Features The Ugliest Kustoms of the 50s

Dunno when this one was built. I happened across it one day while driving through Falcon, Colorado. The car was parked in front of a storage business, with a "For Free" sign. I passed on it. I suspect one of the hardest parts of planning a custom is getting the proportions right. This builder didn't get it right.

 

If Barris was a meth head I suppose it would be possible.........

 

That KUSTOM looks very angry.

 

Has this one been posted before?

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If he would had stretched the hood out forward 5 or 6" to line-up with the headlights, it might have a better curb appeal? Don't you think?????????????

 

Not only ugly custom cars but homes and buildings suffered the same design problems. Of course there were some exceptions I guess.

 

The “why are customs dying” thread reminded me of this thread.
Bump

 

Wasn't there a magazine from Europe that had a section called Mauled Mercury's ?

 

Especially early in this thread, the offending cars identified are all builds done back in the day by notable builders. Ugly? Perhaps. Traditional? You bet your ass it is.

 

I do.
The title and reason for it may not be of the best intentions but a lot of forgotten cars get some attention.
It can both inspire a builder and possibly help a builder make decisions on mods.

 

OMG

 

I would looking for some stock sheet metal.

 

As you own some beautiful customs, let me ask you this: how did some guys hit the nail right on the head and why did some guys just miss the mark completely? Talent? Skill? Vision? At some point in the build, Bailon had to have known that this was just ugly as sin.

 

The “ugly” cars are still inspirational to some.
For one, you may find an aspect you may like to incorporate into a build.
Second, you may see an idea that doesn’t look as well as you imagined it.

 

SORRY!
I couldn't help my self when I took a look at that one, LOL. But I must admit, it took a-lot of talent to pull it off. Many hours of work to.......

 

You damn sure have to respect the amount of work and time it took to do these cars. They don't look any worse than the new challengers and corvettes to me. lol Lippy

 

Mark, if I'm not mistaken, this car was built by Bill Hines, not Joe Bailon.

Mick

 

I suspect that some of these cars may have reflected owner ideas... If you're paying the bill, you have some say. But Hines does seem to be responsible for more than his fair share of ugly cars...

 

I need a little help here but I think there were points in car show competitions for the number and complexity of the mods rather than how someone thought they might look.

The car in question looks much better in some of the other pictures shown in the links actually. Different paint jobs and picture angles. The picture in question probably show it at it's worst.

Does the car still exist today?

 

Sorry, but this version is not better than the red one at all.
This car needs a flashy paintjob, maybe gold and some good looking wheels and wide whites. With those fake spokes it looks like a 70s fiberglass abdomination.

Finally the top needs to be white or red.

 

^^^^^Is that f**king gross or what? I didn’t think any one could ruin a 61 Sunliner in such a way. It’s from the please “don’t show me” state…^^^^^

 

I’d drive that.
With a big ole grin.

 

I'd bet that car had a minor front-end collision, and when the owner found out what it would cost to fix it back to stock specs, he decided, "Let's make a "custom"!".. Too bad it didn't work out.