Bill, I finally found some pics of the White Pearl...this car was in AMAZING unrestored condition....check it out!!!!! Car still exists in this same condition. These pics were taken in 2004!!!! You can see in the picture of the top that the scallops are beginning to fade a little. John North told me that he bought this car right off the showroom floor in 1957 and painted it 16 coats of "Lincoln White." Car is an E Code car...dual quads. Yes, I wish I had it back, but it allowed me to chase some other cool stuff over the years....never look back, right? Best, Ebert
Wasn't the car in Macungie some years ago at WOTSRA meet? Which 57 Ford get rear ended by a bullet nose Stude?
Not aware of it being at Macungie. The previous owner's wife gave me a huge board of event plaques from 1989 to 1991 and there is one from the Wheels of Time event in 1991 if that is what you are referring to. Most, if not all of the plaques were from small events and cruises in CT & Mass during this time period. I know in her early days, Mr. North had her at several AutoRamas in Hartford. Not the same car that was rear ended that I was aware...the only previous repair that I was aware of (talked to former owner) was one of the rear fenders was repaired when the owner's son hit it with a lawnmower.
Regarding the 1957 John North White Pearl Ford Custom, earlier this month I posted some photos of it with the 1955 Jim Seaton Chevy Kustom by Barris. There have been a few articles "East Meets West" regarding the difference in the late 50's that the East Coast & West Coast made to custom cars. George Barris stopped by the garage a few years ago and commented on the differences. You gotta love George, still going strong!!
This is a great thread....I hope it grows. I got my first taste of customs back east in the 60's going to the annual armory shows in pittsburgh. I have a passion for the customs of that era and spent years doing radical custom 1/24 models....then and recently.
Somebody send me the photos below of great looking Kaiser Custom Car. All he knows about the car is that it was built in the Chicago area and that is was used in a Gas Station Commercial again in Chicago. Does anybody know anything about this car.. perhaps seen it elsewhere, or have other photos. The rear looks very interesting and I would love to know more about it and see the front end.
when i think of the old shows in hartford i think back to the early 60's dating my boyfriend Richie Pichette and going to the armory in the bitter part of winter ,one year it was almost bizzard conditions but we went ,I do remember freezing and walking thru all that snow and did i really care about those cars ?heck no -but i was in love and I was spending time with my boyfriend WELL LITTLE DID I KNOW BACK THEN THAT KUSTOM CARS WOULD END UP BEING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE Well Richie and I married back in 61 and in 1976 moved out of Bristol CT. to Calif Richie name was shortened to RICH as most know him by and he started WEST COAST KUSTOMS -and the infamous ""PASO"" me? -did I care back in in the early days of WCK and PASO ? heck no , I was just there to help my husband - it did grow on me as most of you that know me -Now he's gone but he taught me well and it is my life , love and passion I just had to share my memories on the Hartford armory and the the Frank Marratta Show [but i still don't remember ever seeing ''THE PINK BEAST'' lol
Penny,that is such a great story.Thanks for sharing that with us.My dad used to go to Hartford and Springfield shows back then too.Have a bunch of pics.He only went as a spectator. I guess Rich did teach you well.You are truly a "Car Girl".
The Chauffers Car Club from Paterson NJ hired a bus to go to the Hartford Autorama in 1960. I was 15 and got to go. There was guys from about 10 different car clubs on board. It was a blast. On the way back we saw a car on the side of the road with a flat. We stopped and about 7 guys jumped out and gave the owner "courtesy cards" from their clubs, but got back on and didn't fix the flat........
I just finished reading all 12 pages again and enjoyed it again, and to bring it back to the top. There was a Merc in the North East in the eighties called the " Titian Charm". I heard it is now in Canada. Anyone know about it?
