Customs History of the Custom display ~ GNRS ~ OFFICIAL thread info & photo's

Hi everyone, people have been asking about the schedules. Once again, here they are.

Hamb Meet & greet - Saturday - 12 Noon in front of the Suede Palace.

Customs Meet & Greet autograph party -Saturday - 3:00 p.m. inside building #9 - Custom building.

 

Both on Saturday?

 

I sure wish i could have had my tribute car based on Gils'42 ford ready so it could have been considered.Will be ready for next time..if there is a next time,since this show will be historic! Great job guys!

 

well the Gator is jammed and will be shot Monday the color is spot on just like in 1957

 

Awsome job you guys are doing , I cant wait, e mail sent to reserve one Dennis , i will sure take oa few of those shirts to,

 

I wish your car was ready too. A gathering of historical customs like this might not ever happen again. There is so much involved - i don't want to bore anyone. Cars are coming from Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine, Canada, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, and more !

 

Awesome !

 

Two weeks away....I can't wait, and what no cars from kustom city to represent? I figured for sure their would be something from kansas, the home of starbird, green,cushinberry,titus ,thompson just to name a few. surely one of them built something noteworthy.

 

We are extremely pleased to announce that Johnny Zaro will be at the Custom Meet & Greet on Saturday at 3pm in building #9!

 

Johnny Zaro ???? He's an awesome addition to the meet & greet !

 

Johnny Zaro!!!!!! great!!!

Well done Luke!

 

We have another announcement. A custom Car which qualify as Sports Custom, which has been an important part of the Custom Car scene in the late 1940's up to the 1960's. In fact we have two to announce...

The first car is the Skylane Motor Special. A June 1951 Motor Trend Cover car built by Leroy J. Viersen JR and Leroy Viersen III.



The car was started in 1948 based on a 32 Ford frame. The front fenders of a 1948 Buick where combined with rear fenders of a 1948 Lincoln Continental, and everything in between was hand formed from sheet metal, and bits and pieced from other left over body parts.The front of the car was made into one piece, with only a relatively small opening to get to the engine at the top. And you have to climb in the car using the chrome plated steps mounted just in front of the front fenders.





The front end was shaped around a 1948 Cadillac grille and a 1950 Mercury bumper was fitted below. At the rear another 1950 Bumper was used and the Lincoln fenders where reshaped at the top portion to house the 1950 Oldsmobile taillights.
The car was built over a three year period and was finished in 1951. And for the Motor Trend cover Eric Rickman choose the Verdugo Hills Golf Coarse in Tujunga California as perfect location... and sure it was.

Car Culture DeLuxe photos




Car Culture Deluxe magazine recreated the photo that was used on the 1951 Motor Trend Cover



The car has always stayed in the Viersen Family, and is now owned by John Crego and Angelo Crego. Angelo is the grand child of the original owner. In the early 2000 it was time for a complete restoration by John. John and Bobby Reggiero of Bob's Restoration in Los Angeles did the full restoration on the Sports Custom, and in 2004 the car debuted again at the GNRS.


The current owners and care takers of the car, John and Angelo Crego.





Dave Lindsay took these photos of the cars "debute" at the 2004 GNRS.

 

Very cool, sure hope he brings some early photos of his 40 Merc?

 

"AMAZING" is understatement of the day

 

Wow this show will be out of this world! Really kool that you were able to get Zaro for the show!!

 

Very cool that Zorro will be there...

 

They sure are noteworthy.. and we have tried to get some of the cars created by some of the people you mentioned at the show. But shipping cars to a show involves quite a bit of effort, time and money. And many of the request we made did not happen, for a great number of reasons. At one time we did have a Cushenberry Custom secured for the show. But due to health issues with the owner the car was pulled back some weeks ago.

 

Thanks for the answer rikster, I look foreward to meeting you .and seeing this awsum display of kustoms. pure porn !!!

 

Hahhahhaah Rik your funny... it was late..

 

I just wanted to say how lucky are the ones that will be able to attend this historic event! I'm looking forward to seeing the book that will surely follow. What a great effort by so many to pull this off, wow!!!
All the very best,
Ron
p.s. have any pictures of the event been posted yet ?
p.p.s. Oh ya, it's not for 1 1/2 weeks

 

The second Sports Custom we have added to the list is the 1960's built fiber glass Roadster built by Russ Losing.



The car has appeared in a few magazines in the 1960's including Hot Rod Magazines Custom Car Yearbook from 1963 where the car was shown in primer, and with a few different details that we can now see on this car.


This is how the car appeared in the 1963 issue of Hot Rods magazine Custom Car Yearbook.

