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Customs Carson Tops and other kinds as well

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by stanlow69, Jan 7, 2019.

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  1. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    The 2019-10-19_102233.jpg pic`s make it look easy. Here is a top that was put on by a professional. Maybe the top was defective or was a factory 2nd, but it came out horrible. The owner contacted me a couple years after it was put on. I had to go and look at it first to see what the problem was. I put one on that looked much better.
     
  2. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
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    Just found this. Here is a scan from the January 1949 issue of 2019-10-19_110048.jpg Hot Rod that I have.
     
  3. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
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    As posted on page 1, from Motor Trend 1950. The second one is from Hot Rod January 1950. Looks like they moved locations. 2019-10-11_220427.jpg 2019-10-19_204646.jpg
     
  4. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    Hot Rod, 1950 in the November issue. 2019-10-19_205751.jpg
     
  5. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
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    Then how could I miss this. 2019-10-19_210531.jpg
     
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  6. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
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    Here is a paid add for a 39 Ford Convertible that appeared in the Mrch 1951 Issue of Hot Rod. Notice the word Carson is in bold letters. 2019-10-19_213624.jpg
     
  7. Crayons
    Joined: May 31, 2019
    Posts: 122

    Crayons
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    It's been said that the first 49-51 Mercury convertible chopped was the 50 Mercury of Ralph Testa (cannot be verified). Here is current picture with the restored top done by Bob Jasper of Tacoma, Wa. 20160905_104023.jpg
     
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  8. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
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    Thanks @Crayon Here are a couple pictures I found in my collection of books and magazines I have. I`m not good at posting pictures from other sites. The Barris book mentions the car was finished in early 52 but not when the top was done. 2019-10-20_093418.jpg 2019-10-20_093721.jpg
     
  9. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    Found another picture of Ralph`s Merc in a Barris book. It shows the reflection of the white top. I mentions it is featured in Hop Up July of 52. Didn`t have that issue but I found it on a used car lot in the September 52 issue of Hop Up. 2019-10-20_183721.jpg 2019-10-20_183441.jpg
     
  10. Crayons
    Joined: May 31, 2019
    Posts: 122

    Crayons
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    I really like the way the top flows on this car, one of my favorites .
     
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  11. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    Body work by Gil`s. Top by Carson, and interior by L and L. From the October 1952 Issue of Hop Up. And a close up shot. 2019-10-13_205929.jpg 2019-10-22_013515.jpg 2019-10-22_013648.jpg 2019-10-22_013947.jpg
     
  12. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    It was invited to the Merc gathering a few years ago. It was also featured in American Rodder October of 97. Misplaced my issue. I have thousands of magazines in my collection. @Crayons 2019-10-22_212441.jpg 2019-10-22_212720.jpg
     
  13. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    I found the article I have been looking for in Street Rodder 2019-10-23_151542.jpg 2019-10-23_151318.jpg 2019-10-23_151432.jpg . First I `ll break it down into segments. First, where did the name come from.
     
  14. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    As you can see, they made jigs for production work. Another article I read said they did 10 2019-10-23_153544.jpg Scan0561.jpg a day. Around 1942.
     
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  15. Gaylord did the top on George's Cadillac in exchange for chopping Bills 1949 Merc Convertible which is more widely considered the first chopped Merc as it was done in 1949.
    CCC-bill-gaylord-49-mercury-04.jpg
     
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  16. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    Also in the same article. 2019-10-23_194621.jpg
     
  17. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    This is a Buick. 2019-10-14_222909.jpg 2019-10-14_223022.jpg
     
  18. OG lil E, stanlow69 and Sancho like this.
  19. morac41
    Joined: Jul 23, 2011
    Posts: 531

    morac41
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    K13.... Cadillac -Buick- Oldsmobile Have the same body floor pan on certain models
     
  20. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    2019-10-13_204332.jpg 2019-10-27_094613.jpg Here is a pic of Joe Uritta`s Ford which also appeared in the same article. But we know the top wasn`t done by Marian Cattle`s. It was Cottles. Or was it.
     
