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Art & Inspiration Ernie Adams and his Dwarf Customs

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Jive-Bomber, Feb 19, 2018.

  1. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,761

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

    Ernie Adams and his Dwarf Customs

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
    patmanta, 28Hud, catdad49 and 5 others like this.
  2. Murphy32
    Joined: Oct 17, 2007
    Posts: 753

    Murphy32
    Member
    from Minnesota

    This made me laugh:
    [​IMG]

    Shrunken Head !! :D
     
    patmanta, 28Hud, banjeaux bob and 3 others like this.
  3. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,286

    verde742
    Member

    love his stuff,
    ALWAYS WISH PEOPLE who feature his stuff would photograph his cars,
    NEXT to the like full size cars....
     
    lothiandon1940 and 28Hud like this.
  4. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,036

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Wonder if it's smaller than a 'normal' shrunken head?? :)
     
    Murphy32 likes this.

  5. Ernie is a neat guy, been around the AZ car scene for many years. That 39 Chevy probably has 100,000+ miles on it, he drives it everywhere.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  6. Peanut 1959
    Joined: Oct 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,180

    Peanut 1959
    Member

    Here's a few I found in a quick Google search. :)[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
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  7. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,286

    verde742
    Member

    YES YES !!!!! that's GREAT !!!!! thank you !!!!
     
  8. oldcargary
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 212

    oldcargary
    Member
    from devore, Ca

    Saw the 39 chevy over in Arizona. He does drive them too!
     
  9. woodbutcher
    Joined: Apr 25, 2012
    Posts: 3,310

    woodbutcher
    Member

    :D Have seen a few videos of his builds.Very impressive.
    Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
    Leo
     
  10. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,850

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    does he build the whole body starting with flat sheet metal or cut bit and pieces from a real car ?

    either way it is pretty incredible.. I have never seen the 34 sedan before. really cool. he should build a 1949 Chevrolet:)
     
  11. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    and the question is WHY.........the answer.........because he can! :)

    Cool stuff.
     
  12. butch27
    Joined: Dec 10, 2004
    Posts: 2,847

    butch27
    Member

    Visited Ernie last year. Great talent and great guy.
     
  13. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,444

    A Boner
    Member

    UnF'ingbelievable talent.....really cool little cars!
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  14. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,286

    verde742
    Member

    He was building them out of discarded washers, dryers, stoves, refrigerators,, and the likes..

    I think the '39 has a 4 cyl. Toyota : when he winds it up, sounds JUST like a 6 cyl, Chev with a split manifold neatest sound coming from that little thing..
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
  15. Big Plan Dan
    Joined: Sep 16, 2015
    Posts: 138

    Big Plan Dan
    Member

    Incredible! I have to wonder how much time it takes to build one. How many measurements are taken of the full-size original. What metal-forming tools he uses. Where he learned metal work. The dash and steering wheel on the Merc are worth a close look.
     
    Hotdoggin DaddyO likes this.
  16. He's had that black 39 chevy sedan at DesMoines Goodguys several times.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  17. 5458D8EA-BCA4-410F-9952-5D5B3A5C8FBE.jpeg At 70 years of age.I thought I had seen it all.I was mistaken; many kudos to Ernie bringing to life an incredible talent I would not have believed had I not seen the pic. Well done Ernie; great job!
     
    48fordnut likes this.
  18. ronzmtrwrx
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,144

    ronzmtrwrx
    Member

    If I remember correctly, I think I saw some pics somewhere when he was building the wire wheels for the 34 from scratch, spokes and all. Its pretty amazing what he does with seemingly not much equipment. My hat is tipped.
     
  19. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,203

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

    Been to Earnie’s shop and the process is mind boggling! My favorite is the 33-34 Tudor. Couldn’t find a photo.
     
  20. Hotdoggin DaddyO
    Joined: Jul 23, 2011
    Posts: 698

    Hotdoggin DaddyO
    Member
    from Hays, Ks

    Wow! That is Impressive. I'm digging that '54.

    [​IMG]
     
    catdad49 likes this.
  21. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    @Rocky, you know who Larry is don`t you. I took this in Lincoln`s Americruise. Was Ernie originally from Omaha? Scan0619.jpg
     
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  22. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    Here`s his Merc. Taken at Goodguys in Des Moines. Scan0620.jpg
     
  23. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    It`s been a few years since I saw his 39. Scan0621.jpg Saw the 54 in Salina. And a couple more pic`s.
     
    catdad49 likes this.
  24. I have been to Ernie's shop and have seen all of his cars , and had a few beers as well.
    A great talent, and great guy.
     
    Hotdoggin DaddyO likes this.
  25. wsdad
    Joined: Dec 31, 2005
    Posts: 1,259

    wsdad
    Member

    The process is really quite ingenious, yet simple. Kind of makes you wonder why no one's done it sooner.

    He parks a full sized car at the bottom of an empty silo. Then fills it to the top with used motor oil. The weight of the oil isn't enough to compress the car, so he plumbed an air compressor into the top of the silo. He runs it for 40 or 50 days, depending on humidity, temperature, etc. The small diameter of the hose and the large diameter of the silo work like a giant bottle jack. The pressure climbs to about the same as that on the bottom of the ocean.

    When the car is the size he wants it, he "sets" the metal so it won't expand when he takes the pressure away. He heats the oil nearly instantly using a surplus Army cell phone microwave link antenna like you see on cell phone towers. The shock of the sudden temperature change aligns and binds the molecules in anything metal. That's why he only does older cars that are mostly steel.

    Anything not metal, such as rubber, plastic or cloth has to be thrown away and fabricated from scratch, kinda like this whole story was.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  26. lo-buk
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 319

    lo-buk
    Member
    from kcmo

    The 54 is in the Kansas City area.
     
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  27. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    He's sure come a long ways since the first two cars built with his buddy. Are there any under-the-hood photos or power-train photos out there? Very impressive. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  28. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,418

    catdad49
    Member

    These are pretty amazing! Does he still build them? I would love to see the process, anybody else?
     
  29. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,286

    verde742
    Member

    I did not realize Ernie built the 54 Chebby..?

    doesn't look like his efforts to me,,,,, cute, just different effort...

    anybody know?
     
  30. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,286

    verde742
    Member

    [​IMG] does this HELP ?
     

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