Ryan what memories. When I was in high school with the little pages feature of this car, I would sit and study it instead of my lessons. Thanks
Ryan. I have a B/W picture of a 56 Plymouth 2dr sedan Eldon Titus built back in the 80's. It would be so easy to build one something like it. I wish I know how to post pictures I would send it to you. Thanks Doug Reed
I'm another "cheap custom" builder. My goal is mid-60s era correct radical custom using a 61 Ford. If my day job didn't get in the way, I'd be nearer completion. But even more radical is I'm looking at a 3-4 thousand dollar budget. I'm at about a grand so far. And I WILL do it. The biggest expense I can foresee is plating the front bumper. The rest, except covering the seats, is on me . I don't understand......why is everybody so SCARED of customs? Is it the fear of bodywork? The cost of paint/materials? I don't get it...... A clean custom like you're talking about, Ryan, is a HELL of a lot cheaper to do than a traditional hot rod.
at first I thought this might be tough but I thought about it for more than 30 seconds and I came up with two cars I would kill for. My first build would be maybe not a custom but would be a nicely restored Model A 5 window seen a super nice one for buy it now on ebay for $16.5 the rest of the money would go to hop up parts for the motor and juice brakes. The more custom car would be a nice condition Riviera the remainder of the money would go for speed parts and lowering and wheels tires maybe a over drive trans and the rest of the money for gas and a road trip.
As the Greatest Generation and Early Baby Boomers stop driving there should be a lot of previously restored cars coming on the market that would be perfect candidiates for mild customs or hot rods. I've always wanted a 48 Plymouth coupe. Keep the stock six and add some period speed parts. Dual carbs, dual exhaust, after market head etc.
If you want to stay "affordable", you have to know your limitations, and play to your (and your buddies) strengths. I know that I can do bodywork and paint well enough to satisfy myself (usually), and I don't fear medium duty mechanical work, brakes tune ups, mild fabrication, and the like. What I sadly can not do ( nor have I tried very hard) is ulpholstry. That's why I found myself a car with a very nice interior and started from there. I'll not be keeping up with the Jones' at any major car shows, but I will be able to say that I did it myself. Be that good or bad in the eyes of others. I have a few more things to get done yet, (different wheels and tires to fit with the new era to which it's built, and some new springs and brake upgrades), but I have all the parts and pieces puchased, and this car will come in as done well under $15K considering the trade I made. Will I be parking it up on the same hill as the "famous" guys, well, probably not, but does it put a smile on my ( and other people's ) face....yes, plus it's a joy to drive. Ryan, your plan is a good one, and a guy like you would have the connections and friends to execute the plan.
"As the Greatest Generation and Early Baby Boomers stop driving there should be a lot of previously restored cars coming on the market that would be perfect candidiates for mild customs or hot rods." I've been saying this for a couple of years now but many guys think I'm nuts and that the prices are going to continue to appreciate. Not only is the generation following the boomers a lot smaller, but they're from a different era AND most of them have not seen the appreciation in assets and wealth their parents did. I don't think my house is going to be worth 800-900% more in 30 years for some reason. My parents did. Fewer buyers with less money and different tastes (i.e. sports and muscle cars) cannot equate to high prices for stock 30s to early '50s tin. I'm counting on this over the next 5-10 years for my next kustom. Rather than starting with a project, I'm hoping to land a nice restored car that already runs and drives nice.
Not that it affects the point, but 15K aint gonna touch a restored '56 Fury. They run about $30-$35K... But again that doesnt for a second change the topic here. The Belvedere hardtop (Same Car as Fury, Almost) can be had at $15K... Ryan, your point is very valid... Cars like the '55/56 Plymouth are excellent cars to make into mild customs. Your not going to get the mix of "bang-for-your-buck" low initial prices and unique styling in many other cars. The first generation Forward Look cars have a lot of European stying cues... they are very handsome. They make great mild customs but aweful full-out customs. Virgil knew what he was doing. Funny thing is that over here they dont get customized often, but overseas they tend to do more to them. When I ran CherrySoda.Com I used to get tons of overseas custom photos sent in. Hyfire
Studebaker. That would do it for me.... Let's see... $ 2500 1948 Studebaker 'vert, Just curvy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=347981 OR... $ 3200 1956 Studebaker Champion 2dr, Ray Loewy lines in the roof, big grill, modest hips http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332945&highlight=studebaker We'll say $3k for a good start $ 3000 Car $ 1000 Rolling stock Nice WW Firestones on original wheels with shiny caps $ 3000 For a nice tweak on a stock interior, maybe some inserts or accent colors $ 5000 for some tricky paint, maybe some lace work on the top, the right lines on the panels $ 2000 for stance, I'll know it when I see it. $ 3000 for refreshing stock mechanicals, seals, etc. No big power trip, just reliable $ 3000 chrome, either one of the candidates above would look better with the right smile, pull the bumpers in close, shave a couple of details, brighten what's left. That's it, $20 K. I can do it. Now about gas money....
