History Customs by the Sea #2

On Friday we announced another Featured Registration for the 2nd annual Customs by the Sea!
We were thrilled when we received an email from Roddy Moore, asking if he could attend with what is known as the oldest custom car of Virginia:



Thanks to 'Mo for lobbying our show to Roddy! We can't wait to see this mean beauty down at the beach!

 

Cant make it this year, I hope to next year.

 

is my ford aloud if I decide to go? lil too new but looks the same pretty much

 

Sondre, I see from the Kustomrama site that this beautiful Mercury has registered.
What else are you sitting on? Talk to us!

 

Sondre posted this sick slick slinger on instagram Repost @kustomrama It's 1951, and you have an urge for a low, sleek and fast sports car, but you don't have the money it takes to buy a Jaguar. What do you do? You build a #SportsCustom! Harold "Shorty" Post's historic #GlassparG2 will make a special appearance at this years #customsbythesea in Wildwood! #kustomrama #trog



Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

That's quite an addition! Car runs '40's running gear, hot 4 carb flathead.

As a side note, Harold Post's Chrysler powered streamliner hit 222 MPH, in 1952!

 

I can't wait, I'm going to be cutting it close.

 

Looking good!!! It will be a great addition on the beach!

 

Sorry Fatty McGuire, it makes my stomach hurt when I say this, but your Clarkiaser custom is too new...

 

Thanks for maintaining the thread while I have been away 'Mo and ELD!

Yes, Jim Baker is driving his bad ass Mercury from Texas to Wildwood to attend the show! What a though nail and a cool fellow!

As some of you know, Jim's Mercury was built after a photo of Cliff Rockohn's Barris Kustoms restyled 1947 Mercury coupe! Not sure when Barris completed this build, but it was prior to 1951.


It was master fabricator David Guymon that restyled Jim's Mercury in 1988. Since then the car has more than 50 000 miles on it. Jim has shared some build photos with us, so be sure to check em out here: http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Jim_Baker's_1947_Mercury

 

And then we have Shorty Post's old Glasspar! What a piece of history. A couple of years after the end of World War II, the sports car craze hit America. Buying a British sports car like the Jaguar XK-120 cost a lot of money, so many enthusiasts decided to build their own sport cars. Many home built Sport Customs featured mechanical components from the likes of middle-aged Fords and Hudsons. As I want to showcase all aspects and sides of Early Customs at Customs by the Sea, I have been working on hunting down a couple of pre 1952 built Sport Customs. One of the car I have been able to get is John Deren's Glasspar G2, a Mercury powered fiberglass custom built sports car. Glasspar G2's were produced from 1951 - 1954 in Orange County, California, and it is recognized as the first production fiberglass sports car made in America!

John's G2 was originally built by Harold "Shorty" Post of the Post Body Shop in Orange, California. Back in the early 1950s, people such as Doug Hartelt and Chuck Potvin built engines and bodies in Post's shop. Their most outstanding creation was the Post Special Streamliner which recored 222 mph at Bonneville in early 1951. The Glasspar that John is bringing to Wildwood sits on a custom Post frame. It has an early 1940s running gear and a 59A Mercury engine. Most Glasspar's were racers but many were Hollywood type made to turn heads with their style and color. They were forward looking because there was nothing like them before. In 1951, one was a big hit at the Petersen Motorama. The unique history of John's Glasspar makes it perfect for a "guest" spot at Customs by the Sea, and I can't wait to see it parked in the sand as a backdrop to the race!

...even though this beast might look best attending the race


Here's a recent photo of it


We have another historic sport custom in the works as well....more on this later on!

 

Is that pic taken at the Rotunda?

 

Yes that's the Rotunda. Ford invited some of the top rods and customs of that time into the Rotunda for a small display

 

Although I am out of the running (drive train updated) I hope to make it down to view the ones that do . Love these early customs

 

ANYBODY DRIVING THEIR POST 52 KUSTOM??? Im undecied if i want to drive my 53 or 57 bird down

if

 

Fatty, Bring the 'bird. That thing is killer!
Looks like I'll be cruising Wildwood in the Caddyhauler. I'm bringing it out to Jersey.


Being that the truck is for sale, maybe I won't be coming home with it.

.

 

I'm not.

 

I second that.

 

Do I have to get admission tickets in advance or are they available at the show?

 

they will be available at the show they say. but the line gets long.

 

I can't wait! See you on the beach

 

Purrrr-fect!

 

Oh Muffin, you didn't get invited to the dance?

 

Fuck off

 

Thanks Joe, I'll take you up on that.

One more sleep and then I'll fuck off to Wildwood. My shoebox isn't on the road, but I'm going to go see if I can figure out how to have a good time without it.

 

im out, no roof,no wipers, 3 hour drive and alot of rain and Big A, Joe was going with out his car, I just asked who else was bringing their car or not and he simply replied....