Customs What’s the difference between a mild and a full custom?

He should know

Most folks don't bring the answer with their question

 

IMO those definitions have morphed over the years. There's a number of us here who believe that to qualify as a custom, some body mods are required. A bunch of bolt-ons on an otherwise stock car isn't enough. All should have their 'stance' adjusted and have different wheels. Here's my take on it...

So a 'mild custom' should be nosed/decked, with maybe the side scripts removed but the rest of the OEM trim in place. Aftermarket grill/taillight lenses possibly or lightly modified. Reupholstered stock interior is good. Fully identifiable as to what it is. Most of the bolt-on stuff that was available 'back in the day' is long gone now in most cases.

A 'custom' is where some metal starts getting moved, not just welding holes closed. Frenching, headlight/taillight swaps that require body mods but the car is still recognizable as to what it is and should be streetable. Fabricated grills and/or other parts, more detailing on the interior, maybe some trim mods or the trim is removed.

'Full custom' builds on the 'custom'. More extensive metalwork with fabricated parts, heavily restyled, or 'other' sheetmetal used. This where you find the rolled pans and other serious mods. A prime example IMO is the 'Adonis' '60 Ford.

Last, the 'radical custom'. The only requirement here is that the car feature a chop, channeling or sectioning. Given the proliferation of chops these days, many on cars that would otherwise be considered as just 'custom', I think that this gives credit sometimes where it's not due. A chopped early Merc with 'custom' mods is not the equal to such as the Jade Idol or the Matador IMO... but that's me.

There's a lot of wiggle room in these definitions, a clever builder with a good eye can cross boundaries easily. On the other hand, these are roughly based on the ISCA rules which counts 'modifications' for points which has led to some truly ugly cars in search of show points on more than one occasion.

 

Calling @Moriarity.

 

Lots of bucks...$$$$$$

 

Great explanation, Mark.

 

That's a radical custom if that's is a "60" Impala ! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

Kinda like the difference between mild & full race performance , what ever the magazine writer said that caught on ....

 

Yeah, just highly subjective terms with no definitive answer...

 

Which is why the 3/4 race cam became the go to phrase.
Always gotta split those hairs!

 

I thought thats what you use in a V-6?

 

More work more money

 

about 3 years.

 

Yeah, I don't get it either. I'll go further; a car that would otherwise fall into the 'mild custom' or 'custom' category shouldn't be considered 'radical' just because its chopped. It appears to me that a chop has become a 'thing', like M2 suspensions, one-wire alternators, electric cooling fans, air bags and big wheels.

How the ISCA scores/categorizes customs is illustrative. 'Conservative' is 0-3 mods, 'Mild' is 4-6, 'Semi' (or just 'custom') is 7-10, and 'Full' is more than 10. For our purposes, 'Conservative' and 'Mild' can be lumped together. But 'Radical custom' changes the rules. Any number of mods are allowed, but a single specific mod (chop/channel/section) will kick you into this category, regardless of how many (or few) other mods are done. So you tell me... does a car with 10 or less mods (including a chop) really deserve to be called 'radical'?

 

If you can't tell what the original vehicle was, it's a full custom... If a non-hotrodder can still identify the original vehicle, it's a mild custom... LOLOL!!

 

Yeah this has been my complaint with how ISCA breaks down customs. There was a 53/54 Chevy running the indoor stuff around Oregon for awhile that was pretty much stock other than a 1" chop and was in radical.

ISCA views the chop top, channel or a section job as so labor intensive that it gets its own category. Where I could say doing quad headlights or a crazy front/rear end work can be just as radical and labor intensive.

Also ISCA has added custom classes that really make no sense in the vein of custom. This is from the current rulebook.

 

but for reference of the changing definitions over the years, Miss Taboo ran in semi-custom most of the time in its original run from 58-62. They did drag race the car, so then they could slide over into Comp Custom classes at shows.

Here is a scan out of my 1962 Portland Roadster Show program. Hings 56 convertible (@Moriarity ) was in semi-custom convertible, while Taboo was in Comp. Custom, which was more open on mods.

 

This is the never-ending conversation when people need rules and classifications and why I never take part in static car events. My 51 has been called all kinds of stuff. To me it's just for fun and cleaned up. My brother and I built this car in 12 weeks from a hulk to what it is like we wanted to when we were in High School. It's just cleaned up and seems others want to put it in a slot. It has lots of stuff going on that most don't pick up on. Wish we had done my Merc instead.

I think I'm in the right place to accept being classified, well at least I won't be offended. I feel the wheel change was a good move but I'm still on the fence with the whitewalls. I also have the 55 Pontiac trim that should have been installed but we got the upholstery in just a tad too soon.

 

Chopped , channeled , stretched , 413 Wedge , bobbed tail section , stainless grille.. Full custom ?

 

My old Plymouth got its picture in the Rodder’s Journal and it tickles me to no end that they thought it was GM. It didn’t help that I put a 48 pontiac dash in it.
Most of the car was built by Aaron Valencia, I just finished it.

 

Having never been much for serious car shows it hadn't occurred to me that the letter writer was asking about an "official" definition. I was just amused at the fact that people have always argued about what is "right" rather than just build what they think is cool.

 

Go big or go home I say...

 

I may argue about my 53 bel air being a mild custom. But I'm also building it because I think it's cool lol. Now I did end up nosing and decking it after not finding a proper chrome trunk emblem. But aside from being a lil more awkward to open hood and trunk I'm tickled with the results lol

 

Now would a four door to two door conversion classify as a modification as far as custom classification is concerned?

 

I would think so. But I guess it depends how it's done. You actually moving the pillar and going with a longer door or you just welding up the rear doors and calling it a two door? And if your moving the pillar and extending the door or adding a two door shell, is that the mild modification or a radical?