Ryan, If it was what I had you spelled it right stuff "flew" from both ends for a week Glad you are better
I like your fever dream, Ryan. Start with a 90 point resto and smooth it a little. Jimmie Vaughn has exactly what you're talking about with his '54 Ford. IMO, good candidates are: '52/62 Ford products, all of 'em Exner designed Mopars I'm assuming V8 power to keep the budget and still drive the freeways. Non Chevy GM cars from '49 to '66 The early ones, except for Olds, Caddies and some Buicks need engine transplants to be fun to travel in. Here's where I will get kicked for my opinion: 4 door hardtops make good mild customs. There was a '60 Impala on the Barrett/Jackson auction from the GM Heritage collection that went for $24K that would have been so bad with some Supremes and a 3" drop.
56 Furys are Fairly Rare.. to a pureist it would command alot more.. only if it was all original.. the Mopar Club up here tags those higher.. Hope you get better soon..Ryan..
I already did it...but the car wasn't mine, and the air ride pushed it over budget by probably 2500 bucks.... of all of the cars I have done alot of work on, this ones cleanliness really does it for me. The interior Fat Lucky did is the perfect compliment for the really simple paint job. (it was really pretty straight to begin with.) it's not perfect, But You can drive the hell out of it with no worries. and it turns heads....
Last post I couldn't remember the guy's name, but another word for nice mild custom is Gary Howard built. The car Lux posted is that style. That's a compliment.
a buddy of mine picked up a restored 65 tbird,7k. thing was perfect,paint interior etc., put pinner whites and chromies with small cones on it. lowered it with blocks and a saw. DONE!
------------------------------------------------------------------ I got less than 15k in mine,and it's chopped
Uh, I'd say. To have a car you built put anywhere near Gary Howard level should be taken as a huge compliment by any builder.
I don't know. It's not that tough to have 15K stuck in a car over the course of 2 or 3 years, but who has that much $ all at once to buy a nice starting point? Not me. Plus, if you're going to start with someone else's restoration, you really have to trust their bodywork and mechanical skills. I've seen quite a few horror stories on here already of cars that looked nice but were shit right underneath. I'd rather buy the car with 30 year old paint and repaint the whole car, at least that way I know what I'm getting. There's a lot of other ways to do affordable stuff, even way less than 20K. 2 door conversions on 4 doors is my personal fave, but I'm also seeing a lot of custom made bodies based off of cowls and stuff getting built from pickup cabs into the 40's. Station wagons used to be parts cars, now they're up there in popularity with 2 door hardtops. I think we'll be seeing a lot more creativity in the future and I look forward to that a lot more than seeing nice original cars get customized because it's easier that way.
I am pretty fortunate to say that my car will end up way under 20 grand. Yes I am doing all the work myself (with the help of a few buddies) and it was a free car (59 Ford) which helps tremendously. I did bodywork for a few years so I am able to paint etc, and I am having the interior done by someone in town for a reasonable price. The one thing I have found more than anything is junk yards are possibly the best thing ever thought of. I was able to score a complete disc brake conversion (Granada), all 15" wheels for my car, and 292 Y block and trans for well under $500.00. So I guess what im trying to say is never be afraid of an "oddball" car that is not typically customized, because they are cheaper or free
while flattered, I gotta say that Gary is sooo far out of my league...like he is the n.f.l. and I am still playing pop warner. again...I am shocked anyone would say that. it's almost an insult to Gary....
Haha, anything I build has GOT TO BE affordable. Another key to building an affordable custom is to build something nobody else would want to build and use off the wall parts,stuff you think nobody else would use on a custom. Scrounge,scrounge,barter,dicker,trade,and scrounge some more. Ryan, don't be so hard on yourself, ya learn by doing and hanging out with friends who know and ask alot of questions that's how I'm doing it. Some people just have the talent to do and then there's me who's trying like hell to build something I've always wanted on my time. Great thread by the way. Hope you and yours get better. later shawn
since most of my cars are low budget, I could probably squeeze 4 of them in $20k, but none of them are that nice. this is our latest budget custom though, maybe with some massaging it will end up pretty decent. Paint was already on it when we got and it needs some more clear on the silver / flake part and a few touch ups, but mostly a decent paint job. So far we have rewired it, '55 olds caps, removed front bumper guards, lowered the rear (front is next)... In the long run It would be nice to get the painted headlight rings, and do some minor custom touches.. but so far we are about 14K below the 20k budget, so with that much left I think it could end up a real nice custom.
LUX~ I really like the custom you posted. I think that 25k for a car with that much "cool" built into it, is a damn good buy. Kudo's to you for the work, and Kudo's to the "Lucky" Fu@%3r that owns it. I paid slightly more than that for the Merc Truck when I bought it from Joyo, but I feel like the truck is worth every penny (not trying to toot my own horn at all). I'd like to think that Joyo had less than what I paid him for it in the truck, because I think he deserved to get paid for the sweat he might have invested in it. I don't know if 20k would have gotten it all the way to where it is now, but perhaps the Merc Truck is in the catagory of "affordable customs" as well. I don't think it is capable of sitting on that hill yet though However, that doesn't mean I don't still daydream about how to pack another 20k into it just to make the climb. To steal a line from your quotes... "I (still) see options" I'd like to see more of that car.... How please?
Gary Howard's attention to little details is what gets me. Look at Jimmie Vaughn's 54's interior. All the metal pieces in the headliner mouldings are chromed. Who else does that? It's fun to spend time walking around cars like that. The more you look, the more you see. I think that's the appeal of the Mild Custom. It just amplifies the designers intent. It flows nice enough for the people who are casual about cars while impressing the cognescenti. I lift a glass to this thread. Huzzah!
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