Art & Inspiration Decorated Wedding Car Pics (Old and New)

Oct 21 would have been my Mom and Dad's 66th Wedding anniversary. Mom passed in 2020, Dad in 2015. And I miss them.

In tribute to them today, I thought I would post some pictures from 1956. They were married on Mom's birthday in northeast Nebraska. Dad drove a '54 Chevy Delray at the time and they took this car on their honeymoon to Niagra Falls.

Growing up, I always heard stories of Dad's '54 with the split 6 Chevy under the hood. He bought it Jan 4, 1955 at Bloom Auto on Farnam St in Omaha NE. It served him well as he enlisted in the Army and drove it to St Louis MO where he was stationed. He served in Korea in the Medic Corps, driving an ambulance.

Dad's younger brother was working as a body and fender man in Omaha. Uncle Willis nosed and decked Dad's Chevy and peaked the hood. Dad bought a "chevy grille bar" for $14.95 at Arrow Auto Supply in St Louis. I still have the receipt for that laying around here somewhere. He removed the 5 teeth and gave his Chevy the smoothie look. He also added full wheel covers from the BelAir model and aftermarket Foxcraft fenderskirts, the ones with the nice lip on the bottom edge.

Fast forward to 1980, I bought my first car, a Bermuda Green '54 Chevy. I absolutely knew that I was going to replicate the car that Dad had told me about all those years. I went gung-ho, like a madman, tearing the car down to a bare body on the frame. I was going to drive this car in high school ... but that never happened because Dad accidentally bought a '55 Ford Club Sedan. That's a story for another day. But the Ford became my high school car and the '54 Chevy sat, all torn apart until 2005.

I thought, "I should get my copy of Dad's car done in time for their '50th wedding anniversary." Yeah, great idea. Too bad I didn't have this idea about 4 years prior to that. I never got the car done by 2006. Didn't hit the road actually until 2009.

Mom and Dad actually did get to enjoy my Chevy, driving it on pleasure cruises or for ice cream or whatever. On the event of their 55th anniversary in 2011, I had the car entered at an indoor show in Sioux City IA. I dug out the old photos and tried to replicate the writing from their car. Of note, on the back glass closest to the driver's side, some one had written "She got him today, he'll get her tonite" So I put that on my car ... and I put some mannequin legs sticking up in the back seat! Mom didn't like that!

Enjoy the pics. You should easily be able to tell the old ones from the newer ones.

Let's see yours!

 

I love this last picture. Dad was too cool.

There's a couple things that I chose not to put on my recreation. Dad had the optional gas door guard, I skipped that. We both filled the front fender antenna hole, but I couldn't bring myself to drill holes in the top of both quarter panels to mount slanted-back antenna. I like the look, but already bought a hidden antenna.

 

And then here's me and my wife leaving the church in 2015.

I display copy of my Dad's license plate from 1956. It confuses people. Nebraska has 93 counties. They were numbered in order of population, Thurston County being 55th in ranking. So it is a '56 plate from 55 County on a '54 car. If I had a nickel for every time someone asks if it's a '55 or '56...

 

great pics and a great story!

 

That’s too kool! Thanks so much for sharing! What a tribute to your folks!

 

My dad bought this Model A in high school in 1962 for $75. It was channeled and unchopped with a hopped up banger motor in it. By the time he and my mom got married in 1974 this is how it looked. He specifically told his friends not to put anything on his car, but they decorated it anyway while they were in the church. My uncle took the picture through the back window. I still have the car, it's on the road in primer. I'm planning on painting it yellow again over the winter.

 

Here's an interesting one from a friend of mine. Lynn Chamberlain of Ks bought Dave Puhl's '57 convertible from a used car lot. It was their "wedding car".... however the shaving cream "decorations" permanently ruined the paint and Lynn later traded it in.
Pictures from Kustomrama, (as I knew they were posted there).
https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Dave_Puhl's_1957_Chevrolet

 

I guess I drove a custom pickup as my wedding “car”. It was lowered and black with flames as it was my rolling business card for custom paint back then. However, there was no decoration since my wife and I ran off to Eureka Springs with only a maid of honor and no one else to get married. So, it kept my friends from being able to do any decorating. And, the pickup was OT for here, so no pics.

 

@Automotive Stud Oh YEAH! Great pics. Hope we get to see more when you get it painted yellow again.

 

Ooooh, shoe polish or shaving cream? Results obviously not good. When I did my car for the indoor show I first ran a test on an extra fenderskirt. I waxed the bat crap out of it and used a white water-based paint from Hobby Lobby.

A friend who was set up as a vendor at the show told me people were kind of freaking out as I hand lettered the car. "What the hell is that guy doing?", he overheard from several people.

I hit the closest car wash after the show. For several months, I would still find small flecks of white that got washed down behind the stainless trim.

 

Oops, I fixed it. Good catch @54delray

 

I had the Just Married spare tire cover made for one of the twins wedding, it just happened to be the weekend before our 40th anniversary, so we left it on the car for the Nats South. HRP

 

Wedding day - 5/4/72 . HRP

 

Uhm .... @HOTRODPRIMER I see you wore white but she didn't? I'm not sure what that means.

 

Not decorated however arty of sorts

 

The only dress she owned and I wore my formal suit that all the members of the band wore when we played upscale venues. HRP

 

This one reminds me of the song by Social Distortion, "Ball and Chain"

 

Saw this one some years ago, atleast a record in beercans

 

that 57 will be running hotter even than him!

 

Your story brought a tear to my eye... Great read! I always wanted to build a car with my dad. He was never able to own a true full custom but they were in his bones. Unfortunately he passed way too soon. Our custom car highlight was he and I worked together one weekend when I was working with Gene Winfield on Maybelline. I worked with Gene for about 4 months or something, living with Gene because I lived up north at the time. My pops said he and his buddies would cut high school class and go watch Gene build cars at his shop in Modesto. He was a big fan of Gene's. He watched him build Jade Idol and one of my dads buddy had some custom work done on one of his cars. I've been a car guy since I could walk and go to car shows with my dad. Every year we looked forward to the Autorama and the Oakland Roadster Show. We bought a 59 Elco together. One day it will be completed.

 

Thanks @Clutch101 for sharing some of your family's cool history in your 1st post on the HAMB. Welcome!

It is thee right place to be if you are still into traditional customs and hot rods. Lots of great content on this site from people that have scars on their hands and grease under their nails. And maybe even a little paint down in the creases of their knuckles.

I'm sure if you were with Gene Winfield you heard it more than once ... "Everyday is a school day".

Best of luck getting that El Camino together. You and your dad had great taste when you picked that one.

 

Thanks a bunch and I appreciate the warm welcome!!!