Fredhäll

In 1961, Björn Ramsten founded The Flintstones of Hollygroff Car Club with a group of neighborhood friends in Stockholm, Sweden, naming it after the popular animated sitcom. This photograph, taken at Fredhäll in 1961, shows the club’s 1947 Buick convertible along with members Nils-Erik Schullström, Tommy Ternström, Björn Hammar, Tore Ström, and Björn Ramsten. Driver "Kurre" is also present, while Lelle Larsson operates the camera. During this era, clubs such as The Road Devils, Car Angels, and Teddyboys were active in Stockholm, but as Björn recalled, “We were 6–7 friends with cars that started a local club called The Flintstones. The Road Devils already ravaged around a bit in folk parks and such, receiving a bit of coverage. We didn’t do that. We were just interested in cars and thought it was fun.” Photo by Lelle Larsson.

The Flintstones of Hollygroff Car Club was one of the pioneering car clubs in Stockholm, Sweden during the early 1960s, marking an important chapter in the evolution of Swedish custom car culture. The club was founded in 1961 by a small group of neighborhood kids who grew up in Fredhäll at Kungsholmen in Stockholm. Inspired by their passion for American cars and the burgeoning custom scene, these young enthusiasts came together to celebrate their love for automobiles long before they were legally old enough to drive.

The Flintstones of Hollygroff Car Club's 1947 Buick Convertible. Owned by members of The Flintstones of Hollygroff Car Club, a notable club in the early Swedish custom car scene, the Buick was acquired by a group of teenagers in Stockholm in 1961, it became an emblem of youthful creativity and camaraderie during a formative era for hot rodding and car clubs in Sweden.

Björn Ramsten's 1957 Chevrolet at Fredhäll in 1965, showing the early stages of his custom modifications. Inspired by local custom cars and American magazines, Björn began altering the Chevy in metal that year. “I started out making a scoop on an extra hood I had. A piece of sheet metal between the torpedoes and some chromed teeth from an Opel Kapitan air-intake,” he recalled. Although his time in the army from 1965 to 1966 slowed progress, he still managed to create a grille inspired by Bosse "Gamen" Sandberg's Surfin Bird, fashioned from gold-painted sequins. “I handmade all those sequins. Cutting out square pieces of metal that I bent before soldering on a nut and painting them in gold.” Photo from The Lelle Larsson Collection.

Björn Ramsten's 1957 Chevrolet of Stockholm, Sweden. Built during the golden age of Nordic custom culture, Björn was a founding member of The Flintstones of Hollygroff Car Club. Inspired by icons like Bill Cushenbery and the Alexander Brothers, Ramsten began the transformation in 1965, blending American flair with Swedish ingenuity. Powered by a 327 with performance upgrades, the Chevy saw action on both the street and dragstrip, notably competing at the historic First Go race at Anderstorp in 1968. The build was completed in 1967, and it was shown at the Hot Rod Show the same year. After changing hands several times, the car’s custom identity was gradually lost to restoration, but its legacy remains a cornerstone of Swedish custom history.