Features The Ugliest Kustoms of the 50s

I totality agree with chopolds about the direction of the HAMB lately and the clueless who don't learn from the past. There were ugly cars build in the day and a lot of ugly being built today. I'm a custom guy and my new ride will in in the tradition of the mild 50's ride.

CRUISER

 

IMO the latter Barris stuf was butt ugly

 

I was looking through this post yesterday, and found this a little while ago


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494055&highlight=custom+1951+ford

 

Clearly was a 4-door they just welded up the rear doors on.

The taillights look like they're off some mid-late 70s car - a 71-76 GM wagon or maybe a big 74-78 Ford sedan - fender extensions and all. And they recut the rear wheel arch for some reason - rotted maybe - where it would look a lot better with a full skirt on it. The rear lenses would probably work if they'd formed the extensions to match the car instead of making the car match the existing extensions.


Customs get very little love here, and I love customs. Even some of the goofier ones. The show rods of the 60s and early 70s, those things I don't get, but a full custom is always cool in some way.

 

This car is fixable but it has numerous issues.

The upsweep to the bottom of the tail extensions contradicts the long, low, idea. There seems to be a straight portion on the top of the extensions, which interrupts the curve. I agree that the taillights aren't quite appropriate. The extensions leave the second "dip" in the character line, behind the rear wheels, looking somewhat lost, with no reason why it should be there and not somewhere else. The extended tail also exacerbates the four-door doors looking too short. The continental kit is a bit of a cliché, and I suspect the fly in the ointment which brought about all the other problems.

 

If those doors were extended (& angled forward) the rear lamp housings were handled differently, along w/the full skirts that would be one bitchin' ride!

 

Some pretty ugly stuff in this thread--but (and I might have missed it) one of the biggest offenders (imo) is the Matador. What was done to a 40 Ford coupe to create that abortion should be against the law. I understand it has been found and will be restored. Too bad.

 

I aspire to the level of ability I see on the HAMB. That is why I am here, to learn. I look to many here for that knowledge. 40studedudes 55 Cadillac is breath taking. I read that thread damn near everyday. Will my caddy have all the customization that his does? No. I do not have his experience or his raw talent. The car will be well built but it won't be flawless. I don't have 5 years for a build either. My daughter graduates in 2 years and I would like to have some time with her going to cruises before she embarks on her adult life. As I said many things influence a car build. No car is ever truly done so if in year you see my caddy roll in to a show and it's flat black with red rims and it isn't to your taste, just walk on by I am not interested in your criticism.[/QUOTE]

I definitely did not mean to offend, so don't take it personally! When I started, I was luck enough to have a great teacher, and part time use of his shop. In any case, my car ran around for 3 years in various forms and colors of primer before I could paint it.
I think it's great to build a car with your daughter, I've been trying to interest many kids into building a car and learning my skills, but none of my relatives so far are into it.
The focus of my rant was the trend today to TRY and build something that looks ratty, unfinished, even dangerous. Whatever you build, however you do it, you should strive to do your best....push your skillset, make it safe. You aren't going to impress anyone but the vacant eyed public with crappy looking cars.
Good luck with your build, and hoping it will turn out to your liking, that's all that matters.
I know for a fact that you wouldn't cut corners on anything mechanical your daughter will be driving! I just hope that more folks have the same attitude toward the looks of the car as they do with the mechanics.

 

Holy cow that chick is SMOKIN' HOT!
The car amuses me - sort of like an early version of those dumb 1970s "Stutz" cars.

 

I believe the 'El Matador' is finished, I can't find the thread that it's on but here is some info on the restoration...........

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=673812&highlight=matador

Doc.

Aha! I found a pic of the car after the restoration, yes 40fordtudor it's back to haunt you!!!!

 

I appreciate your response. Cars are such a personal thing and I know that for most gear heads they really pour their hearts into their projects. For that reason I try to see beyond the rough edges and designs that don't appeal to me. I am pretty lucky, everyone in my family is a bit of a car nut. My wife just got a 62 Merc, my youngest is building the Caddy with me and my oldest is crazy over her 2008 CTS. (She is going to school so no hot rod for her until that is done) My post was to remind us all that this craft is about more than just metal and paint. Thanks again.

 

I happen to like a lot of the late 50s early 60s wild kustoms. It was all about show and the wow factor. yes some went completely off the rails but most were pretty damn cool. As soon as my Chevy's painted I'll be starting a 50 shoebox that will be in this style think front end like LeRoy Goulart's but with a wilder tail end and motivated by a blown 394 Olds ansd a 4 speed. It's gonna be crazy!

 

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I have a phonograph for you

 

Anyone who doesn't like the Matador must be a restorer fuddy-duddy who just doesn't like any custom cars at all.

 

Have to say the Matador is pretty nice, loved it as a kid too. I think it's design elements work pretty well together.

 

HIDEOUS comes to mind...

 

Can't believe he's running radials.

 

Haha

 

just went thru this thread for the first time, awsome, thanks for not deleting, Could someone start one for the best KUSTOMS of any era. If there is one I have not it found yet.I wish I could but lack the life experience to do so.

 

I really dug El Matador when it came out. Now I see a little awkwardness that was not obvious back then but I still like it.

You don't see the impact some of these cars had when they were fresh and new. Some looked great in the context of their times but look dated now. Others were kind of ho hum but have grown better looking over the years.

 

They're from a '71-76 Pontiac full-size wagon.
The one thing I like on the car is the use of the '54 Kaiser headlights instead of the usual '53 Buick ones. I'd like to see them used on a bullet-nosed Studebaker as well.

Honestly can't imagine what the owner was thinking here.

 

No--I have had 5 40's and really like their stock look---the matador (to me) is like spray can grafitti on the Vatican. I feel better now--but I'll get over it.

 

Anything Starbird made.

 

just came across this old thread today for the first time....WOW,,,,NUMEROUS posts saying basically all Barris cars were all ugly....you are entitled to your opinions, but anyone that can make a blanket statement like that, sure doesn't know much about period kustoms, or style, or flow, or visual impact..

even the truly ugly cars on this thread were built by guys willing to take chances and attempt something that hadn't been done before..did it always work? hell no....but how many of you have built the PERFECT car every time?...or, i'll go you one even better: how many of the INTERNET CRITICS have even BUILT a kustom at all?....and out of the ones that have, how many of THEM have gone with a "safe" kustom,,,afraid to take risks...to think outside the box. isn't that what kustoms are supposed to be all about? INDIVIDUALITY...

Chopolds hit the nail on the head with his comment that there are more threads on the HAMB about doing things half assed..rattlecan paint jobs, rollers, plasti-dip, bbq paint,,,(maybe not so surprising in these days of INSTANT GRATIFICATION),,maybe the heyday of the radical kustom is over for the most part, i certainly hope not, and i for one will continue to do my part to make sure the radical kustom is not a dying breed...

i would SURELY take one of the "ugly" kustoms with some history over MOST of the belly button kustoms being built today..

 

the jessie lopez coupe...

 

"must be a restorer fuddy-duddy"

 

Saying that car is "ugly" is saying you also are an anal retentive restorer fuddy-duddy.

If you don't like customs, at all, why bother commenting on a customs thread?

 

Someone mentioned Douane Spencer clones. My 'Dream-dust Deuce' is your natural alternative;