Johan Norlin's 1957 Chrysler

Johan's Chrysler as it appeared when he bought it. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

The hood was partially shaved for chrome before Johan rounded the front corners. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Johan decided to install a slimmer, better flowing 1960 Chrysler roof on the car. The roof was also chopped 2 inches during the swap. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

A photo of Johan with the in-progress custom after the chop. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

The eyelids over the headlights were extended 1" to accomodate new bezels. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

The mold for the back window. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

In 2010 Johan gave the car subtle two-tone scallop paint job in Red and Gold Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Johan's New Yorker as it sat in July of 2015. Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

Photo courtesy of Johan Norlin.

1957 Chrysler New Yorker owned and restyled by Johan Norlin of Stockholm, Sweden. Named Johan found the car outside of San Francisco, California. It had spent some time in a desert, and came with the obligatory bullet holes in the floorpans.

Inspired by Clif Inman's 1957 Chrysler, Johans intensions when he bought the car were to build it into an early 1960s custom. After driving it for a season, he began restyling the car in the Autumn of 1997. Johan had already decided that he wanted to fit the car with a slimmer, better flowing 1960 Chrysler roof. He began by cleaning the body for excessive chrome, and it was partially nosed, decked, and shaved for doorhandles and emblems. The sidetrim was shortened and simplified, the hood corners were rounded up front, and the eyelids over the headlights were extended 1" to accomodate new bezels. The stock grille was modified, welded together and chromed, before Olle Thorslund fabricated the upper grille moulding in stainless. The middle piece that originally opens the hood gave Olle a lot of headache. It was originally made from pot metal, so Olle made a new piece in stainless that he welded together with the side corners to make it a whole piece instead. Bullets from a 1959 Cadillac were chromed and aded to the grille before they were topped with real gold leaf. All the interior buttons were also chromed and gold leafed. The rear of the car received new taillight-lenses, that Johan formed from plexiglas. The new taillights featured integrated back up lenses, making them bigger and taller. During the roof swap, Johan also chopped the top 2 inches. 1960 Dodge station wagon back-up lenses were moved down to the rear bumper.

During the build, the body was lifted off the frame, so Johan could perform a careful restoration of the chassis and drivetrain. When it was time for assembly, Johan replaced all of the rubber. Once the bodywork and chassis were done, Johan gave the car a White Pearl paint job in 2010. The White Pearl paint was inspired by famous customs such as "The Ala Kart," "The Beatnik Bandit," "The Victorian," "The Rod & Custom Dream Truck," "The Kopper Kart", and "The Golden Sahara." Subtle two-tone scallops in Inka Gold and Brazilian Brown were laid over the White Pearl. The scallops were outlined in white and black by Pekka Wizzzard Mannermaa and another talented Finish pinstriper.

In July of 2017 Johan was still working on the car. What remained then were the interior and the side windows. Johan lives in Stockholm, but the Cajun Queen and Johan's shop is at Öland, a 5 hours drive away. Hopefully the car will hit the road in 2018.