Morning everyone! I just wanted to chime in this morning to wish all my custom family and friends a very Merry Christmas, and be one of the first to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I haven't forgotten about y'all or the thread, but I've still been very busy and have a lot going on. I've missed all our interactions and fun with working on the thread. Hopefully we'll be back at it very soon. Take care! Merry Christmas! E
this Merc was built by Bob Shoe (sp?) from St Cloud Mn back in the early eighties. It was one of a half dozen mercs that a guy from the east coast with a briefcase full of cash bought at the 1986 KKOA leadsled show. one of the other six was the Misty blue merc. We were all blown away at the prices paid for these cars. 13,500 dollars each....
Hello everybody, just thought I'd chime in here with an update. Unfortunately this is a sad one, but news is news. I got a message early this morning from @PasoJohn. He informed me that yesterday Minneapolis custom legend "Four Door" Freddie Romo passed away. We discussed two of Freddie's car's here in the thread. One was his chopped 1949 Plymouth four door that was at the very first Leadsled Spectacular. It was W.E.H.T. #138. Here's a link back to that write up: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-ever-happened-to.1016572/page-99#post-12787776 The other was his incredible chopped 1948 Pontiac four door. That was write up #257. Here is a link to the Pontiac story: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-ever-happened-to.1016572/page-152#post-13998836 I felt like I had to chime in here to give everyone the sad news. Although I never met Freddie, he was a personal hero of mine like so many of the "little guys" that we have covered in this thread. I'm truly sorry that I never got to meet him as he had a unique custom style, and he liked unloved four doors like I do. I'd like to thank @PasoJohn for letting me know as I always like to keep everyone informed here on this thread whenever there is some news about old KKOA customs and their owners/builders. My deepest condolences to Mr. Romo's family and close friends during this tough time. Freddie will be missed by many, but will never be forgotten. Vaya con Dios, Freddie, and thanks..........E
Hey everybody. Hate to only chime in with sad news, but we lost another custom guy. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/sad-day.1285996/#post-14776245 Dick Drushel passed away last night. Dick owned and cruised "Gina's Jewel" for many years out of Ohio. We covered his car way back in April of 2018. It was W.E.H.T. #109. Here's a link to freshen up your memory just in case you don't remember the car or the owner. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-ever-happened-to.1016572/page-81#post-12511672 Hearing things like this is the exact reason why we have to support custom shows and attend. You never know who we will lose before we can get together again. Sitting and visiting with custom people is the best, and finding out we lost another one is heart breaking. My deepest condolences to Dick's family and many friends. He will be greatly missed. Vaya con Dios Mr. Drushel..........E
What Ever Happened To..........? number 299. "@OG lil E" Ed Edgewater, Colorado JUST KIDDING! The idea came to me after seeing @54delray's post. We ALL miss this awesomeness! Hope your doing well!
"What Ever Happened To" your old tail lights? Hey, if more people get to see this thread because of the post, more power to you. Just proof that more Corvettes and Tri-5 Chevys should be customized in a traditional way!
Gentlemen, if I have learned anything in the 7 years I’ve been on this forum it is this, just because a fellow member isn’t here right now doesn’t mean he or she isn’t building, researching, tracking lost customs( that was for @OG lil E ) or finding needles in haystacks.
You guys are too kind. Like @chryslerfan55 said, I'm still doing research when time allows. I still have a lot going on right now that I don't want to get into, but until the water calms, my research time is very limited. I still intend to revive our Tuesday night tradition, I just can't say when. Now, I have to say that your taillights (@Moriarity) are the cat's ass, the bees knees or any of the other old time corny clichés you can think of! The Vette looks like it could have been in a little book back in about '60 or '61, only better though as we get to see them in "***New Living Color***"! At first glance, seeing the taillights took me right back to my youth in my friend Jim Robins' basement looking at his Dad's collection of little books eating up all the neat doodads in the old J.C Whitney and other speed shop ads. (To understand what I'm talking about here, go back to my very first post when I started this thread and it will clear it all up.) The pictures of the lights actually gave me kustom goose bumps. Cool feeling I haven't had in a while. Now the big question. Are they going to make their big debut at the CCR? Inquiring minds want to know..........E
Hi Ed, It would be great if this thread comes back someday. I just realized that since you stopped updating it, me spending time on the HAMB has significantly reduced.
Tom drove this car for years, I saw it up North in Michigan at the Midland show from 1985 thought most of the 90's. Not just at the show but on the road. When I first met Tom at Autorama he seemed like such a genuine person. Then I would see him on the road all over. His car was just not a show car but driven regularly. Here's a picture I took at Autorama in 1980. I know it's a old thread.
@Orig. Cobra Jet Kid , Welcome to the HAMB and thank you for sharing some of your history/knowledge of a great car guy and his kustom. Cool old picture, choose "full image" when posting good stuff like that in the future.
the guy you're referring to is me ! I had just graduated high school in 1990 and rode with Doug to Holland in his chopped '50 Wayfarer for the show that year. I love ALL the Wayfarer customs, and have had many starts and stops on building one. I got one in 2005, started the chop in '06, and then it sat ... I traded it away in 2014, and then bought it back in 2019. It's been hiding away in storage since. I've just started gathering parts again and am working toward bringing it home sometime this summer to get it on the road again (it is the car in my avatar)
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