google LEAD SLED and got this from Wikipedia... "Originally, the lead sled referred to extensively repaired/modified cars due to the use oflead as body filler and was, for the most part, an insult. Since the introduction of man-made fillers (such as Bondo), the term has come to mean a post-war, large (full size)Americancar of the 40s, 50s and early 60's (generally up to (but not including) the 1965 model year). A lead sled tends to have all extra side moldings shaved off and filled with the suspension lowered. Lead sleds are built for style, not speed. Some common lead sleds are the 1949 Mercury, 1949 Ford and the 1959 Cadillac" Was it an Insult at one time?...thats news to me
My understanding was "lead sled" was a derogatory term the hot rodders used to describe a car that was all show and no go. Lots of fancy body work, but no speed. But that's just what I've heard. Sort of like calling something a "Bondo Wagon" today.
Likely it was originally a derogatory term coined by hotrodders who spent all their time trying to get their cars lighter while the custom guys were adding tons of lead to their projects, but I don't think it was really taken as a great insult, just amuzing slang.
This is my take on it, too. Kind of a good-natured ribbing, given by hot rodders to customizers, both of whom coexisted in a friendly rivalry "back in the day"...which was my day, incidentally.
Interesting. This looks like Tom Medley art work, but has Dick Day's signature... Wonder what's up with that? Any old Petersen Publishing company guys know?
Another example of why Wikipedia is NOT accepted for research work. Since ANYONE can "edit" a Wikipedia entry,that alone should be cause for skepticism....
I believe the term has been used 'loosely' for many,many years. In the 50's it was lead that filled the body, hense lead sled was a low, lean, chopped, channeled, formerly 50's box, transended into a real cool cruiser. In the 60's a lead sled was similar but with laquer paints applied, graphics and flames, as into the 70's the lead sled was the heavy 50's shoe boxes 'chopped', into the 80's and 90's the term was much more wide spread, to encompass any 'chopped roof vehicle' ( best filled with lead) today it's a combination of all the above.
Missysdad1 Hit the Nail on the Head Back in the 50's that Term was used to Most Car's that were Full Fendered like my Merc that they put Lead on to Fix them now these days they Call them Bondo Crates which in Not Considered a insult just a Term
I always took it as a compliment? Hell they always called my cars "sleds" i took that as a compliment also?
The whole point of wikipedia is that those who know can add/modify info so that the entry is as complete and correct as it can be. Perhaps it needs a slight modification/expansion on the description by those who were there?........
I was around in the fifties and the term 'Lead Sled" was used to describe a vehicle that looked good but didn't have any modifications done to the engine and was slow. I finally evolved to distinguise any car that was weak in the performance department.
I NEVER use Wikipedia .......................................... If you wanna know something, ask someone that was there(many of us are still alive).
It was a light hearted rub by Hot Rodders against the Custom guys, at least that's the way I have always known it. It became a badge of Honor for those guys. (Some of the Rodders really meant it though). I think it depends on the area of the country. In So Cal the Rodders and Custom guys didn't really hang out together that much in the early days - two different points of view Bondo Bucket on the other hand is definitely an insult!
Yes, originally the term "lead-slead" was generally considered to be derogatory, eluding to a custom with an excessive ammount of lead in the body-work. But... (and that's a big butt) .....terms change through the years, and I suppose it depends on the spirit behind the remark. You can say "good-morning" and with just the right inflection, make it sound really close to f%@k off.
As I remember it, back in the late 50s / early 60s lead sled was just a hip way of referring to extreme customs usually of the 50/51 Merc style. Duals, skirts, nosed and decked cars didnt qualify. It was a mild put down of a style few of us could afford but not an insult.. MGs and Healeys were tea baggers, Cushmans were flying milk stools, motorcycles were chain rattlers, tri five drive in racers were street squirrels, etc. It was all part of being young and koolback then. Now that Im older ( I didnt say old!) and not so kool I just have to smile when I hear references to 1-800 cars, rat rods, fad Ts, gold chainers and billet boydsters. Same song, second (or maybe fifth) verse.
Cleatus and Rickybop have it covered. As I remember, hotrodders caled them lead sled because they were show not go. Between two custom guys it was a derogatory name meaning bad bodywork covered with lead.
the big time guys were doin the custom stuff by manipulating the metal not getting it close and filling it with what ever medium they had. its the same derogitory as... like said befor, a "bondo bucket". its all how its said and takin by the recipient that makes it a little ribb or more. doesnt stand for the same today, the term has morphed in to a style, and one of the best.
I don't think the term is an insult, just a generalization. A "lead sled" is to a custom, as a "streetrod" is to a hot rod. And that's not a bad thing. A Lead Sled can be nice as all get out, as can be a streetrod, just different styles. When I hear "Lead Sled" the first thing that comes to mind is a chopped, dropped, laquered, shaved & smoothed Merc. When I hear "Streetrod" I think of a fiberglass modern chassis with billet wheels and multi-tone paint '34 Ford. A lead sled is just a part of the many different types of customs, just like a streetrod is a part of the many different types of hot rods. It's not an insult like the "Rat Rodz" term that is so frequently thrown around by the uneducated. Just my $.02
First of all, the majority of cars from the first, all the way into the 70s were leaded at major body junctions, most likely at the joint between the rear window and the side window, and other places also. It wasn't invented by custom builders, it was used in all body shops during the period. To suggest that the leading of seams was only used on customs is further evidence of ignorance of the facts. Traditional rods were repaired the same way, with lead, until bondo was invented. Wikipedia's slanted version aside, one cannot determine whether a particular critique of a technique is derogitory, unless one hears the comment, then it's usually obvious if disrespect was intended. We hear too often criticism from some lame-brains that their choice of build/ride/technique is somehow better than some other. It's here on HAMB more often than not. When it's applied to body work on a Custom, what idiot would consider the use of lead for the purpose of smoothing body work as somehow inappropriate in any way? A self-respecting builder that has used the technique would more likely be amused than insulted by such an analysis. It would be quite appropriate I would think however, if that builder if offended, proceed to kick the ass of the lame-brain that suggested his technique was in question.
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