I'm starting to feel bad I said something negative about it. Its not the prettyest thing ever built, but I'm not sure it deserves Post after Post of insults either...
i cant wait tell people are saying that about easter egg paint jobs and hot rods with late model interiors
I don't understand how anybody can say that wretched pile of used to be '36 Ford is cool. Pardon me while I barf......
That '61 Car Craft is in my bathroom reading stack. I think the headlights could be executed differently and make it look a lot less homely, but beyond that it's not bad. A full fadeaway on the fenders would help eliminate that too-sectioned look by giving it a coke-bottle profile, but I always thought it succeeded at creating a European-influenced look with the Ford tin. It looks better with small caps than with the chrome wires, too. Not one of my top ten favorites, but I've seen way worse. I'm sure I'll be in the minority, though, I think if you ran a poll of the board you'd get about 80% that don't like just about any full custom you can post.
I personally think the Wilhelm 36 is beautiful.Used to go by Joe Wilhelm's shop in San Jose while he was building the 36 for Richie Feliz.Originally it was painted Purple and later Platinum Pearl.All the work was of the highest quality-I.E. Lead,Hammer Welding-No Bondo.In bare metal prior to painting the workmanship was flawless.What the car needs is a complete off the frame restoration and to be slammed with low profile tires.The car was always too tall and needed lowering.In my lifetime I have never seen a better craftsman than Joe Wilhelm.
I love full customs....I have explicit dreams about Bass.....errrrr Bass's car....yeah thats it... I hold to my original post, that fucker is ugly....yeah I can appreciate the history and the fact that it was found and all that crap....thats cool...I get it. I thought we were already talkin shit about them? wish someone woulda told me we wernt earlier....I been givin them a hard time for years.
Second that.. no matter who made it. Must have been only 10 customs in the world back then, if it made the top ten list. Gary
It's not too bad...consider the fact that they were probably drinking lots of Falstaffs, inhaling a lot of lead fumes, and painting enamel with not so much as a mask back then...it's amazing what paint and lead fumes will do to fuck up your brain. Evidenced by this and the other cars on that magazine cover! Which shows - it takes the same amount of effort to build ugly as it does to build right. With that said, hell, I'd own the damn thing, just 'cuz it IS so damn ugly! The tail light area kicks ass!
Noooo!! The last thing that car needs is being Over Restored, or worse, Street Rodded. Hopefully it will be put back together exactly as it was... If its flaws get "corrected", its History is lost.
The individual pieces probably arent that bad, ie the grill would look cool on the right car. but none of the pieces go well together, there is no flow
exactly... "if we fail to learn from history were bound to repeat the same mistakes" - not so accurate quote, by Some Guy
Joe Wilhelm was one of the nicest custom guys I knew. His metalwork was exceptional. His styling missed the mark a couple of times and the Mark Mist is one of them. The styling may have been off but the craftsmanship certainly was not. I saw the car at Joe's while it was under construction. Building the car for a customer probably had something to do with some of the styling decisions. Modifications for the sake of winning car shows may also have had something to do with it. If it gets restored I would like to see it put back like it was as an example of Joe's fine work as a custom metalman. If someone wants to make it look better get another car and do your own. I do know that I never heard Joe Wilheim say a negative word about any one else's work no matter how flawed it was and there were a lot of strangely styled customs around in those days. Including some of my own. RodP
It is growing on me. The more I study the pictures, the more I see the design that the creator did produce, was perfect for the time. Be different, not cookie cutter, the same as everyone else is doing.
Remember, some guys can fu*k up a two car funeral. _________________________________________________________________________ Like I told the kid, "Your music not too loud, it just sucks!"
Will post some pictures of what the car looks like now, for those who are interested in some of Joe's work. Everyone is entitled to there opinion just be respectable. The car is in the East Bay owned by a Hot Rodder, he has owned the car for a short while and plans on restoring it back too original. Thanks for being one of the pioneers Joe.
This may be the one historic custom that should be changed. Does it have to go through life forever looking like that?
While it's not my favorite car,it always surprises me how people(many of whom have never fabricated/build much themselves)find it so easy to dump on something thats probably way beyond their skill and accomplishment level.Don't have to like it,but at least have some respect.
The Jalopy Journal
