History Obscure Shoebox

Now that is a nicely done car. Looks like 55 Chevy headlight eyebrows as well. Would be neat if it was still around.

 

One of the things I love about the little books is that you see custom touches on the old cars that you would never see today. Chrysler quarters? The 53 windshield, the grille opening made from what appears to be 2 51 Ford openings...

Neat car...and inspiring

 

Wow. what a beautiful Shoebox-so much done, yet so subtle. Thanks for post. Still much to learn from the past.

 

Sweet!

 

Awesome, I also love '55 Packard taillights!

 

Really nice car... it's a very good balance of mild and radical. Good use of restraint.

 

I really like the rear view... the bulging quarters really set it off

 

The car makes a statement without going over the top.You're right,that's the perfect blend between creativity and restraint.

 

Custom Cars magazine is GREAT! I recently found out I like it so much I have 2 complete sets- I thought I only had one! The colors on the covers and the cars inside are GREAT! I think the fact they were NEVER picked up for modern look backs like the stuff in Hot Rod and Rod & Custom make them even more special and a lost treasure.

After decades of studying those books I decided yesterday I'm building my first kustom. These magazines will provide ther blueprint and inspiration.

 

I think the best thing about that car is that nothing looks stuck on or out of place. Tons of modifications that tend to sneak up on you a bit and don't just look like they were changed just to change something. Also no extra fru fru that doesn't need to be there like in the later show point customs.

 

What a nicely done car. Love the rear, love the grille ('49s? Looks more like like '51s), I don't know that I've seen that done before.

Life must've been grand when all you had to do to mix and match parts/makes/models was head over to the local wrecker and cut off what you needed.

 

I like it but it takes alot of looking at the rear to really appreciate the lines of the quarters, and work put into them.

 

Wow-Now that is well done. It's crazy that such a beautifully done car wouldn't be more well known.

Hope someone has other pictures of the car, or knows the whereabouts.

 

This thing eventually got pasted with a wild panel job.

 

Wow I'm really diggin that!

 

Nice find.
Thanks for the memories, Ryan!

 

Thanks for posting, what a fantastic car. Everything works. Love the grill, I agree the surround looks more like a '51.

 

Ryan...

Many thanks for posting this ! About 10 years ago I unearthed my COMPLETE original collection of Custom Cars Magazine. I've got 'em from the beginning in '57 to the last in '60. All "little pages", and Ultra Kool !

Below is the cover for September, 1957 Vol.1 Num.1...

Thanks again,

Jonnie

 

Could you be thinking about the Clarkaiser built "Utopia"?

 

Never criticize some one else's work, but if that's the same car, shame on them for sure. ( Wonder how they decorated their house?)

 

---------------
Nice car, but the paint and *especially*
the "twin hood scoops perched on top of
the single hood scoop" treatment is a little
bit much (even) for my tastes. I think the
car would have looked better painted a
single, and preferably dark color too, rather
than the red with the fogged in white
stripping.

Mart3406
============================

 

That car would have been better looking if they had pushed the "rewind" button a few times.

 

Two different cars.

 

I was just reading the Satans Angels post by Ron Brooks, and realized that Ron had posted a scan made from a 1960 Roadster Show program. This section of the post was about the Jerry Sahagon 1951 Chevy. But the car listed above it is Lloyd C. Hammond'a Shoebox.

And in 1960 it appears he has added quad headlights...



There is a color photo of this car at a 1959 outdoor show in the recent The Rodder's Journal (issue #51) on page 76.

Scanned from TRJ #51 photo from the George Kilger Collection.

 

I would NEVER doubt the "Master of Kustoms" but damn if that doesn't look like the same car to me... once Liberace had his way with it!

 

now that is one sweet looking custom....

 

CLEARLY not the same car. Even if there were no other conclusive evidence, the "Utopia" still has its split windshield in its final overdressed form, while the Hammond car has a wraparound windshield from the get-go.

Some similarities between the two, to be sure, but no match.

 

I don't doubt you or Rik, I just see the pink Liberace version as a Kustom version of the original. Man, I hope I'm wrong! Cutting up the original would be sacrilege!