Sorry to bring this thread back up to the top but im facinated! I wonder if any of my surviving grandparents would remember him or the car from eas hartford. my mother's family (including my great grandparents) lived in East Hartford. My great-grandmother taught elementary school in East Hartford and raised my grandmother there. My grandmother lived in east heartford with my grandfather and they raised my mom and uncle in east hartford. My dad's mother (my grandmother) also lived in the area. I remember asking my grandmother about any cool old fast cars while she was in high school and she said she didnt recall any "hot rods" being around while she was in high school and in her early 20's. she said theyre mightve been one or two neat cars that kids had but there really wasn't much out of the norm. Unfortunately my grandmother on my mothers side passed away 3 years ago and i dont think my grandfather would have a clue since he wasnt from east hartford originally. I will print out the pictures of the car and ask. My grandfather has some great stories of him and his buddies acting like idiots in their old cars but they didnt build hot rods...they just tortured the crap out of their stockers. :
Thanks for Sharing Penny. I love these old stories like this. Why couldnt i grow up during these times? Anyways; for those of you attended the hartford autorama shows at the armory...do any of you remember Bob Zepke's cars? one of them I believe was an orange merc with a carson top. anyways; i work with his son and Bob is still building cars. Every once in awhile i catch a glimpse of cars his dad had, is currently working on, or has sold in recently. The one he just did was a chopped and channeled '50 ford that was all lead work. it was amazing.
Farmergal,I know Bob Z very well, if the car your refering to is his black 50 shoebox,it's not chopped or channeled but it is sectioned 6 inches which changes the look completely making it look channeled . It is a fabulous car featured many times in print and pictures.
yes thats the one....i think. i havent seen photos of it in awhile so my mind my be escaping me. anyways; its an awsome car. thanks for clarifying
Way back in the day as a young kid I remember the first real hot rod I ever saw was in Huntington, NY. It was a light blue 40 Ford coupe at a place I believe was called Forean Customs. I remember it had no door handles, was decked and had a custom interior. Anyone else remember that custom shop?
This was Henry Fitting Jr's 1934 Ford Coupe. It was out of New Haven, CT and it was known as the "Pink Lady." It was chopped 3 inches and channelled 8 inches. It sported a 195hp 1948 Ford mill. Upholstry and striping were done by Al Batista. It was a 2 year build and was an entry at the 1960 Hartford Autorama
This 1931 Ford Coupe was owned by Jerry Herold of the Black Road Auto Club out of Stamford, CT.The body was mounted a 1932 ford chasis and it was powered by a 325hp 3/4 buick race engine. It too attended the 1960 Hartford autorama.
This is Anthony abato's 1954 Olds Kustom. it was out of Jersey City, NJ. It was known as "The Comet". It was purchased new in '54 and he began customizing the car soon after. Anthony's son, Gary Abato, built a 29 Ford Tudor and named it The Comet as a tribute to his dad. the upholstry was white naugahyde with contrasting buttons that was done by Caravan Upholstry of NJ. The grill was a combination of desoto and buick parts. It also had 57 Caddy hubcaps. The car was destroyed in a house fire in 1961 but it was seen at two shows in 1963 so the fire must've occured during '63 or after '63. It was well known for touring the east coast circuit
Terry Brownings 1958 Ford Ranchero was out of NJ also (Neptune City). It was shown at the 9th Hartford Autorama. The hood was shaved and a 57 ford hood and the tailgate had been shaved and the car was fitted with '58 chevy impala taillights. the car was red and white with red scallops and gold flames. It was dressed up with spotlights and Moon discs. Lowered 7in in the rear and 3 in up front. It had a 300hp interceptor thunderbird engine. in 1960 another version of it appeared as it was changed and called Ruby Ranch. It was featured on the cover of Custom Rodder in 1960
This 1948 Chevy was featured in Custom Rodder 1960 and was also a feature at the Hartford Autorama which leads me to believe that it was an east coast car. It was owned by Robert "Bob" Carducci
This James Bowdish's 34 chevy. It from New London, CT and was featured at the '57 autorama in Hartford. It was originally black, painted Cherokee Red for the '57 autorama. It channeled over 7" and had a 33 grille shell from a chevy. '36 ford spare tire covers where used to make fenders. it was popular on the southern new england race circuit. in '61 the car was sold to his brother. James was supposed to buy it back but was busy trying to raise a family so the car was sold in '63 to someone in New London. It was later tracked to Groton and they lost track of it several years later. Theyve been trying to find it and have no had any luck
not much "kustom" about this one but its COOL!. It was owned by Thomas and Carrol Downing of North Haven, CT. The car was mercury powered and was clocked at 125mph. It's a 1933 Ford 5 window.