That's a pretty large blanket statement but given the whole R.R. movement as well as most Young Guns start with Scrap Iron compared to what we had through my youth (50's-60's) I'll give it to ya. Then we have the distorted vision of how we (the Old Guys) did things back then. So being able to look back over decades of Hot Rods and Kustoms I can say the more things Change the more they stay the Same. For every Knock it out of the Park well done icon Vehicle (Go no further than Royalshifter's 51 Vicky) there are dozens of "not even close" and then some runner up's and to prove that point just scroll up to the opening Photo of the 40 Coupe. Just an Also ran subject to our own personal point of View. That's what the Car thing is all about, a personal point of view. Kustoms are like a woman, they all appeal to someone but none appeal to everyone. The Wizzard
It is scary that one would have no issue hacking the period work done by one of the many Custom shops back in the day and tossing it. That work was not done by an amateur. I think about the Kookie Car when I read this as it's getting a velvet glove very methodically directed restoration. For all we know this could be a Valley Custom or had Kurtis Kraft's signature craftsmanship all over it. I read things about the bumper not sitting right...how about adjusting it......I mean that's the only reason it's not sitting right. Starting threads on what we are witnessing here only ends in a divide, volatility and conversation on opinions that are rock solid and lastly a lock.
Could be someone bought it and is in the process of "uncustomizing" it a bit, to suit their tastes and may include opening up the quarter windows. No small feat and maybe sacrilege to hard core Custom fans/historians, but some Rods and Customs go through changes over the years. Sometimes by a single owner. For better or worse, we see it even happen with very famous Customs. Paint a new portrait right over a dud, or sometimes over a masterpiece. I have the better part of a chopped 34 5/w coupe roof that someone years ago filled the quarter windows with heavy plate. It'll be part of my next 34, a puzzle Coupe. Someone along the line of ownership, someone torched out the bulk of it, then quit. Ton of work to carefully grind back to the window openings.
I knew I wasn’t the only one! I think it’s badass especially compared to all these “tractor rods” that are being built today! I have a roadster built by a kid in 1958. I’m glad he didn’t have the HAMB to tell him he was doing it wrong!
I have to say, I’m very surprised by all the negativity here. Isn’t this pretty much what we’re interested in, if you’re reading threads on “traditional custom” here on the H.A.M.B.? It was a really cool experience for me, having a life long interest in American custom cars, stumbling across an old custom by the side of the road totally by chance. And also, if you seriously think it shouldn’t have survived just because you have a problem with a couple of the modifications, I feel really sorry for both your car building abilities and your imagination. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
For my own edification and to add to the HAMBictionary or the HAMBcopedia , which ever tome you prefer. What is a Tractor Rod? Please provide an example and use it in a sentence.
I'll try! I went to Autozone and asked for a tractor rod, the pimply faced kid looked at me kinda odd and said "I'll have to ask the manager", the manager came out and said with a wink, oh them, they've been replaced with a chrome reverse muffler bearing assembly. Laugh or I'll make up another one. Sorry for the derail guys, have a Merry Christmas anyway.
@Mats-Henrik this thread also appears in the Hokey Ass Forum not just the Traditional Customs...I actually referenced it from the Hokey end. Again I totally get the Hotrod/Custom Forum divide...as I have witnessed it many times here. Was that b&w pic with the ad on the car when you saw it?
Why does almost every thread on the hamb turn into a discussion about various rat rod/tractor grille stuff? I never saw the ad. The car was sitting by the side of the road outside a car dealership who had just aquired it from the estate of the guy who built in (the guy in the picture). The BW picture was in the car.
...................So true. I feel your pain. I think a lot of folks forget that there wasn't always 1-800 numbers to get parts or that many pro shops like today. For decades guys labored in tiny garages building their dreams with a torch, a few hand tools and some imagination. I posted the pictures of the Earl Bruce Coupe not because I'm a big fan of those kind of modifications of a '40, but that two people apparently had similar visions of a Kustom. I think we've all become a little jaded by the oh-so-slick professionally turned out cars that we see today. Guys built and painted their cars at home, more often than not with junk-yard parts. Yeah, I know that's become blasphemy now, but there wasn't that many choices back in the 40's, 50's, 60's, etc. I said it before, regardless of whether someone likes it or not, that '40 was the talk of the town when it hit the streets. Is it my style?...Heck no! But I can surely appreciate the thought and effort that went into it.
So this Custom was still with the original owner...just prior to you seeing it...where was this place and do you remember the name of the Dealer? I did see Connecticut but could location be more localized? I ditched the other shit that was used in response to the negativity towards the Custom you posted. In fairness it was a comparison to what gets more acceptability around here sometimes...unfortunately.
To me it looks like they started the custom work at the rear of the '40, burnt out and didn't do enough "custom touches" to the front to complement the rear, that's assuming you could complement the rear....................
Another thought; The B/W photo, look at the roof, looks to be white or unfinished body work. Look at the area by the owners left elbow, looks like a Fake Carson Top attempt. Maybe the '40 wasn't finished in the B/W photo?
Whatever other peoples response is on the relative aesthetics of this car I would like to thank you for posting this thread. The car certainly is no beauty but there is something about it that keeps me looking at it, it kind of works then it doesn't then you look again..... anyway thanks.
It looks like it had a canvas covering on the roof, which would give it a more formal look when combined with the blind quarters. A photoshop of it would be cool, I wonder if it might have had some irons mounted on it at one point.
Your correct, it looks like a Carson style vinyl top that follows the belt line and rolls around where it ends and curves up. Echoing Mats question... Connecticut Hambers anyone know what happened to it? Did someone within the membership purchase it?
I don't see this thread getting shut down it's just the negativity towards a period Custom which seems all to typical here on occasion. This seems more Targeted towards Customs but I have witnessed this towards Period Hotrods as well. To me seeing these capsules making it to this time in near Period build condition is truly amazing. @Mats-Henrik was fortunate to experience it as briefly as he did. May it's late owner rest in peace...I would have liked to hear his stories and see more of the pics of his adventures back in the day. The exhaust treatment is typical of Corvette but did some of the Big cars of the late thirties and forties have that form of exit?
I don't usually chime in on custom stuff, but I feel now is the time to do so. Whether you like the look of this one or not, it's an important piece of our hobby's history. I'm a member of the camp who believes hot rodding history shouldn't turn into revisionist history. There were good hot rods and customs then. There were bad hot rods and customs then. Some of the bad cars are now good cars—and vice versa. Would anyone ever try to recreate this car today? No. Prewar Fords are too valuable and it just wouldn't be worth the financial risk. Resale value would tank as soon as the quarter windows were filled. And that's okay. We're lucky this one remains as it was. It gives us a rare glimpse into the trends and mentality of another place and time. Personally, I like it. I'd drive it with a smile knowing that it's a genuine artifact.
F#ck it. Longer doors, slanted door posts, chopped top .... whatever you think to fix it. I sure wouldn't turn it away. Free? 500 bucks ? A thousand ? 2 thousand ? Still wouldn't. 15k ? 10k ? 5k ? My hmmm's may then overtake me. But surely, if given the budget .... it's only time and money. I'd take it, if it fits mine. On another note, I've said f#ck three times today. I feel good about this place.
The Jalopy Journal
