The customizing craze of the 1950s was a huge phenomena, one of the three big legs of the blooming car culture at the time, the other two being hot rods and sports cars. Chopping and lowering cars was the essence of it, with the ’49-’51 Mercury being the preferred choppee.
But there were others too, including Ford of the same era, as their slab-sided bodies were of course somewhat similar to the Mercs, and that was a crucial feature. The old-school rear “fenders” of the GM and Chrysler cars just didn’t lend themselves as well to the look, which was in part a futuristic one, where cars would be even sleeker, lower and…lower yet.
Removing all the chrome trim and such was just the starting point, but it all added to the jelly bean look that was desired. They were anticipating the Ford Taurus three decades before.
This is a fairly mild custom, as many had radically restyled front ends and “Frenched” headlights and such. This has really just had its top chopped and stripped of its trim.
The interior suggests that this is either a more recent job, or a major remodel of an older one. I’d like to know what the stick shift is connected to, and what’s under the hood. Hopefully the original flathead V8, with a bit of tuning.
It makes a stark counterpoint to the tall cars everywhere. How the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other. Now it’s jacked-up 4×4 pickups.
A relic from a very different time.
The “shoe box” Ford was a favorite of customizers: mild to wild. The featured car is a nicely done “mild” Kustom.
Attached is a picture, from 1953, of a Joe Bailon built full custom “shoe box”. His work was highly regarded back then! 🙂 DFO
Contrast in the present day: a “custom” car is a clapped-out Honda with a coffee-can exhaust extension, maybe a fake one in the other side, a 3-foot high spoiler on the deck lid, and glaring, blue LED headlights…spinning donuts in an intersection in front of the liquor store.
No. That’s a different demographic doing donuts, with Challengers and Chargers being the vehicles of choice. FWD does not work well spinning donuts in a small area. Drifting requires a larger plot, such as a mall parking lot.
This the exact extent I like custom cars, I lose interest in them once I can no longer easily tell what they started as, but in this case it’s an enhancement of what Ford ‘s designers started. The 49-51 Tudor bodystyle looks kind of dumpy to me in its original form with its too long rear window and rear vent window, it looks like a Fordor with the rear door seams filled in(which is basically what it is), but this chop fully fixes it, this looks better and more distinctive than the club coupe with its short(horizontally) roofline.
Only thing I’m not fond of in it is the console, it’s kind of a letdown in its crude blockiness compared to the exterior. Plus what are those three aftermarket gauges on itfor and why don’t they match the aftermarket gauges on the dash?
Yeah the console looks awful, like something that belongs in some ratty Nova, not a clean custom.
Interesting custom, looks like an older lead sled with modern upgrades that don’t quite match cosmetically .
-Nate
Regarding the interior of that car, the drivetrain is definitely not restored original. Given that shifter, it’s an automatic. Nobody builds a custom or hot rod anymore with a manual transmission. I’ve seen absolutely beautiful retro builds in the Richmond area that look like restored originals until you notice that damned shift lever (invariably it’s a Turbo Hydramatic at the other end) and only two pedal on the floor.
Which absolutely kills the car for me. Dammit, if you’re going to build something “old school” you put a three or four speed in it!
Looks like a manual left in 1st to me, I could be wrong.
If you look close at the knob it has a PRNDL pattern and the center is a push down release like typical auto shifters. As Syke said these are ridiculously common in the hot rod world these days, they’re all going for a stealthy “it looks like a floor shift manual” but they’re so common now it’s an obvious tell. It’s like the tell tale exhaust port spacing on headers to spot small block Chevy power.
The 57-58 Ford hubcaps with the centers painted white look so right on this car. The console is just wrong.
I never understood the chopping, lowering and frenching of cars to make them “custom”. Guess I just prefer stock design. Oh I know these guys are making the cars “cooler”, but why is it that guys always want things to be “cool”??
I don’t really care for custom cars in the ’50s style but my car magazine reading started with “Car Craft” and “Rod & Custom” – before finding “Motor Trend” and graduating to “Road & Track”. So this car does resonate a bit with me.
“why is it that guys always want things to be “cool”??”
Insecurity more than anything else .
-Nate
Right on! There’s a lot of truth to that.
Procreation. Compare peacocks to peahens. The flashier the colors, the bigger the plum, the more likely the replication of DNA. It’s a guy thing, a result of millions of years of evolution.
Okay……
I’m not flashy in any way yet I’ve had no problems attracting mates and producing two fine boys .
-Nate
I’m almost certain my customized Cougar has been peacock blocker if anything, I like customizing because it’s fun!
It changed in the developed countries in the middle of the last century, the height of the industrial revolution. For example, this guy produced no kids of his own despite displaying quite a bit of plumage. But it requires many generations for a DNA sea change.
Anyone who’s interested in proper, or traditional, customs should go to the HAMB forum. Click on the first post and scroll down for an explanation of the type. Be aware though, you may become lost for hours among all the threads…
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forums/traditional-customs.58/