Hot Rods HOLY (crap) GRAIL Custom

not a custom but iconic to me is the TLBT 55.

 

3W Larry's . . . so reet!

 

This is the ultimate for me.

 

The Graffiti coupe is probably the most famous hot rod, but I don't know if I'd call it the holy grail. In the same way that the Merc from Rebel Without a Cause (or even Cobra, for that matter) might be more famous, especially to the general public, than the Hirohata/Barris car, but that fame alone doesn't make it the holy grail to custom car people.

The McMullen car, Isky's T, several of the first GNRS winners, and several early salt flat record holders all would be considered great icons of hot rodding, but I'm not sure there's one rod that's as definitive as "the" hotrod like the Hirohata is to custom cars.

Interesting topic.

 

Just as in religion, the "holy grail" depends on the person's personal passion. We all have various ideas of perfection.

 

I think back to the ones i built as models ALA KART, ORANGE CRATE, but the California kid brought a lot of folks to the sport, and certainly, like it or not the ZZ Top coupe did also. As well as A.G. coupe. The Isky roadster, that is a very special car. i wish some one would produce a kit of that one. KEEP EM COMING!!

 

Here's some raw material to build a copy of the Isky roadster. But I think you'll need a few more models to have all the right parts.

 

If I bought this car regardless of history id rip it apart and build a chopped highboy. Anyone that recreates this car with a short grill shell is a real fan I guess but I never liked the car.

 

It looks great in the movie. The scenery, the music the vibe of the movie......
But I’d never build correct clone of it

 

View attachment 5289486

Here you go Rod1

 

"Just as in religion, the "holy grail" depends on the person's personal passion. We all have various ideas of perfection."

I totally agree with 56don on this.

But I also wonder how much the media hype, tv hype, auction hype, original builder hype, internet hype, etc actually help disillusioned old guys thinking this was a holy grail.

remember this was dumped/traded in at a used car lot and sat there for a long time and this was after it was customized. sat in the back row for a long time before it was finally sold off for $150.00. Sure doesn't sound like a holy grail to me. But now you add in all the new today hypes on all this crap and it gets rebuilt and now this is a holy grail?

Holy grail to me would be owning any of Mark Moriarity's toys.

Hope I am not around when the new generation think a rebuilt rusted out yugo becomes a holy grail to own someday because someone somewhat famous had sex in the back seat of it at one time.

ok, I am off this subject for good, no more about that merc from me.

 

Now That is living the Dream.Takes me back to camping in my uncle's teardrop.Thanks L B.

 

The Doyle Gammel coupe, Jake's 3W, Billy Vinther's 3W, the California Kid, Lobeck's old burgundy roadster...

 

The “Holy Grail” hasn’t been found yet unless you believe in Indiana Jones. The flamed icon roadster mentioned needs a paint job in my opinion and isn’t in my top 10 of 32 roadsters let alone comparing all years. We are all different and if anything I was happy for the seller last Saturday afternoon in Florida. I’m glad the story came out on how the family was helped by Wayne and the way it happened.

 

Jack Chrisman's Tudor is very high on my list.

 

Is that a VW bug curved windscreen on that?

To me the car looks fine till you get to the screen - too tall, too curved. Its probably great workmanship, but it looks a bit funky to me.

 

I have always found trying to reduce your pick to just one car is an impossibility.



But the Phil Cool 32 reminded us that hot rods were allowed to go quick



And this hot rod started my passion for fuel altereds. And I reckon thats a good thing.

 

It's the "Loving You Roadster". It was a famous car, AV8, before the movie. Street Rod had an article years ago when the car was rediscovered. I know Iskenderian and some other big names were involved.

 

Oh yeah man, that car was awesome when I was younger. But now I see those wheels and it drives me nuts! Little paint and some steelies and I'd fall in love all over again

 

Im partial to 29 roadsters. I’ll go with a highboy and a lowboy.

 

If your metric is the Hiro Merc, then your analog is the Grabowski Kookie T. Both were outstanding trendsetters and inspired thousands of similar builds.

 

In terms of popularity, I think Doane Spencer roadster set a style that is timeless and has been copied probably more than others.

 

Holy Grail to whom? HAMBers, or the WHOLE WORLD?
Like it or not, The ZZ Top Eliminator '33 Ford is the only hot rod that checks ALL the Holy Grail boxes.

It is the most famous hot rod ever built! Every "car guy" is familiar with the car...and so are millions of non-car folks. 20 million people have a picture of it in their house (they sold 20 million Eliminator albums) and millions of people have seen all the videos with the car in it.

The car itself is no slouch either. Built by the legendary Pete & Jakes, with design input from Larry Wood and Kenny Youngblood.

...And value wise, if the Eliminator Coupe ever went to auction, it would undoubtably be the most expensive hot rod ever sold, because hot rodders, car guys, music executives, rich rock & rollers etc. would be all be potential bidders...for the Holy Grail.

 

Thank you I feel the same way...

 

This one.....
Stretched wheelbase for a 4.4 L Tipo 245 Colombo V12 ,
DuVall windshield ,and Borrani Wires

 

Edsel's Model 40 speedster, built by Bob Gregorie (Edsel kept it hidden from Henry in the gardener's shed)... but I'd love to see it with a '35 grille or with the Miller/Ford Indy grille treatment

 

SO lets change course a little bit. If i remember correctly , the merc, for years no one knew what happened to it or where it was. Or at least very few did. Is there a hot rod , well lets say 64 and back that is "lost" that people would pay that kind of money for if found.?

 

Not found.
That would make it even more of a "holy grail".

 

Doane Spencer, Stu Hilborne ,Dick Flint ,Bob Mcgee to me are the heavy hitters in this catagory and are the cars that have inspired generations of builders yes there are later built cars that are heavily influential that range widely cadzillia,eliminator,general lee,imperial storm trooper,ala cart,blackie's, phil cool's ,milner's it can go on forever ,but to me the four above showed the way for all that followed .
fabricator john
miss you dad