For the custom historians

[RPW]

Found this one at the carnut.com page on the net.
Is it a Valley Custom, or?
How come the US magazine guys never featured it, or have they?

[abe lugo]

I think it's supposedly the last custom built at valley customs

[fordnutz]

This looks like the one built by Stan Betz. The build was in a magazine years ago, 80's or 90's. The whole car is widened down the center. Can't remember why. Stan Betz was a good friend of Von Dutch and is a painter, paint mixer extraordinaire. Betz custom paints or something like that. Nutz.

[mr57]

I think that was Neil Emory's own car, or a cousin of his'.... It isn't Betz's. This one looks sectioned.

[RPW]

The car I first thought of was Ray Vega´s 38 cvt, started by Art Williams and finished by Valley Customs. That car was destroyed in an fatal accident, but the battered hulk of it was found in the 70´s behind a farmhause in Palmdale and saved by a Rolls Royce mechanic in San Fernando Valley.
In Tex Smith´s Custom Cars Vol 2 #2 it said that is was being restored, havent seen it yet.

But too me this one looks different...

[Dirk]

It is an old Vally Custom car. I met the owner at one of the blessing of the Cars some years ago. There is a picture of it in Andy Southard's book Hot Rods and Customs of the 1960s.

It says:

"In 1958 Larry Sanford of Glendale, California took his 1940 Mercury four-door convertible to Vally Custom where it was sectioned 4 inches from the top portion of the doors, rolling the tops to meet the window openings. The rear doors and back cowl section were done the same way, and the windshield was chopped approx. 3 inches. The trunck lid was also shortened 3 inches".

It goes on to say that "this was just about the last car to be done by Vally Customs".

It looks just about the same now as it does in Andy's book, except it has no top in the old photo.

I remember when I met the original owner, he said Bill Hines had done much of the restoration including the top and paint. Hope this helps.

[RPW]

Dirk: Many thanks! I picked up Andys book, and there it is on page 60. Wonderful car, the style of Valley Customs cant be beaten. Well, was it ever featured, or was it too traditional for the magazine guys back then?

[Ron]

Very Nice Car! Per does it say where that pic was taken at?

[RPW]

Ron: 2001 James Dean Run in Fairmount Indiana. That is nearly your backyard, right?

[Kartsa]

A little of topic,but I hope you dont mind.
A cool kustom project in German Ebay.Not cheap.
http://i16.ebayimg.com/01/i/01/08/b1/ad_1.JPG
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2456668539&category=18 301

[Moriarity]

The car is currently owned by Stan Peterson, I met him a couple of summers ago at Darryl Starbirds museum show. It was interesting to learn that he was half owner of roach studios.

[Sailor]

Cool stuff. Thats some nice proportions.