I like the Olds 400 thing too. I'm betting it's a 371. It doesn't have 394 heads and it is definately a first series Olds.
Mozambi, The Golden Catfish. Sure does look better with the top down. The good Dr. has kept it in same shape as it was in in 57. Dam. 1957 was one rusty ass year.
I know this is an older post. But I was contacted by a former owner of this car that would really like to get in contact with the current owner. Does anybody know who has it now... Was it sold on that Ebay auction? Any info would be welcome. thanks I have also found an old magazine article on the car... in its full car show glory days... Fully upholstered engine bay....!!! The seat inserts have changed over the years.
way to kill a '55 vert! looks too far boogered to bring it back to looking somewhat normal. some folks just shouldn't work on cars.
I saw that car on one of the internet sales sights about 2 years ago for $12,000. I know some guys that buy 57 chevy verts that are vertually only a cowl and top parts and rebuild them from bottom up with some of the decent sheetmetal that's now available for them. It would not be that hard to return it to original looking but you'd loose the custom. They passed on it and so did I.
Definitely an acquired taste but I remember that customizing era pretty well. You have to look at it in the context of time and cultural environment when it was produced to better understand it. It's grotesque but, then again, there was a lot of grotesque stuff going on back then. You can criticize the quality of the workmanship involved for sure but it's more complicated to evaluate the "taste" and the "vision" that produced it. I like it because, to me anyway, it's like something that emerged right from the depths of the Id or Superego if you want to go all Sigmund Freudian about it. If that doesn't represent a colossal burst of repressed sexual energy I don't know what does. Haha,I'm so full of shit. Seriously though, it's definitely an acquired taste. Someone should restore that bad beast.
I saw the car just after the auction and just before the buyer hauled it off. it was a mess. Interior was shot, bondo had cracks and pieces jumping off the body. Chrome was rusting thru. It was VERY sad. I'm sure the new owner did not see it first hand and I'm certain he was pissed when it arrived. Really sad, this.
I didn't think I'd hear anything else about this car but I got this email through HAMB and thought I'd pass it along. I'm not sure if he's saying he has the car or he's willing to help with questions to fix it back, but if you have this 55 and want the history here ya go. Anyone know where this ragtop is now? . .email that was sent , My father and I built the car from 1957-1961. It placed First in the Nationals against George Barris and the Alexander Brothers in 1961. I won about 40 trophies in13 shows. I was in the first Calvalcade of Customs in Cincinnati. I was forced to sell it for financial reasons around 1998. A "friend" HA, who had it stored for me while I was in Arkansas had put it outside without telling me. I guy in Mt. Healthy bought it and restored it. Unforyunately he got rid of all the hand tooled leather. A great points getter at the shows. He had a bad heart and cancer and after showing it for about a year he died. His wife got rid of all of his cars 5-6, and somehow it ended up in Eastern Cincinnati near River Downs. A car lot guy wanted $18,000 for it and let it sit outside for 2 years. You see what happened. Last price was $12,000. I would love to have it back since my dad is dead and it brings back a book's worth of memories. If you buy it I'll tell you everything you need to know to restore it. I don't want to see it destroyed by people that don't appreciate it. Bob answer back to XXXXX
Any word on this ol' girl? Someone told me it's floating around the mid Ohio area with custom pinstripes and hitting the local shows. At least someone is driving it and not letting it sit like before.
Customs were never my thing but the only thing I see as ugly is the front wheel openings. Tweak it a little and it would be just kinda ugly instead of butt ugly.
I had these pics from a thread posted here, dont remember which. but atleast it has a name now, "Golden Rat". may be easier to track it down.
Hate to say it, but if you look back in your collections of the "little books" you'll see tons of customs just like it! Some of the cars that made it into R&C back in the day were a massive jumble of odd parts that really didn't go together all that well. Still, better than the Boyd Coddington "Everything billet or painted the same color" look by a long shot!!! Just one man's opinion, but I kinda LIKE the front of it! The fins and rear of the car leave a little to be desired, but hey... Not my car, so...
crazy story for sure. I think it's pretty cool looking. I don't like the new pinstripes and what ever that shit is sticking off the tail pipes.
Cars like that are what killed customs for a while, people were making changes just to change something and screwed up the car. Customizing was supposed to improve on the cars lines, not see how much crap you could hang on it.
wow...someone got a little crazy with the cheese wiz..eh? I hear that back in them days the weed was really really good shit...must be true
It may not be a 10 most beautiful customs winner, but it certainly does not deserve the hidious stripes and the GIANT wiener roasters that have been added to it!!!!!!!!
Those flame throwing looking pipes are awful. It looked better in it's original kustom form. Change.. hmm.. seems I've heard that slogan before.. ;-)
Some fools should never be turned loose with a torch and a can of bondo. That 55 (??) was taken a little too far in my cheap opinion. Maybe someone just decided to abandon it there once they came out of their drug induced state.
But that might just mean that who ever has it will soon tire of it and move on to the next fad and put it up for sale so someone who wants to restore it to the original show car it was can get it. I'm not fan of that over the top add one more thing for ten more points type of customizing either but the car is a good example of the excesses guys went to in that era to garner show points.
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