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History A weird Kustom, cool watches and Betty Page

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Kripfink, Feb 24, 2011.

  1. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    Had my best friend, Jeff, round the other night and obviously the conversation turned to cars. Now he is more of an aficionado of stock 50s cars, but does like to go through my photos of Kustoms. So we're looking through and he says "have you ever heard of the Astro gnome? No? I'll e-mail you some photos." So this morning I come down to my inbox and find these waiting for me;

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Now that is certainly up there with the weirdest things I've ever seen, and I'd certainly never heard of a Kustom Nash. But what really intrigued me was the big bubble clock made by Hamilton in the centre of the dash;

    [​IMG]

    You see, I collect midcentury electric Hamilton wristwatches, and wondered if there was any connection so I surfed the net for a while to see what I could come up with. Sure enough, it turns out that this little Nash was built by the Richard Arbib company of New York, in 1956, and was known as "the time and space car." Richard Arbib was a fantastic designer with an obsession for futuristic concepts, and was also hired by the Hamilton wristwatch company to design its range of electric battery-powered wristwatches, first releasing the now iconic "Ventura" in 1957, continuing to work with them throughout the early 60s, where he came up with all these;

    [​IMG]

    But it gets even better! Not content with being, in mine and many other people's opinions, at the forefront of the fantastic "midcentury modern" movement in the 50s and early 60s, he also (as confirmed by his son) somehow managed to find the time and energy to conduct a secret yet torrid affair with none other than the notorious Betty Page!
    I mean, come on, what a guy!!!!
    Here's a few thumbnails of the "time and space car"in some fantastic period concept shots.
    With apologies if you guys knew this anyway,
    Paul
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Wow, how cool is that.
    You better "watch" out, Ryan will be wanting your watch collection lol.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. 76cam
    Joined: Sep 30, 2010
    Posts: 643

    76cam
    Member

    Cool Story on the car.
     
  4. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    My first thought was one of well, not good. The more I look at it, I actually like it. Cool that they kept the Nash upper doorline there.

    I'll cruise by Spacely Sprockets and see what else is parked there!
     

  5. ScottV
    Joined: Jul 18, 2009
    Posts: 818

    ScottV
    Member

    Looks like something from Captain Scarlet !!!
     
  6. BOWTIE BROWN
    Joined: Mar 30, 2010
    Posts: 3,252

    BOWTIE BROWN
    Member

    Different .Show stopper for sure.
    Nice watches too.
    THANXZ
     
  7. jreeder41
    Joined: Jul 23, 2009
    Posts: 477

    jreeder41
    Member

    Those pics are taken at the Metropolitan Pit Stop in North Hollywood, CA. You can see in the background the one of two metro station wagons, built by pinafarinna.
     
  8. dart165
    Joined: Apr 15, 2005
    Posts: 710

    dart165
    Member

    I love 1950's era visions of what the future of design would look like. Thanks for sharing!
     
  9. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    He'd have to fight me for them. No, wait a minute, in my condition I wouldn't stand a chance. I would hire Chuck Norris and he would have to fight him for them!
    Paul
     
  10. TexasHardcore
    Joined: May 30, 2003
    Posts: 5,030

    TexasHardcore
    Member
    from Austin-ish

    Cool car, I love the console. I've seen those watches, very cool.
     
  11. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    Wicked cool car and thread, I owned a Hamilton for a about an hour once, I love 'em, but I don't like wearing watches.

    Thank you for this thread, BTW, you would love my Mid-Century collection.
     
  12. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,719

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Was that Flash Gordon's car? :)
     
  13. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,817

    BJR
    Member

    Did you notice the taller fin in the drawings is on the passenger side, but on the real car it's on the drivers side.
     
  14. Ranunculous
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,465

    Ranunculous
    Member

    Interesting thread! Thanks for posting!
    Bettie Page,sigh...
     
  15. Bodger45
    Joined: Jun 25, 2009
    Posts: 371

    Bodger45
    Member

    Thanks for the story. Nice watch collection.
     
  16. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,945

    the-rodster
    Member

    Cool thread.

    The watches are beautiful, the car, not so much :)

    Rich
     
  17. It's in the middle.
     
  18. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,941

    squirrel
    Member

    I like how the clock is much more prominent than the speedometer....time is more important than space

    Nice watch collection, too. That was a special period in time as far as design went...really neat ideas were tried, anything was possible.
     
  19. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,945

    the-rodster
    Member

    There is a house near Chattanooga that it would look good parked under.....

    [​IMG]
     
  20. That thing come with personal flotation devices?

    Pretty cool but it looks like it should be at a boat and yacht show. I still remember way back when, everything was the whatever of the future. house of the future, car of the future, you name it. Mid century modern baby. :cool:

     
  21. 59KUSTOM
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 912

    59KUSTOM
    Member

    Where is the car right now?
     
  22. Kinky6
    Joined: May 11, 2003
    Posts: 1,765

    Kinky6
    Member

    Those matching suitcases that the gal is holding in one of those futuristic shots look like zoomie hardcase saddle bags for a Harley. :cool:
     
  23. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    I really have no idea, but those shots I posted up look fairly recent and museum based?

    Nads, truth be known of the originals an hour is about all you'll get out of the battery:D
    ain't nothing finer than a midcentury collection. PM me some photographs man.
    Paul
     
  24. ka-zoo
    Joined: Oct 20, 2004
    Posts: 509

    ka-zoo
    Member

    MCM Hamilton watches huh? Awesome, a NEW distraction for me... :D
     
  25. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus



    When it comes to Hamilton's, the auction site from hell is your friend;).
    Paul
     
  26. 59KUSTOM
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 912

    59KUSTOM
    Member

    I just checked the Metropolitan Pit Stop's website. It looks like the car is there, on Laurel Canyon Rd in North Hollywood. CRAP! Three weeks ago today, I was waking up in the Super 8 on Laurel Canyon Rd in North Hollywood! Oh, well, I'll see it next trip!
     
  27. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    don't you just hate it when that happens?
    well, I guess that makes perfect sense.
    Paul
     
  28. Oh man that is so flippin friggin flippin cool!! I'd give my index finger for a few of those watches!!​
     
  29. jreeder41
    Joined: Jul 23, 2009
    Posts: 477

    jreeder41
    Member


    Yep the Pit Stop has there own museum of Metropolitans.;)
     
  30. well, I guess we have ipods and stuff. The future didn't turn out quite a fabulous as they thought it might.

    Awesome stuff, being a designer then would have been a trip.
     

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