Customs The Other Moonglow

[Ryan]

When Duane Steck built his Moonglow Chevrolet, he did so meagerly in his own driveway. It was a simple custom with a graciously chopped top and smart styling. More than anything though, the Moonglow was damned low... and folks (according to the magaz...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[hugh m]

It always makes me chuckle when a 25 year old makes a comment about a car being not traditional if they deem it to be too low....

[WhoDoYouFink]

I love this car. And the way the side glass goes in is kind of cool. I had never really thought of making a hard top that way. The stance is nice and as mentioned already goes to show they drove them that low before "bags". I laughed at the "We defy anyone to lower a car more," comment in the mag.

[shooter54]

that's awesome. thanks for sharing that.

[JeffreyJames]

We always talk about this car and just how low that thing is. I may have missed it but I did not see how the adjustable suspension worked....air shocks????

I wanted to run a small tank in my '54 eventually with lines connecting to the airs shocks and a schrader valve on the tank so I can fill it up before I head out so that there were no compressors or air bags. Just something I can adjust the car's height in case I need to. Now I think the car is going to be up a bit higher so I won't have to worry about it.

Back to the Hoffman car, I love the idea of the home made hard top and the slide in glass quarter windows. And I can't help to think just how awesom-er the car would look with the lid 2.5 lower and the same treatment used.

[sirleadfoot]

that is a killer looking ride...Ryan you always seem to find some of the coolest shit. Thanks for the H.A.M.B. and all you do.

[froghawk]

Kind of a neat car! Terrific engine, and I'm a sucker for just about anything that low with Lancers. The stark drag car interior is sure a surprise, given the exterior look!

I can't help wondering what it would look like with the greenhouse shortened up closer to club coupe, rather than those l-o-n-g two door sedan, proportions. And, maybe, as JeffreyJames suggests, a little chop...

[El Hueso]

I love the look of the hard top and it really sets it a part to this day from any other 53-4 Chevys that I have seen. You can also see from the bare interior that Duane wasn't trying to please anybody when he built this car but built it for his own pleasure, not caring as to what others thought.

I am also curious as to what he was using for his "adjustable suspension." I am not an expert but wasn't it around '58 or '59 that guys started messing with hydraulic suspensions? Other wise without it I don't think he would have gone very far in Portland. But where is this car now?

[49ratfink]

I think removing the post hurt the car rather than helped it. I guess messed up "hardtopped'' cars are traditional since they have been doing it for years

[ttarver]

That is awesome!!!!

[Tman]

We have had many a great talk about that car. It is one of the catylists that helped RwT come to be.

Deep down I always wanted to clone it with my 54

[billbrown]

Now a days this car would be some kind of a street freak/gasser with a blown & Injected big block chevy 13 feet off the ground and still run 75-80 mph through the traps. It seems that things are regressing.....

[DRUGASM]

Doesn't the story go that he painted the original moonglow car with refridgerator industrial paint in his driveway with a vacuum cleaner borrowed from his mother?

"Thanks for lettin me use the Hoover mom, that smell will go away."


This car is HAMB before the HAMB was HAMB. I dig it.

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by El Hueso

...Duane wasn't trying to please anybody when he built this car but built it for his own pleasure, not caring as to what others thought.
...

I was a teenager when I saw this article and I just figured he built it to pleasure himself, in!

At the time I was very confused by his intentions because he started building a nice custom, and everyone knows customs are to pick up girls with, but then he doesn't have a passenger seat?
What's up with that?
Maybe he "didn't like girls"?
Did he get the racing bug that bad half way into the project?
Was it just that it was set up for drags the day of the photo shoot and he actually did have a bench seat for it?

I never liked the bent backwards "C" pillar on the factory hard top Chevy's and Pontiac's so I like the way he did the roof, a lot!.

Really cool car, on the outside anyway.

Thanks for the memories Ryan!

[Kripfink]

Without doubt a beautiful car,but at the risk of getting my ass flamed to hell and back,proof that in my humble opinion they did 'too low' back in the day too.
Paul

[1950ChevySuburban]

You know damn well that engine's got my attention, but the whole package is real fine!

[Rusk]

I've always liked that car. If you suggested removing the post from a sedan, I'd say it'd look terrible....yet seeing the pics proved me wrong.

HAMBer BadApple posted these pics of his killer '53 with the same roof treatment in another thread...

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

Back to the Hoffman car, I love the idea of the home made hard top and the slide in glass quarter windows. And I can't help to think just how awesom-er the car would look with the lid 2.5 lower and the same treatment used.

I'm not sure...I think the side windows would end up looking out of proportion, too long and squashed.

Bryan

[JK]

I have that same mag, just for that 53. I love the HT treatment with the exception of the top of the door is still attached. I also love the "full race" motor. As for the interior, remember, it is more drag car than kustom. (Vette intake, polished & ported head, slicks storage, tarp over the rear, fire extinguisher and fuel pump.

[froghawk]

Originally Posted by froghawk

I can't help wondering what it would look like with the greenhouse shortened up closer to club coupe, rather than those l-o-n-g two door sedan, proportions. And, maybe, as JeffreyJames suggests, a little chop...

Lil' lunchtime photoshop...

[Chaz]

It'd be fun to see a movie of that low rider launching at a dragstrip!