Russ built his custom made fiber glass body over a 1940 Chevy frame and choose a 1956 Buick engine for motivation.
The body is both mild and wild. Very characteristic are the scoops over the 1959 Chevy headlights and over the rear fenders.





In the 1963 version the car appeared to be a roadster with a wraparound windshield with thin frame. But later in the 1960's the car was updated and built more as a coupe with open top. And everything was done is such a wonderful over the top 1960's styling. We are very happy this car was offered to us so that we could show the extravagance styling that was so popular in the 1960's. The more effects, the more body mods the better it was, and the more points the car gained at the major in-door events. Over the years the engine was detailed to the max, and everything that unbolted was chrome plated. And every thing was with a bullet or teeth theme with expanded metal in the scoops.













The car is now owned by Lou Leto (editor for Traditional Rod & Kulture) and he will bring the car in unrestored condition for all of us to enjoy.

 

Was the fur on the dash originally white... cause that is AWESOME!

 

Awesome!

 

More special announcements! We are proud to include "The Mysterion" . Ed Roth built the car in 62/63 after being inspired by the Dragsters of the day. The car is equipped with two FE Ford engines, Two Transmissions, and a custom made rear end. Dave Shuten built this exact recreation in 2005 as a tribute to Ed "Big Daddy" Roth where it is now owned by Galpin Ford. Interior is very similar to that of the Orbitron which is also going to be on display.

 

For those that appreciate the far out times of the late 60's and 70's we bring you the "Ice Truck" . Owned by non other than Dave Shuten, this car was recently restored to its former glory and will be parked amongst the more wilder custom Rod show cars of the era.

Chassis
Dan custom-built the entire 106-inch wheelbase from 1x3-inch rectangular tubing in his parents' garage in 1967. The rearend is based on a Jaguar center section with axles, uprights, and locators all fabricated by Dan. The front suspension is tubular A-arms fabbed by Dan, originally sprung by a single buggy spring attached to MG spindles. In 1971, he changed it to what had become his signature frontend, utilizing coilovers laid on their sides in an "opposed coil" configuration. Airheart disc brakes were mounted front and rear. This was all restored by Shuten and chromed by Advanced Plating.

Drivetrain
The little Buick 215 was punched and stroked to 325ci and originally built by Mickey Thompson as one of two engines powering his twin-engine dragster from 1961. Dan purchased it from Mickey for $500 in 1967. It features some unique and rare Thompson parts, like the custom crank, aluminum rods, and pistons. The heads are aluminum with Cal Custom valve covers and the cam is a big-lobed solid roller. A 4-71 Cragar blower is mounted to a one-off M/T intake, with chrome 780 Holleys on a one-off Thompson-lettered tri-plate. Ignition is Vertex. Shuten made the headers to replicate Dan's originals. Transmission is a '62 Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive two-speed automatic, with a manual shift body.

Body & Paint
The body was designed by Ed "Newt" Newton in 1967 and created in late 1969 and 1970 by Roger Jonguris, Newt, and Dan in mahogany panels over ash beams pinned with wooden dowels, then fiberglassed, primed, and painted by Dan. It was restored to its 1970 configuration in a custom-mix Ice Blue pearl with diamond dust by Fritz Schenck, North Bellmore, New York, who also did the platinum lettering and assisted Shuten with 'striping. The white-fogged panels were the only deviation from the original 1970 version.

Wheels & Tires
Dan built custom wire wheels as a side business for years so, naturally, these Buick Skylark wires are custom-made--15x12-inch fronts and 15x18-inch rears, both with 1-inch backspacing. Dan says he bought many a Skylark in the 1960s for scrap price, yanked the wire wheels, put on some rollers, and resold them for the same price! NOS Firestone Indy tires are 15x12-inch fronts and 15x18-inch rears. Finding the tires was the hardest part of the restoration, according to Shuten.

Interior
Originally upholstered in light blue velour by Joe Perez, it was redone in the exact same style and material by John Meyer at Ogden Top and Trim in Chicago. Shuten recreated the smoked acrylic console, which was altered for its "Blood Alley" configuration.

 

Gawd im speechless........That Russ Losing car is jawdroppin.
Real wild design, i like the tubolar grille on the b/w shot from Hot Rod mag.
Are the dual headlights Corvair items? Could someone point me out to the correct year and model? thanx!

 

Yes, excellent article in the Rodder's Journal!

 

Hey Axle I am pretty sure Watson painted the Ice Truck at some point! there are a bag of the chips off it when it was restored, kicking around!

 

The Ice truck is a favorite of mine!!! I can not wait to see it! Only 4 days til I leave the snow of Montana and get on the road to the GNRS!!!!!