Billy Gibbons’ 1950 Ford “Kopperhed”

Hot Rod Magazine, January 1996. Yup, I remember it well because in those pre-digital days, car magazines were still the ‘world premier’ for many new custom creations coming out. That issue featured Billy Gibbon’s custom ’50 Ford called “Kopperhed”, and in my mind 23 years ago, there had not been a Shoebox built quite like it. Pete Chapouris’ PC3g group took a five window Business Coupe and massaged it into a three-window, with a subtle 3″ inch chop and lengthening the doors by 10″ inches. Besides lowering it and shaving off trim, there really wasn’t much other body customizing to speak of, and that’s what made the end result so tasteful in my mind. This was the height of the 90s customizing era of ‘more is more’ (even in the traditional custom world), with extra louvers, scoops, frenched-in antennas, etc. But not Kopperhed. It was an exercise in elegance that still holds up today. Gibbon’s may be better known for the ZZ Top Eliminator or Cadzilla, but Kopperhed is the one I’d want in my garage.