History Custom Car builder Spotlight: AYALA BROTHERS

wow...that's a pretty cool story if it is indeed an Ayala kustom...the chop sure looks like it is...

 

Great post! Thanks.

 

Well thats what im doing is trying to find out about it. The buy who had it said, it wasnt featured because it wasnt done, there is no interior, and no paint. But he said he bought it from the Ayala brothers himself. The chop is identical, with no drip rales, and the tail lights too. But we dont have the proof, so what i was thinking maybe its in the background or someone knew of a car that they were building that never was finished. It certainly wouldnt be featured as it was never finished.

So has anyone seen it before? andyone have any shop photos we could look in the background and see?

im starting the quest to either prove or disprove its Ayala Bloodline.

 

The Ayala's where known for using pre-shaped metal from California Metal Shaping. So perhaps you can take a look inside and see (better yet, take photos of it) how the rear of the roof was made.
If you can see custom shaped metal... the changes are getting bigger on it being an old Ayala custom. If its pieced together from the original top metal, it could be somebody else his handy work....
Still no confirmation though...

There have not been published many shop photos of the Ayala workplace. They are probably around, but must be hiding in somebody's private collection.
Good luck with the guest... and please keep us posted.

 

Great Thread!!!!!!!!!!!!.Thanks Rikster.I find it odd on the Bettancourt Merc,the spotlights are mounted through the door instead if the A-pillar.Still a beautiful car.

 

But you know, had he left the stock headlight treatment people would have asked him a thousand times, "How come you left the stock headlights?" I'm just going on the way people offer their critiques nowadays--he would have been constantly defending his decision. It does look best this way though.

 

Lets keep this thread on top, perhaps one of our older guys sees it and will recognize the 46 Ford, and can confirm this as a Ayala Custom

One thing I noticed on the 46 Ford is that the headlights look to be frenched using 1952-54 Mercury trim rings. So is that a later addition?
The rest of the body looks to be done in a style that was popular in the mid to later 1940's.

 

it is really sad that blower motor now resides in Gils shop truck...

oh well...

so does any one know anything about that sectioned 40?

had sombreros on it painted the same color as the car
I believe it was black but may have been maroon.

also it ran at the lakes too.

I would love to see some more pics of that car and find out what ever happend to it?

 

this one? (not an Ayala Custom though)

 

this is the only pic I have of it.

 

Few more on the GMC

Scanned from the R&C book




R&C magazine article when Bruce Geisler owned it.

 

Doug Rice built the 39 Ford himself.

I have a folder with a lot of photos of his car on my site.

Click the photo below to see more.

 

thanks rik!

 

I have contacted a friend of mine, Memo, who used to own the Gil Ayala 1942 Ford in the late 50's early 60's. Perhaps he remembers the 1946 Ford. It has a rather similar chop, a bit different rear side window treatment. But I know he was in love with Gil's 42 Ford from the beginning he hung out at the Ayala shop. So if this car was built there.. he most likely will remember it.

This photo of Gil's Ford was taken in 1952.



Small portion of a color transparency that was used for the Colorized Cover of the Motor Trend issue shown in the beginning of this post.

Scanned from TRJ magazine




When Memo owned the car Gill had already added dual headlights to the car.
The work was not finished, so Memo finished it and repainted the car. He drove it for several years before selling it... and unfortunately loosing track.
So far I have not been able to locate any photos of this version of the car.

 

Rik do you know how much the car was chopped by chance?

 

No I dont... the car was never really featured in a magazine.

But the photo above is a rather dead on side few... so perhaps you can calculate how much it was chopped.

I measured the door width at where the side trim used to be and I measure 3.931 inches.
The side window opening measures 0.736 inches at the center of the opening.

Using the door width of your car you should be able to get about the right measurements for your chop.


I will also ask the owner of the Ann De Valle 1942 Ford which has a similar chop. He not only owns the real car, but he also built a clone (before he found the real one) and he might know how much he chopped it.

 

Anybody notice the welding tans on post 53, looks like they made their own ace. gas, maybe from calcium cabbide. How would that be for traditonal.

 

I will also ask the owner of the Ann De Valle 1942 Ford which has a similar chop. He not only owns the real car, but he also built a clone (before he found the real one) and he might know how much he chopped it.


Thanks Rik that would be awsome...I suspect its between 5-6 inches verticle from the the B pillar area?

 

thanks soo much rikster for taking the time to share these priceless and inspirational photos! some of my favorite cars ever built
M.

 

I Love Carson tops I'm currently in the process of Making one for my Dodge. Those photos are awesome and inspiring makes me wish mine was done, so I can cruise down the BLVD with mine.

 

Love this version of the car.

 

I wish there were some photos of what some of these cars had under the hood.I know some will say " Who cares,its a custom you dont pop the hood." Well these guys did care what was under the hood and that is why almost all of there cars hauled ass and had hopped up engines.While a lot of guys were at the shows on the weekends these guys were at the strip or the lakebed and I have tons of respect for these guys for that. I just thought it would be cool to see their setups they had in these gorgeous customs that ran as good as they looked. Pics anyone ????

 

Haven't seen too many pictures of Ayala customs with the hoods open. I know the Bettancourt Merc had an Olds Rocket in it by the time Zupan owned it but I have no idea when it went in.

 

Holley smokes!!!! This is by far the best post I have read on this site! Good job!

 

Its kind of funny...... Their are more pictures of Ayala Customs at the dragstip or the lakebeds then their are of the cars with the hoods open at a show or just around the shop.All it tells you is that these guys were serious about going fast and not so serious about fame and taking pictures.

 

What a STUNNING Mercury.

 

It sure is.I really like it!

 

Wow ! What a great picture. It shows the Balls these guys had to race their gorgeous sleds.There was nobody like them back then and their probably never will be again.

 

Pretty funny. I saw this Merc for sale in a gas station in Westwood, CA around 1955. I don't remember the price, but it was a few thousand dollars. I tried to convince my mother that she should buy it and use at as her daily driver, but she wasn't having any.

 

that custom looks like is hauling ass!