Is there a such thing as a traditional mild kustom truck?

The Dream Truck and the Kopper Kart are Chevys.

 

This is the earlier version of the truck in post #9.

 

There was a silver '55 or '56 Cameo with a '56 Olds bumper and grille fitted to it that was nicely lowered with red scallops and a good-lookin set o caps on it. Problem is, the only picture I can find of it, there's a 55-gallon drum in the way of the front end. I would LOVE to see what that truck looked like with my favorite Olds grille on it.

 

lovin the pics

 

Here is my '48 Merc full custom, not from the '50s but looks that way.

 

Would you still like it if you knew it had an eight carb Chrysler Hemi?

 

LOTS! Geislers is to trucks as Doane Spencers is to deuce roadsters. I notice a couple of iconic trucks that are missing, if they are still missing on Saturday night, I will add them. Working late tonight, so no access to my photos.

 

Awesome pics guys thanks! And keep them coming!

 

You must be talking about this stunner, built by Riley Collins.

 

Even more!
Hemi's belong in anything....

 

One thing worth saying is that this type of build could be a lot of fun, and not too much hassle trying to get it looking great. Just comparing it with a period built Model T, A or 32, etc. Those might not be as much fun trying to get the same bang for the buck as far as being correct or not...and still looking great at a show.

 

Mountain Pearl, sorry don't have any pics lost them when my comp. crashed. Was in a issue of R&C last year I believe.

 

Well, feast your eyes on this bad boy. l guess this makes that truck a little better than perfect!

 

The first time I saw this thread, i was gonna post some pics of chuck porters truck, but I missed the "mild" part. Never mind.

 

Hey brother, I don't know if you have checked out Riksters website yet. Lots of customs and some are trucks. I have a link for you below to the truck you posted earlier. Poke around on his site, you will surely find some inspiration there.

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...om_cars/ayala_customs/gmc_chopped_shop-truck/

 

Yeah I've been looking through his pictures this past week. Lots of great stuff there for sure.

 

The mountain pearl. One of my favs I stole these pics from another thread I never get tired of seeing them.

 

Negatory, Good Buddy. Only mention is Dago'ed axle and smaller front tires.

BTW, For those who are wondering, a "Dago'ed" axle refers to one that was heated and hammer-bent, Blacksmith style. The name is apparently derived from "San Diego", where it was popularized by the shop of Ed Steward (among others).

 

After seeing post nine I was wondering where that truck is. My niebor had it back in the early 90's, put a sbc and a nove subframe on it. It was still the way it was in the 50's when he got it, I thought he should keep it the way it was. The guy stripped it to bare metal, I was amazed at the quality of the metal work.

Several shops here had mild custom "shop" trucks in the 50's like the local speed shop had a chopped 51 Ford F-1 (with an Ed Roth scallopped paint) and a parts store had a 40 Ford Sedan delivery that was chopped & cut down into a pickup. I'm sure there was a bunch of mild custom trucks across the country.

 

When I built this for the wife, over the last couple of years, I went the mild route..
only thing missing is a shop logo for the door.....

 

There was a fad for mild custom pickup trucks in the mid fifties. It went like this. When the first OHV V8s came out, all the hot rod kids wanted one but they were in expensive cars like Cadillac, Chrysler New Yorker and Oldsmobile.

Ford got their OHV V8 in 1954, Chev in 1955. They were the first low priced V8s (other than Studebaker).

But, a fully equipped 1955 Bel Air hardtop with V8 cost $2500. Even the cheapest 2 door post cost $1800.

On the other hand you could buy a brand new pickup truck with V8 and stick shift for $1400.

Ed Roth mentioned that he did this. He couldn't afford a Bel Air so he bought a stripped 56 Ford pickup instead.

Then gradually dressed it up with custom paint, wheel discs, a tarp over the bed, and so on.

A few guys did this, the fad lasted for 2 or 3 years but by 1959 you could buy a used V8 car for less than a new pickup.

There were still custom pickups but usually they were shop trucks of hot rodders who owned gas stations or some other business that called for a pickup truck.

Ed's 56 pickup. Notice that it started as the cheapest stripper model with painted grille and bumper and no chrome around the windows.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0rDuc8Ecb...B7zUgbBmDw/s1600-h/Ed-roth-1956-ford-f100.jpg

 

Spoons lil Ford looks just about right. Lotsa cool ones earlier on. I guess I'm a truck guy- working on a barrel nose Ford right now. Thanks Rusty for finding this gem of a thread. Hopefully more will add pics. Looking for good ideas for tail lights for my '39.