History 60's survivor kustom 53 chev

you are correct . the car had a metalflake red over a 1962 chev orangy red color and had a custom front end. the car was in a accident and was bought by the tow yard owner for his daughter and they replaced the front end and re painted the car in the mid 70's

 

Any photos with the custom front?

 

I like it. Love the interior, and the bodywork looks very well done. Leave the windows alone, don't change them ! The blind spot isn't any worse than my g/f's Toyota convertible, I'm half blind, and can see well enough out of it.
You need carpet, scallops, and different caps.
Hurry up with all that, and report back to us. Ignore the..... well, you know who to ignore.....

 

Do a Hirohata Hardtop, with quarter windows, loose the sunk rear License and those hubcaps, it'll look much better.

 

Can't unsee the missing rear windows. It is hideous.

 

Nothing yet. For a car that was supposed to be well known in Victoria, no one has any pics or builder info . The caps were placed on by the guy I got it from not correct for the car. I am leaving the 1/4 windows also. I was told it had a olds grill up front . Here is a pic of the original flake uncovered in the plate recess

 

Cool car, i like it !

 

This, after all, is still a free country. It's your car , and you do with it what you want. However, if it were my car, and it isn't, I'd do something to avoid my eyes and other people's eyes focusing on those missing rear quarter windows. The scallops help a great deal.

 

Ouch, Miky2001 ..... I agree the filled quarter windows are like seeing who you've been buying drinks for all night when the bar closes. But, you have to remember that look was popular in the 60s as a cheap alternative to a fake Carson top - which, by the way, only really looks good on a very few types of cars. So relax, let the new owner redo the "woops" of the 60s, and be sure to bring an LED flashlight with you next time you're in a bar so you can bail out before the lights come on.

 

Wow that's hideous. Too bad it survived

 

( kind of what I thought)

 

I meant no offence
To each their own. Sorry if I offended anyone.

 

Always those negative waves on the Custom Forum.

 

Ever spend any time driving a sedan delivery, a box truck, a cargo or work van? I'll guess "no"

I think it's pretty cool,

 

What location is this car from I’ll try too dig up some dirt


Sent from my iPad

 

Another .02 cents worth. Bodywork and chop look very well done in the pics, the filled windows transition well with no ugly flat areas, and with a color change, and other small stuff, even the folks who have no real understanding of customs would probably be quiet and go back to driving their Corollas, and lusting after cookie cutter cars.
Whatever you pile-on fuckers do, don't ever read the little books, your heads will explode.

 

That joker smacks of 60's custom, and I'm glad you cleared up why it goes bone stock from the A pillars forward, because it was super weird. Now you have the opportunity to research and recreate what was done to the front!

I don't think the quarter windows are bad... it goes with the era. Not everyone gets the late 60's custom thing.

 

I`m glad you got it, someone else wouldn`t appreciate the history and change it. Like the many Customs back in the day.

 

I could live with the quarter windows but the seats and interior would have to go.

 

Dig up some dirt and bury it

 

I wouldn't do anything with the top or that over-the-top cool upholstery; the top, while 'different', has a chopped early Stude business coupe vibe to it. New red carpet for the interior and a 'flat' three-spoke steering wheel (preferably with a red metalflake rim to match the seats) to get rid of that weird 'bent' wheel will finish the inside. I'd even shorten the steering column if needed to get the red flake wheel in there.

The outside almost looks like the Tow-yard guy 'decustomized' it. Stock front clip, and stock rear bumper/stock '55 taillights will all need something, as well as chopping/installing the stainless trim around the front/rear glass for a more finished look. The '56 Buick lenses are a great suggestion, a bumper swap would go a long way; I'd suggest '52-54 Ford front bumpers front and rear, with the matching splash pans molded in. French the headlights, and a mid-'50s Corvette grill in a molded opening. Get it lower, and ditch the wheels/tires.... Mid-'50s Corvette wheel covers look good on these.

Great canvas to start with!

 

I thought this place was to preserve the history of Hot Rods and Customs.

 

oh boy reading some of the comments from the ratt roderz is pretty funny . so many opinions on here I have loved custom cars since the early 90's and know how to restyle a car and know how or when to save the survivors being very few did survive all the trends that came after. its not about how it look's better with this or that for me i already know its pretty funky. what i am game for is customizing the front end and changing out the tail light lenses adding some side trim re painting it back to the metalflake paint job it had when it was first built replacing the steering wheel and changing out the 14' rims to 15' and also taking the plexi window out and cutting some glass for the front . the mid to late 60's was a wild time for customs even though the mid to late 50's was way cooler in style i am stoked to have some fun with this car. it was built in victoria BC Canada in 1962-1969

 

Myk has done more to preserve local b.c. custom history than anyone in his or my generation. Ths hamb is lucky to have him share his passion. If you cant understand what is going on here keep your yap shut.

 

This car made me LOL out loud. I'm surprised nobody has suggested a van style port hole yet.
Yeah, that's the ticket...

 

I don't like the simile on the Mona Lisa, can some one change that for me.
I will admit that the list of things I like on this car is very short but it is a part of custom history that survived and should be left intact. It appears to be well built.
Everyone remember cars like the Hirohata Merc, or Watson's Grape Vine but there were a lot of cars like this when people were after points at shows for body modifications which meant the wilder the better.

It was said earlier in this thread typical for the era.

 

if you were to buy the Mona Lisa it would be yours to do with as you wish.

 

A whole lot less drugs in the mid late 50s vs late 60's

 

Well, seeing updates on this thread since I was last visiting had me thinking I'd seen this custom before - so I went on a search this afternoon through some old photos I have from waaaayyy back and found this'un:


The original is only 2"x2" so excuse the quality please. If I'm not mistaken (happens more often than I would like), I took this image sometime in the early '70s(?) and I believe it is Joe Sabnikoff's (sp?) '53 Chevy. Joe was a local Saskatoon bodyman who built several customs over the years. If I remember properly, the car was red metal flake as you stated, with gold & green flames and the portion over the roof was white with red "cob webbing". Sorry this comes so late, but the upholstery is what jogged my memory. Sadly, I don't have a pic of the front end, but I don't remember it being overly radical - still having Chevy "teeth" although there may have been additional or even '54s. I will try and stir up more info. if I can. ..Hope this helps!

Dave

 

'55 Chevy headlights..? Geez, my memory!

Dave