We identify traditional custom cars as pre'64 cars and even that seems to be pushing it as really they were starting to cross over into what we would now call lowriders in (63-64) but in 60-62 the show scene was still very alive and cut throat with many identifiable elements that made up most of the cars at those shows and motoramas . Including the introduction of the use of spoked wheels (supremes,radirs and cragers) and wire wheels such as (Daytons and oem wheels) among these custom modifications were the invention of bell flower exhausts and the use of heavily kandied cars due to Watson keen eye for color inspiring many others to try these methods seen on his cars . Among some of these custom treatments were the use of baris's (kolor chrome ) which was something that made the transition from the late fifties and of these often used standard issue custom parts were lake pipes , spotlights and chrome bullets available at most speed shops these were often used to excess on customs from mild to wild for everything from accenting grilles to adding pop to one off tail lights . My question to you is what are some of your favorite modifications from the era and some of the cars they accented. Looking forward to everyone's responses this could be a great reference thread . Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Personally, I always liked full spun discs with a 'kolor krome 'pattern painted on them, similar to the pattern painted on the dummy spots on the '55 above...matter of fact, I liked that 'kustom addition' so much, I'm using it on my next project... R-
I'm assume your looking to do something similar to this? Hope so because it will LQQK AWESOME!! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
There is a fine line between "lowrider" and traditional customs, but honestly its up to the owner of the car. I like the early lowriders with reverse astras and panel paint jobs.
Exactly...and thanx for the pic, I've been looking for one or two and haven't been able to find any... R-
1. Candy paint 2. Very narrow white walls 3. Crome reversed wheels Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App
These are some pictures of my brothers 61' that we have been working on the last couple years. Gonna blur the line between lowrider and traditional custom. Has alot of Watson influence but has some different touches too.
I like the roof and really like the inner fender panels...but please oh please tell me it's NOT going to stay flat black...!!! That alone will not "blur" the lines...flat black delineates it completely...!!! R-
NO, the car is being body worked at the time and will have a panel watson esque style paint job over the entire car like the roof. My brother has been working on the engine bay this year and hope to get back on the paint when he gets it back on the road.
My current project will have a heavily angled rear quarter panel mounted antenna and Bellflower pipes, Keystone Kustomag wheels with 3 eared spinner centers, and redlines. Those are all things I think of when I think of early to mid 60's custom touches. Funky tires to me are essential to a 60's custom. Double or triple white stripes, redlines, blue streaks, or even the wide whites that have a stripe of black between the rim and the white area. I'm loving the custom painted Moon disks idea as well. Will take the right car to pull it off, but it's something I haven't seen done in modern times yet was definitely popular in the period.
Many of my favorites were transitional cars. Louvers or Buick Portholes installed in the hood, California Rakes, Dummy Spots, Lakes Plugs instead of full length, names on the bottom of the front fenders or rear quarters, Mild dechroming. moderate lowering, Scallops, Outline panel paint (WATSON is the King!), Medium or thin whitewalls with Baby Moons, Blackwalls with Full Spun Aluminum Discs, While I always appreciated full on Show cars and Radical Customs, my eye was always on the Mild Customs because my dreams were dictated by my budget. '58 Impala Roof Vents, Lee Taillight lenses, Sun Tach on the dash and a Hurst shifter were always popular...Mild dechroming and Pinstripes if you could pull it off......Centurion9
Early 60's body, Candy and flake Watson style paint, Supremes, pinner whites, molded lake pipes, tunneled antennas, scoops (they're on the roof), Zodiac flake and pearl white interior, not a lot of body mods. Pure early-mid 60's, definitely NOT a low rider!
Here's another great addition to this tread . Here's a picture of Gordy Browns awesome 63 courtesy of kustomrama Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Saw this beauty at customs by the sea and spent a good few minutes gawking at it . I just love kustom mopars . Is this your car? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
[Saw this beauty at customs by the sea and spent a good few minutes gawking at it . I just love kustom mopars . Is this your car? Yes, it is actually an "old" custom build by a locally famous customizer. Started in the late 70's, just before the Kustom Revival, by NJ customizer, John Pazsik, for George Wallace, Linden NJ. worked on for almost 10 years, but never finished. I worked for John in the 80s and had a hand in doing minor stuff on it. Vic Collins (Kopper Kart) found it and later traded it to me for work on his shoebox. I stripped it and finished it, leaving as much of Pazsik's work as possible, as well as leaving all his styling changes intact. It was a NJ Renegades car club car back then. Might have sold it at Wildwood, too! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App![/QUOTE]
[/QUOTE] View attachment 2753789 this is a shot I grabbed why at customs by the sea. Thanks for the bit of history on the car I'm also from jersey so that's very cool to hear. My car was the white 62 Chrysler at the show Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Tube Grilles & Metalflaked steering wheels when popular in my area. Along with the front wheel wells painted bright white and those clearance lights that came in red, blue, amber or green to illuminate the wheel wells long before neon.
I had forgotten about the Cal Custom Steering Wheels..I bought the White ones.....Another easy and inexpensive way to make your car stand out. Most of us had Reverbs under the dash to maximize the factory radios too....
I had a '64 Impala in late 1964 and I lived in Iowa and Nebraska, ...I'd forgotten we also painted the wheel wells white ...but I used large 4" diameter driveshafts cut at an angle for tail pipes that exited in front of the rear wheel---sure fooled a lot of people into thinking I had a very large engine in the car when it was nothing more than a 283"...!!! R-