Since no one has done a thread on THE ORIENTAL I thought it should be done great car but better interior. The history The 1955 Buick is the really wonderfully restyled 1955 Buick Wes Gaunce from Ohio. Wes did most of the restyling on the car himself and included 1959 Lincoln grille and headlights, 1959 Plymouth front bumper, extended and reshaped rear fenders with a custom made pan and hand made taillights. Shaved hood, trunk and rest of the emblems and handles created a smooth looking base for a startling gold metalflake. The interior was another highlight of this car and was upholstered by Jim Hayden’s trim shop in Norwood, Ohio. The february 1964 Car Craft article mentioned that Wes spend more than 500 hours in the design, carving and dying the leather panels in the upholstery for the totally unique Oriental themed interior. Fully detailed and upholstered trunk with upholstery by Jim Hayden. Wes showed the car intensively on the show circuit in the early to mid 1960’s. One version of the car was painted black with gold outlines and scallops pinstriped in bold white lines. This version also had the pancaked hood. Car craft feb.1964 Sent from the KUSTOM
More pictures on Mark Moriarty's coverage of the CCR 2017. Shows updated resto on this fine custom. Wes is 95 now. Jim Wilkens is still the current caretaker and custodian.
That is kanji writing and it is Japanese, from top to bottom is Sun, Book, Power, Car. Perhaps said together it will have a clear understanding in Japanese, but that is about as far as I can go with that one.
Austinrod I'm back on it... I run across some stuff on the Oriental ... I have more I will post as find it...cool car. Sent from my QTASUN1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My parent's house is a block up the street from where Wes lived and built the Oriental. I grew up idolizing this car and wanting it someday. It was "lost" for years (sort of a long story) I know after retiring from show life, it became just "another car" and his daughter drove it for a few years. Think that is after the motor caught fire. Jim recently received all the trophies it had won...yep Wes kept them all these years even after selling the car. Jim told his daughter that when he is gone, I get the first call if I want to buy it... Him and I are probably the only two that truly appreciate it as the most important car to come out of Cincinnati. I might have to sell a kidney, but I did finally get my first ride in it at the CCR.
Slim, I for one would like to hear more of the story about this car. How did it become "lost". What happened to it while it was lost? How was it found?, etc. Is there any light you you can shed on this story? Thor
Cincinnati Slim that's cool you got a ride it, like going back in time.......Hey about that kidney , my doctor says I will be needing one in a few years .....just saying.... Sent from my QTASUN1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thor, Some of the story of the cars' 'lost" years has to do with families and drama, that I won't post on the internet. There is a story of Jim finding it that Rik has on the Custom Car Chronicle.
Without the original style interior, there's nothing Oriental about it. Glad someone saved it, though.
First two = Japan together....Japan Power Car......but the kanji are not put together in any kind of way that a Japanese speaker would ever naturally do, so most likely chosen out of a tattoo shop catalogue of the era = Cool!!!!!
Incredible car, paint and that interior is something else! Hope plans are to eventually replicate the interior details (if someone can be found to do such work) and paint (I vote black/gold version). Any details on the original upholsterer? Who it was and examples of their other work along these lines?
Very interesting. I wonder how many famous customs from back in the day are still out there, stashed in barns and haven't been discovered yet.
I just learned that Wes passed away this Wednesday at the age of 93. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.