  21. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    Finally got my new scanner working again. Thanks Shanna. A harry Bradley rendering from 1977 IMG_20200227_0002.jpg
     
  22. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    This was in one of Dan Post`s book copyrighted in 1949. IMG_20200312_0002.jpg
     
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  23. Austinrod
    Joined: Jun 14, 2012
    Posts: 2,331

    Austinrod
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    from Austin

    I know where two houser Carson padded top cars are for sale
    Ones a restored 38 ford the other non restored 51 dodge wayfare
    754E172E-BCC8-4216-BB65-FEEA8DCDF175.jpeg DA9DDA2B-067B-4AA3-862F-A7D22E764B6F.jpeg
     
  24. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
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    stanlow69
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    As they appeared in a magazine in 1971. IMG_20200813_0002.jpg
     
  25. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,295

    jnaki






    Hello,

    We first grew up in a trailer about a block from that first Long Beach location on Magnolia St.. Those industrial shops were the beginnings of the residential/industrial neighborhood, one across the street from the other. Residential on the east side of Magnolia. But, that street was not a busy street until much in the later 50s. Where they moved on Anaheim Street was a bustling, busy street that had traffic from San Pedro from the West all the way to East Long Beach stopping at Hody’s Drive-In Restaurant and the golf course. (Intersecting with PCH) That improved the business.
    upload_2020-8-15_5-22-17.png
    In that specific area of Anaheim street, there are some old historic factory building from the post war era and have been refurbished to keep the look of those past times. Good for Long Beach…but, it is still a shaky area to walk around and perhaps drive through. It was also 1.5 miles to our high school. There were several car dealers within the next block east and a cool bowling alley. When we were little, the neighborhood was nice and safety was no concern. But as times change and so does the local area, it became a “fast drive without stopping” area with doors locked.
    upload_2020-8-15_5-21-13.png

    Jnaki

    There were other upholstery shops in the Westside of Long Beach where we lived until 1998, but like all cities, hot rod guys/girls go to the shops of their choices.


    That whole area of Long Beach was mainly industrial near the LA River. As the years rolled on, the trailer park disappeared and the small industrial buildings began to pop up on one side of Magnolia Street, while the other side had 50s architecture designed homes, then many years later, homes turned into apartment complexes.



     
  26. Chainsaw chipper
    Joined: Nov 29, 2007
    Posts: 365

    Chainsaw chipper
    Member
    from Illinois

    I ve been watching and enjoying the Carson top info and thought it might be a good time to add a little information I have.Iv'e been thinking about doing a Carson style top for my 36 roadster and was sharing this interest with a friend of mine a while back.Turns out this friend has a friend that worked in a restoration shop in a town outside of Chicago.It was named Antique and Classic auto restoration .The shop was up and running back in the 70's and specialized in Auburn s and Cords along with other brands popular then.A Auburn speedster came in for restoration and it had a Carson top on it along with fender skirts that had louvers in them.Both those would never make it on a restored Auburn and were removed .The top was pretty much just a frame and padding and was considered to be of no value at that time and was discarded.A employee had seen the Carson top shop tag still fastened to the header bow with two upholstery brads and thought the tag should be saved as a souvenir. Well one conversation lead to a few more and after a little convincing I was able to get it(buy it) for my future top.This one is I believe a earlier version than the one I saw on David Ziv 20200418_104937.jpg ot's 36 roadster or the one s pictured on the Custom Car Chronicle.If anyone can shed some more info on this tag I'd be really excited to hear it. Thanks Ken
     
  27. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    Here`s an old Custom that was featured in 1978 with the same tag. IMG_20200816_0003.jpg IMG_20200816_0002.jpg IMG_20200816_0004.jpg IMG_20200816_0005.jpg IMG_20200816_0006.jpg
     
  28. Crayons
    Joined: May 31, 2019
    Posts: 122

    Crayons
    Member

    Here is a picture of the "Ralph Testa" Carson top before it was recovered by Bob Jasper....pretty crude.
     

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  29. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    Here is a C A Hall tag. IMG_20200817_0001.jpg
     
  30. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    Lee Pratt bought this old Custom and started to transform it into the Project 50 for Classic and Kustom Magazine. It has the original Hall top on it in the pictures. It was sold about 6 years ago at an auction from someone in Louisiana ? Talked to the owner before it was sold, IMG_20200817_0004.jpg IMG_20200817_0003.jpg IMG_20200817_0002.jpg (Matt Pilcher) who said the top blew off the car in transport by the delivery guy. Lee also wrote and said the same thing. Luckily for Lee, he did keep the tag from years ago off the top. Crude looking top, but this was the early to mid 50`s when these were made. People used to chop cars with hack saws in front of there houses. If I`m wrong, please correct me. Going off my memory. I took those pic`s above.
     
    hfh, Dave Mc, chryslerfan55 and 4 others like this.

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