At the time period these cars were built there wasn't many rules, if any. Of course there were many horrific results but, just like today, if you didn't like it you didn't look at it very long. But a person might find one little alteration that might just work on their own 'mild custom'. It comes back to you and YOUR car.
The current "wrong trend" of not fitting hubcaps to kustom cars drives me nuts. The only allowable exception would be if youre using chrome reverse rims.
Or the current "Trend" of putting a sun visor on an early style custom. Anybody that used them in the 50's or 60's would have been accused of driving his grandfathers car. Mick
A lot of the vehicles were customized yearly or done after an accident. Unlike today's trends of customizing a car and keeping it the same year after year. If you look at the Watsons thread you can see that he painted fantastic looking cars with more panels or changed colors to just change it up. Look at the daily drivers of today. Nobody changes anything anymore. Not even adding pinstripes.
I'm not a custom guy but I remembered my youth in "OTTO'S" News shop on Broadway in Kingston NY. Bought all my '32 and '40 AMT models there. He had all the little pages mags. I used to read them in the store until he said "Buy or leave!" I remembered a car in the mag, guesss it was '59-'60 had 8 headlights. Can't believe I just found a picture on the interweb! Talk about stuff that didn't wear well! This is John Hychko's '56 Studebaker! I remembered!
My fashion statement is about the same as it was even back to the '50s. Always wore t-shirts, blue jeans, and boots. Look at the avatar! Only thing that changed is that back in the day there were only white t-shirts. I won't wear white now!
I couldn't say it any better! Cars of the 40's 50's and early 60's already had large grilles and bumpers. I think that too aggressive a chop makes the front end look a little exaggerated.
All this dissin' of quad lights made me buy a set of '61 Chrysler headlight doors... hell, I don't even know if they'll fit in the space I have, but it'll be fun to try....
I knew I should have stayed over on the Hot Rod side!!!!! Respectfully guys, the headder said wrong trend on right car. I love '53-'57 Studebakers. I have since they cam out. At the time when they were new, they looked like a custom right from the factory compaired to most '50's cars. In fact, 2 years ago I rescued a '56 Golden Hawk from falling through a second story wooden floor because I thought it was worth it to rescue.
Tony: I am pretty sure if she could talk , she would say thank you! I did a Sky Hawk for a customer about 10 years ago. owner wanted stock so that's what we did. Sometimes I would be relaxing after hours in the shop with a beer and look at it and think shave this, french that , maybe a gentalmans chop like I saw Dick Dean do years ago. Oh well enough day dreaming, have fun with that Studebaker! Larry
Hey Larry, Unfortunately for me but fortunately for somebody else, I sold that cool Stude to a guy who really digs them. That car in '56 had the 352 Packard engine. Little known fact, but in 1956 it was the fastest top speed and lowest ET on the drag strip of any factory built US car. It actually beat out the 265 power pack Vette AND the Chrysler 300 B! On top of that there were only 5,000 made. And that car was SSOOO sexy doing it! On top of all that, you could get an optional, usually dealer installed Paxton supercharger! Freaking AWESOME! You are absolutely right as far as I'm concerned. A mild face lift, subtle chop, and a really easy removal of those FIBERGLASS rear fender extenders, and dopey signal lights, and it would be really HOT! As I think about it some more. It was also a record car for stock bodies for a while at Bonneville! Thanks for realizing I'm really not a ball busting Hot Rodder!
The Jalopy Journal
