A bunch of years ago I got an offer to swap my model A hot rod (+money) for this custom T-Bird that had been (then) recently imported from the US to Sweden. Although I thought the car was pretty cool it wasn't really what I wanted at the time. The years went by and I forgot about it all, well today I visited a classic car museum in southern Sweden and there it was! It got me thinking; what is the story behind this car? The rumour back then was that it had belonged to an "adult film" star back in the days. While a funny story, I very much doubt it. But who built it? Where does it come from? Is it an old build or fairly recent one?
It may be a custom, but it didn't help the original car look any better. The back end is just stupid. And I know you didn't ask anyone to critique it.
It’s very busy. But, I think if you lost the 59 caddy tail lights and had a lens that was recessed in that tunnel and a more “ relaxed “ paint job.it would look a bunch better this car pulls the custom look off well. it does look like it could be owned by a 70’s porn star This car is wayyy over the top just like the belly button to knee cap full length pubic hair that was all the rage back then
Back when I was doing porn (Hot "ROD" Jack), I would have loved to have a car like that. Unfortunately, I wasn't very successful...and just drove a rusty VW Beetle
Pretty sure there's a feature on this in an early Car Kulture Deluxe magazine, Issue 12 or earlier, will look tonight if I remember
@kaspar did the blurb on the Showcard shed any light on the history? Maybe it'll end up in your driveway...Fingers crossed for you...
I really like a LOT of what was done. Quad headlights? Cool. Quad taillights? Cool. Funky grille? Cool. Goofy hoodscoop? Cool. It's over the top without being a caricature. My changes, 'cuz, you know, you're SUPER interested... I'd like different paint, maybe ALL flames, or ALL "panel" paint (I'm not digging the panel-to-flame "look") and I think a heavy-flake PURPLE with lavender and white panel-job with pinstriping would be my choice. I think the builder should have used '58 Lincoln quads - even straight up-and-down, with the pointed "top" and flared/tapered shape they'd have been TOPS, especially over those "pickup truck" jobbies it's sporting. OOH, and maybe radius the wheel wells. But, even without all MY changes, that's a neat Kustom.
The card didn’t even mention that this particular example was custom built, just the standard T-bird history + technical info. I guess less knowledgeable visitors will leave with the impression that this is a standard T-bird.
According to the Swedish DMV it was first registered in 2004,and the first owner was P**** B***,,,maybe he knows a little more?
It has that 60's built to max out the points on an ISCA judging sheet for it's class. From the front it wouldn't look bad if it was just solid blue. As for the whining about the bashing, just because it was a T bird that was most likely modified in the early 60's doesn't make it attractive in the least. Way too much of the school of thought that says you have to add one more thing to the mix to get more show points.
Looks Like its in good Hands...I'd like to see more historical pics...So Kaspar have your thoughts regarding this changed? I thank you and the others for bringing it back across the pond...Nicely Executed Custom...
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. A lot of work went into making a truly ugly custom. But, then again, a custom is just that "a custom" one of a kind car.
It looks like a genuine late 50's-early 60's Custom right out of a little pages magazine. From the "more is better" school of thought that helped push Custom's out of vogue. Looks as though someone "revived" it in the 80's by taking it to a Lowrider or Chopper shop for a bass boat repaint-and way too much pin striping. Wonder what color it originally was? IMHO, the car would look more period appropriate (and less garish) in a solid dark single stage. Dark maroon or root beer metallic, perhaps with a bit of gold pin striping.
I read through this post and it sounds like the T-Bird may be for sale. If any of you guys that are interested in looking to purchase this car and you get to go see it, maybe you can see the owner's other cars. He has quite a collection--even though it's overseas. I don't know who that is, but I used to have a few pictures I found somewhere of part of that collection. I believe they were on my old computer that crashed. In those old pictures that I no longer have were some shots of a few of the cars in the collection. When I saw the pictures of the T-Bird, in the background of a few of the pictures you could see my late friend Charlie's '57 Ranchero. Charlie worked hard on that ol' Ranch and he managed to get a magazine article or two on it if I recall. I know that it was featured in the short lived Wizzz Magazine, as well as another that I can't seem to find. Maybe @40StudeDude will remember as I think he did the photo shoot for it. Charlie built cars and turned them pretty fast, so not long after he finished the Ranchero, he traded it to a guy for a '58 Mercury. The guy that got the Ranchero ended up selling it and it ended up overseas. It would be interesting to see if Charlie's Ranchero was still in that collection. It is cool! Here's a picture of Charlie and his Ranch that I took at the Flying Eyeball Reunion in Davenport, Iowa back in 2004. This shot is one that I believe Roger took for the magazine feature he did. It is one of my all time favorite shots, as it's a car I was familiar with as well as the location of the photo shoot. Seems like Charlie has been gone forever. He is missed..........E
I like the headlights and front & rear bumpers. Grill, rear fin treatment, tail lights and flame/panel paint are a huge miss for me.
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