Whats the most famous Kustom?

Interesting coincidence: Today's Hemmings Motor News' daily blog (11/3/10) has a feature on El Matador which is to be sold at an auction in Ft.Lauderdale in January '11. Whether this is the car that was built by Bill Cushenberry in 1960 or a clone is not really clear. According to the story on the Kustomrama website link, the car has changed hands a number of times and was severely damaged in a fire in the 1990's. The remains were sold to someone who restored it. Where restoration stops and building a clone or replica begins is subject to debate.

Regardless, it made quite an impact among gearheads when it was first unveiled and should rank high on the list of important customs.

 

hey thats what i was trying to say!! but as usuall i just sound like an asshole! well said fellah!

 

You are onto something billsill45, it would have been really nice to see some restoration photos from when they restored it in 1993! Maybe someone here have some?

 

x2--that car has had a lot of "ink".

 

C'mon man...

There's no telling how many of those hits are based on Mercury, outlaw, and the last names Matranga and Roth alone. I bet not many hits are for 'Hirohata' without 'Mercury.'

The Hirohata isn't my personal favorite Kustom, but I can accept that it's easily the most famous.

 

Most famous? Ala Kart or depending on your definition, the Batmobile.
But these questions ALWAYS seem to automatically turn into "my personal favorite" so my favorites? Jade Idol or Ray Goulart Olds

 

You're completely right, I'm not going to deny that.

 

Hirohata Merc or why not the first painted T-Bird by Larry Watson?

 

"Grapevine" Larry Watson R.I.P.

 

First-- The El Matador clone was shown in the 80`s. Then Murphy bought the burnt carcuss of the original and rebuilt it. It`s story is in the the book about them that the Stripper wrote. ------As far as Famous Custom. It all depends when you grew up. The Cobra(Stallone), If you don`t get out much. The munster Coach, Batmobile, if you watched a lot of TV in the 60`s and 70`s. The Outlaw, More of a 60`s showrod. Now the Most famous. The 30`s--Westgard`s 36 Coupe The 40`s--Matrangas Merc. The early 50`s--Hirohata. The 50`s--The Rod and Custom Dream Truck. The crazy Paint era--Watson`s Grapevine. The over the top almost to far style --The Golden Sahara. The Late 90`s--Srape. Ectra .. Ectra... And if your new to this thing-you might vote for Jesse James 36 Ford coupe. If you hav`nt heard of any one of these cars, Do a LITTLE homework. I think the 80`s--Cool 50(ISCA Merc with the Buick Riv Side trim,Red and Silver). The late 70`s--American Graffiti 51 Merc. NOW FOR THE MOST FAMOUS--YOU DECIDE. Just my 2 cents.

 

The original El Matador has been in Florida since the seventies when I owned it. My guess is that the car to be auctioned in Jan is the original that was resurrected by Harold Murphy. The clone was on the west coast and last I heard of it was in the nineties and it was in Denver.

 

does it really matter what the most famous kustom is? after all, kustoms revolve around personal tastes and opinions...

 

Wow! Tough question...kinda like how high is up? Hirohata Merc, El Matador, Beatnik Bandit, Jade Idol, Dream Truck would be my top 5, in no particular order. Each was significant in it's own way. Most famous? Couldn't begin to guess....!

 

Now that's just funny right there- Larry the Cable Guy

 

Funny thing is the Cobra Merc is one of the FUGGLIEST P.O.S. "custom" Mercs ever.

 

Batmobile. I saw it at a car show when I was a kid - [while the TV show was still in production] - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

I still think it rocks.

 

Hirohata Merc

 

X's 2

 

the matranga merc by far

 

American Graffiti yellow '32 ? Its not so much a custom but hot rod yea and i belive it was pretty popular....

 

Dennis Reinero's '56 Olds built by Gene Winfield.

 

Dead on what I would expect. "famous" doesnt mean "best" or "most tasteful" or even "most influental". The Ala kart doesnt even make my personal "top ten" of customs I like, but if I showed a pic of the Jade Idol or the El Matador or Sam Barris' Merc to ten of my niebours, they would all shrug. Bet you at least a few of them would recognize the Ala Kart...

 

That's nice and all, but it still isn't a kustom.

I would expect such an error from the general public, but on a message board supposedly occupied by true car people, I am amazed that so many here are still listing show rods as their choice for what they think is the most famous kustom.

Do you guys really just not understand what a kustom is?

If 'we' can't get it right, there is no hope - once again Kustoms get no respect (sigh).

 

In a world filled with Bobber bikes/trucks and Gassers, it's kind of hard to expect everyone to accept your definition of a Kustom (even if it's the right one).

Here's a sig line I stole from Dragon over on the Jockey Journal.
"I foresee yet another closely defined historic term being corrupted, aborted and ruined.-Dragon"

Larry T

 

You are absolutely right, Larry. Definitions will always vary according to the poster's own perceptions. As diverse as the HAMB is chronologically, geographically, and budget-wise, opinions will always fluctuate.... Now, what was the original question again??? Oh, yeah...Kustoms

 

Fair enough, it IS a show rod and not a true custom, I would agree with that. Guilty as charged.The problem is, to me, "famous" means that at least some members of the general public who aren't dedicated, hard-core HAMBer types should recognize it. I cant think of a single true custom that fits that definition.

 

CadZZilla.

 

Got it. So hot rods get their own term, lowriders get one, musclecars get one, tuners? check, even f'n donks.
But Kustoms, oh hell no, you have to share yours with every car that is no longer stock.
Like I say ... no respect.
Carry on - Lets continue to blur the lines.

 

To go off topic of the tread, I kinda defy you to give a description of Hot Rod that everyone would agree on. Kustom isn't really being discriminated against, labels are. And I agree that's it's not right. If it weren't for labels no one would have any idea what anyone else was talking about.
But don't think your corner of the world is the only place that it's happening.
Larry T