victoria convertible and his chopped '49 Ford business coupe. Both were built by John and Rob Kouw of Cruisin' Customs in Holland Michigan. I like these cars because they appear so simply styled and elegant. Of course, each has a ton of work to make them look so effortless. And the colors make the cars - understated, yet eye-catching: Tahitian Green Pearl for the convertible, and Iris Metallic for the coupe. Dave
Rot 'n Kustom, here is another photo of that georgious sectioned 49 Ford Another sectioned 49 Ford that really belongs at the show is this one built by Paul Bragg ( it can stand along side his 51 Mercury convertible shown earlyer in this post) And speaking of sectioned Fords. This absolutely genious custom designed by Harry Bradley and built by Sam Foose (started by Donn Lowe) defenitly needs to be at the show. Compaired to a stocker This car has so many neat detailes, like the moved back and shortened grille sitting in a sectioned suround. The Bullit is actually from a 51 Ford and much smaller that the original 49 unit.
The Jalopy Journal
