Register now to get rid of these ads!

A Kustom so?… it kind of grows on you!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by eye bone, Jan 4, 2008.

  1. eye bone
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 655

    eye bone
    Member

    A friend of mine, who lives in Portland, OR, gave me these photos several years back. He had run across this scene so he got out his black & white & grabbed these shots. I had forgotten about them until I stumbled onto them while lookin’ for something else.

    I know nothing about the, who, why, & how long ago, regarding this car. My friend didn’t know either, other than, he had seen it before around Portland now and again.

    Personally for me, the lines just don’t work! It’s been sectioned way to much, the rear axle is to far forward, the rear fender is mounted to high on the body, and tilts up in back. And the line where the roof meets the rear fender/trunk just doesn’t work! But it’s easy to be a critic.

    Someone loves it! They conceived of it in the first place. Obviously someone put a lot of work into it. It’s got character in spades. It might have historic value cause of who built it, or what era of hotrod history it was built in. So don’t let my opinions change your mind (I might change my mind after hearing its history myself).

    But I have to be honest here, just based on the lines alone, sorry it bugs me! I could see it maybe as a lake’s runner w/some engineering in that direction. But not as a Kustom. Unless the whole rear end was scrapped and re-designed, then maybe…

    Some cars are so funky that they grow on you in a sick sort of way… despite your better judgement. In a way this car presents the kind of challenge Kustomizers always faced. How to take a design that you feel doesn’t work, or could be improved, or just made cooler… and make it work! Then again when to just throw something away and start over! I think it could still be saved… but major surgery is required. Again, that’s just my opinion.

    Anyway I thought someone might know the story behind it, or that folks here might find this thing interesting on some level… even if only from "rubber necking" point of view!

    And hey! If a felow H.A.M.E. member owns (or is freinds with) & loves this car, Don't let my opinion's stop you! Enjoy!
     

    Attached Files:

    Stogy likes this.
  2. ugly or not i like it
    something that a villin in a batman cartoon would drive
    cool
    tk
     
    Stogy likes this.
  3. SlamCouver
    Joined: Jun 26, 2006
    Posts: 2,002

    SlamCouver
    Member
    from Brazil, IL

    Iv never seen it around here.. Id drive it.
     
  4. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    You know a good chop would make that thing look really sinister....


    That's a 46-8 chevy hood also.
     

  5. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    Started as a 37-38 Chevy coupe.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  6. Yeah it grows on you. So do warts...
     
  7. the car is perfect. nothing more needs to be said.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  8. It almost looks like an old roundy-round modified from the 50's. I kinda dig it. :)
     
    Stogy likes this.
  9. pimpin paint
    Joined: May 31, 2005
    Posts: 4,937

    pimpin paint
    Member
    from so cal

    Hey,

    Kinda really makes my naughty parts tingle! If ya have ever done that kinda work, and you have a feel for the time involved, you
    get some sorta feel for the guy's love of what he was doin'. Any
    cheese-wizz can build a "me-too-mobile", but to turn your back
    to the world and say" hey, dis is what I'm doin' ", and than do it-
    Wow!
    Than again, it could be the results of " bath tub acid" abuse!

    Swankey devils c.C.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  10. breeder
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 10,948

    breeder
    Member Emeritus


    yep...first thing i thought too!
     
    Stogy likes this.
  11. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It has that look, but I would bet that it was a 50's attempt at building a sports car out of a 37/39 Chev coupe. I remember seeing some Mechanics Illustrated articles on how to build a sports car out of your ___________ in a stack that was in the closet of a house we lived in when I was a kid.
    Oh the possibilities, a chopped and stretched roof would be a big start.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  12. Gerg
    Joined: Feb 27, 2006
    Posts: 1,828

    Gerg
    Member

    damn that thing is just crazy looking
     
    Stogy likes this.
  13. Not working for me at all...
     
  14. garvinzoom
    Joined: Sep 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,169

    garvinzoom
    Member

    Wow, that is ugly.
     
