Desert Beauty

The September 1955 cover of Rod & Custom simply drips with Atomic-Age appeal. A tastefully customized Shoebox basking in front of a cantilevered carport created a scene that was truly out of this world—almost as if these two examples of midcentury engineering had been transported into the drab desert landscape by a futuristic, extraterrestrial force.

Unsurprisingly, this was not the case. The mastermind behind the construction of the “Desert Beauty” was George Gowland of Desert Hot Springs, Ca. Starting with a 1951 Ford Crestline, the car received a 7½ inch chop up front and a radical 10½ inches out back, as well as a stretched roofline with removed B-pillars. The front end consisted of two 1950 Mercury grille shells, filled with 1955 De Soto teeth, while 1954 Packard Clipper lights adorn the rear. Extensive lowering was achieved via a Z-ed frame, lowering blocks and de-arched rear springs.

What’s interesting to note in Spence’s write up was the heavy emphasis on geography as an obstacle in Gowland’s buildup of the car.

“Being located over 100 miles from Los Angeles deep in the arid desert country, George had some difficulties obtaining parts and materials—but that was nothing compared to the results of flash floods that occasionally washed his original shop from around the half-finished car,�? Murray said.

It’s astonishing to think that 100 miles outside of Los Angeles was considered an anomaly in the early days of our hobby. Thanks to the Internet and global shipping we can deem the concept of “too far�? obsolete, and hot rodding can flourish in all corners of the globe. Although flash floods are still a threat today, the article proves that Mother Nature can’t extinguish the resilient spark of a dedicated hot rodder, regardless of their location.

Take a moment to check out the fruits of Gowland’s efforts, blossoming out of the desert sands.

-Joey Ukrop