What famous cars inspired you?

This one.......

 

The Beatnik Bandit.

 

It was actually a book my brother bought for me when i was about 15 (now 44). Book was called "Lead Sleds", thats all i remember. No doudt there were famous cars in it and read that book so many times, drew pictures and blown away with the paintwork, mods etc. First thing i did was do a black/gold fade paintjob on my Chopper pushbike, got my mum to stitch up a gold metalflake banana seat for it, put ww tires on it and taped cards to the forks to give me that revving sound as i bombed around on it. I was the only kid on the block that had a kustom bike, everyone rode racers or early BMX bikes and thought i was crazy. I think that's what started me off, that book was my downfall, love kustoms and always will. Just typing this makes me smile about those early days.

If it was all that simple now!!!

 

For me, it was the Orange Crate, saw it at the Pacific NW Autorama in Vancouver B.C. in the late 60's. I believe it was from Tacoma at the time. Stared at that car for what seemed like hours,taking in every detail. I was allready a car guy but that put me over the edge.

 

Yeah, so I have a thing for 49-52 Chevy kustoms and T coupe hotrods.

 

Dare I say. My dad's street rod build really is what got me into cars. Block sanding at the same time as barely being able to stand up and or walk.
But before you accuse me of being born with a gold chain on, this was back in the late 70s early 80s when street rodders still had to build everything for themselves and a billet was what you put in your gun to shoot treaspassers.

 

I had that book. Think it's a Mike Key book!

 

not so much as 'a car' but builders, Bill Hines,Sam & george Barris,Alexander Brothers,Bill Cushenberry,when i was growing up i was in to sleds.not hot rods,well OK maybe the 55 chevy & the coupe from American Graffiti.

 

For me the matranga merc. And the jack calori 36 ford, both icons of Kustom

 

The Munster Mobile. I built the plastic model as a kid in 1965. Then I sold it to one of my nieghbors for 5 dollars. Good money then. I could make money working with my hands.

 

social d and brian setzer? blah. makes me want a 54 chevy less.

 

The Red Baron & The Mysterion. Just made me sit up as a kid and say "WOW".

 

I have always had a thing for Sedan Deliveries, especially 56 Sedan Deliveries (we're talking Chevrolet here); and it was cars like Yoo Hoo Too, Toyko Rose, and John Dianna's 56 Delivery that inspired me. So, I have two now, down from 3, though I have had four now. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Pete & Jakes Coupes the yellow one and the California Kid

 

this one had a great influence on me when I took this pic in 75 or 76. this was the first geniune "old school" custom I ever saw. I had no idea such a thing even existed, I just kinda figured they were all gone.

 

Christine...the Car...Gypsy Rose (64 Impala)

 

Sanford and son's truck

 

Amt model kits man. Somthing about puttin together every little part. Cutting the shit out of the wheel wells. Melting the floor pans flat so you could get it low enough. Man

 

It could have been the glue

 

Two Lane Blacktop 55 got me hooked on gassers and 55's

 

This one originally...



This one still does...

 

All the cars from A.G. and the TLB 55......oh yea and project X, the Hollywood Knights version.

 

The Munster Coach
And the Winged Express.
Plus I reckoned the Leg Show Tee was just awesome too.
And the T Coupe Tim Condor built recently is inspiring me still.

I sort of have a T kind of thing going on.

 

Not a rod, but for me it was the big Van in the movie "The Van". Might have been all the fun the owner had with his passengers in the back. But after seeing that movie, I was hooked into vanning and stayed that way for many years. Did the van work for me too, I hear you ask? The short answer is nup

 

I was building model hot rods quite a few years before I ever actually saw one. At that time my heros were stock car racers, mostly the modifieds. The first cars that knocked my socks off in person were the early indoor car show participants, especially Ala Kart and Tognotti's King T. And Kookie's T on the TV. Gary

 

Roth's Mysterion and Traveler Willys. I built versions of both!

 

Cross between Project X and this....

 

THE 15 OZ coupe, and MILNERS COUPE!

 

Ala Kart, Hirohata merc, pharaohs merc, Milners coupe, Stone Woods Cook willys,,,,,and a whole pile more