Feeling nostalgic going through my old photo albums, I pulled up these shots of Les Miller's 52 Packard I built for him back in the early 80's. It was a stock 4 door sedan. We did a mild custom job on it, nose, deck, shaved handles, tunneled antenna, lowered. I painted it in Chrysler Laser Red pearl, and mixed pearl white into the color for the scallops. A nice unusual custom, tasteful. Later, a few years, he had someone put a subframe in it, and a SBC, and a narrowed, Pro Street rear. He then had me weld up the rear doors, chop the top, add a Dodge back window, moving the roof forward, to make it look like a "coupe". Pinted it Yellow/orange pearl fade-away, with Razberry Candy flames. We took out the 350 and installed a Bill Mitchell racing engine, with fuel inj. Painted dash and interior trim with the Candy Razberry. The work was done nicely, but styling?????? Ya think he ruined a nice car?
A poloroid of the car in Gettysburg, with all the trim on, and Caddy caps, wide whites. Sorry for the poor quality, but the owner set this.
I don't know. I really don't like the look of it, even though I built it. Not surprisingly, the owner moved to Florida, where I shipped the car to when I finished it. Anyone seen it?
Details on the flames. I had my buddy Bunky do the striping, after laying out the design, to fill in betwwen the Seaweed Flames.
If I whore'd my labor out to make an ugly bastard of a "custom rod" like that I sure as hell wouldn't tell ANYONE.
yeah, It WAS nice. There isn't a goddamn thing about the newer version of it that I like. I'm trying really hard, but I can't find a thing about it. More money in a car doesn't always mean you've got a better car. But if that's what he wanted... he shouldn't get angry when folks laugh at 'em!
I'm not really seeing it...sorry to say, but I don't really like it. I relaly liked the side view of the original, hehe...but I never really have dug the front end of those things anyhow. Even though I am helping build a 53
I don't mind a pro street car. but they work best as a fairly stock or at most, mild custom body car. I just don't think it mixes at all well with a "lead sled body style
its hard to screw up an ugly car, You are good! I just put a bid in on ten cars including several packards.
My point exactly, guys! he started out with a nice car, but got "too competitive" in wanting something unique. Well, he got it, but it's butt ugly! He tried to combine about every genre of car he saw in magazines...custom, Pro Street, street rod, race car, and stock Packard (keeping all the extra trim and such). I tried to guide him in the beginning....turning it into a 2 door, chopping the top, but he got out of hand with his crazy styling ideas. Didn't want to spend the money to find 2 door doors, for the conversion, so the doors look too short. he thought it would look fine, cause it's a "coupe", like the Copperhead Billy Gibbons had built. Spent about 30,000 on the motor, but didn't want to spring to get the bumpers plated!???? WTF? Lesson to be learned, sometimes "simple" is best. I agree, I loved the first version.
The Jalopy Journal