  15. damn guy was on a roll till he tryed to stuff that big six back in
     
  16. twochops
    Joined: Feb 28, 2006
    Posts: 1,510

    twochops
    Member

    Abortion---can I say that on H.A.M.B. ?????
    T.C.
     
  17. Zombilly
    Joined: Sep 5, 2006
    Posts: 351

    Zombilly
    Member

    I love it. It reminds me of of this old pachuco kustom that was viva last year.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
    Stogy likes this.
  18. eye bone
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 655

    eye bone
    Member

    Too bad that you don't have a shot of that whole car. it's hard for me to tell from those close-ups. But from what I can see I might like this one better.

    I don't hate the car I posted… things just bug me about it! I flip flop about it!

    I think the guy who suggested that it might be a "make your… into a sports car!" is on thr right track. My father took Popular Science & my Grand Father Popular Mrchanix from 1937 on (& they saved all of them for years) & there were some funky cool (but odd aswell) how too's in those books. I spent hours pooring over them. Cool/weird stuff.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  19. kustombuilder
    Joined: Sep 18, 2002
    Posts: 7,750

    kustombuilder
    Member
    from Novi, MI

    it's not the ugliest thing i've ever seen... but it's up there ;)
     
  20. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Looks like the builder changed themes in mid stride. It sucks when that happens.
     
  21. Zombilly
    Joined: Sep 5, 2006
    Posts: 351

    Zombilly
    Member

    Yeah that sounds reasonable, sports cars like that were pretty big.

    I couldn't get a full car shot because the car was up against a wall and there was a lot of traffic in the street. The guy who owns it, had just seen it for the first time that day. It was an ebay purchase that was just sitting in the gold coast casino. I thought it was the nicest car that was viva last year. The story behind this car is that barris built it for a young mexican kid that worked at a bone yard the he frequented.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  22. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    I like the first car, the proportions of the rear arent right though. need to shorten the rear or maybe just center the wheel in the fender.
     
  23. G V Gordon
    Joined: Oct 29, 2002
    Posts: 5,713

    G V Gordon
    Member
    from Enid OK

    The open wheels on the front kill it for me. the back has these decent lines then you get cycle fenders on the front. Mold a set of fadeaways on that puppy and you got somethin'.
     
  24. publicenemy1925
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,187

    publicenemy1925
    Member
    from OKC, OK

    Like all kustoms, there is a edge out there and you never know where it is til you fall off, and at the bottom of the cliff, you would find that ride for me.
     
  25. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    I think it's neat.

    Fleshed out with the right wheels and tires and a few more changes to the body (top needs to be chopped and the rear still needs a lot of attention) and then some detail work and it would be completely unique - and NOT ugly anymore. ;)

    But take that with a grain of salt - read my sig. :eek:
     
    Stogy likes this.
  26. red baron
    Joined: Jun 2, 2007
    Posts: 596

    red baron
    Member
    from o'side

    its so ugly, but yet, i am strangely drawn to it...... what is wrong with me
     
    Stogy likes this.
  27. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    I would shorten the rear, fill the quarter windows, and throw some fat fenders on the front.
     
  28. 55 f350
    Joined: Aug 5, 2007
    Posts: 93

    55 f350
    Member

    i'm like some of the others , it reminds me of a late fifties roundy rounder . as such i'd love to have it to make a street legal early modified racer out of it . hell i'd drive it the way it is in the pic's i like weird stuff .....................:)
     
    Stogy likes this.
  29. eye bone
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 655

    eye bone
    Member

    Ya it's like one of those "B" Science Fiction movies from the 1950's… a vortex sucking you toward the "Center of the Univers!"… Or a photo of a fatal accedent repusive but yet you can't look away!
     
    Stogy likes this.
  30. eye bone
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 655

    eye bone
    Member

    Decided, what the hell, I’m lookin’ at it all wrong! It bugs me so take the Kustomizers challenge and try to fix it! So here’s a quick sketch of one possible direction.

    Kustom Lakes Coupe (There was a guy way back when, who ran his Kustom at the lakes (had caddy rear fenders) regularly. Heard it mooved too!) It would take major surgery but Hey! that’s what Kustomizers do…
     

    Attached Files:

    Stogy likes this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.