1960s

Darryl Starbird's Predicta of Wichita, Kansas. In February of 1960 Darryl Starbird introduced the full bubble top to the custom car industry when he debuted the Predicta at the National Roadster Show in Oakland, California. Starbird was only 26 years old at the time and his futuristic bubble top creations helped him become the most influential customizer in the midwest during the 1960s. The Predicta won “The Car of the Future Award” at the Oakland show, and Motor Life magazine picked it as their Top Custom of the year in 1960.

The 1960 Car Club Murder. On March 28, 1960, a violent car club clash shook Long Beach, California, when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. The attack left 16-year-old Neil Mahan critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head. The event, covered in newspapers like the Independent on March 30, 1960, sent shockwaves through the local community and marked a pivotal moment in the region's car club history. The aftermath of the incident, involving multiple arrests and a high-profile trial, was seen by some as signaling the decline of the car club culture among teenagers in the area. Photo courtesy of the Independent, March 30, 1960.

"Never before has the American public seen off-center styling such as that characterizing the Plymouth XNR." This was how the Plymouth-De Soto-Valiant Division introduced their innovative Plymouth badged Corvette-competitor to the public on March 1, 1960. Originally named "Plymouth Asymmetrica," the asymmetrical two-seater roadster was renamed XNR after its designer Virgil Exner during the construction phase. Exner's Corvette-killer was one of the cars that introduced asymmetrical styling to the public in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of the Chrysler Corporation.

4 engines, 6 wheels, 1280 horses, and an off-set cockpit. Paul Wirt's Experimental Car was featured on the cover of the August 1960 issue of Rodding and Re-styling magazine. Wirt was a pipeline contractor from Wooster, Ohio, and his multi-engined bubble-topped roadster was actually built for driving on the street. It looks more like a Bonneville record-chaser, but it is, in fact, one of the earliest street driven asymmetrical custom builds we have been able to find on print. Photo from The Ray Soff Photo Collection.

Tommy Henderson's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan of Caledon, Ontario, Canada. Henderson, a member of the Roadmates Car Club, bought the car in original condition in 1960. He spent the next 18 years working on it before selling it in 1978. The car was known as The Green Machine.

Gene Winfield's 1935 Ford Shop Truck of Modesto, California. The '35 was Gene's second shop truck, and when he got it, half of the kustomizing had been done by Rick Lefelt. After completing the build, he started showing it in 1960.

Dennis Murphy's 1939 Ford Convertible Sedan of Wyckoff, New Jersey. Murphy purchased the car in Ohio in 1960. He was 15 years old at the time, looking for his first car, and was excited when he saw a hot rod for sale by the side of the road. A deal was made, and his dad drove it the 400+ miles back to their home in New Jersey.

Tom Gibbons' 1949 Ford Tudor - The Orchid Lady of Morris, Illinois. Gibbons bought the car from Jim Galvin in 1960. They completed the build together, turning it into The Orchid Lady.

Ed Pogue's 1953 Ford was restyled by Darry Starbird at Star Kustom Shop in the early 1960s. Named The Glitra, it featured canted quad headlights and a sparking Metalflake paint job.

Dave Miller's 1937 Ford Tudor Sedan of Topeka, Kansas. Dave ran Scavenger Pipes on his '37 in the early 1960s. "I spent my summers in Long Beach, and I had seen these pipes on many customs and hot rods on the streets and at shows. Many of the shows were on the football fields of local high schools. Wilson High was one, and it was near my grandparents' home."

Vern LaCoursiere's 1953 Mercury of Tacoma, Washington. Vern was a member of the Tacoma Toppers, and the Merc was his third car. Dressed up with an all-white Mexico Upholstery, Vern gave the car a Candy Purple Panel Paint Job in 1960 when he was 23 years old.

Gary Oliver's 1955 Chevrolet of Pontiac, Michigan. Known as "El Prado II," the car is a recreation of a custom Gary had in 1960. The clone was completed in 1984, featuring a scallop paint job by Paul Hatton, just like the original "El Prado."

Ron Dulin's 1956 Plymouth Fury of Long Beach, California. Dulin was a member of the Cut Outs of Long Beach car club, and his Plymouth went through seven iterations between 1956 and 1962. This photo shows the car as it appeared late 1959 or early 1960, after Larry Watson had given it a fogged panel paint job.

Ron Dulin's 1956 Plymouth Fury of Long Beach, California. Dulin was a member of the Cut Outs of Long Beach car club, and his Plymouth went through seven iterations between 1956 and 1962. This photo shows the car as it appeared circa 1960, after Junior Conway had given it a Candy Tangerine paint job.

Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible of La Salle, Illinois. Ron was a member of the Illinois Valley Mis-Fires. Between the years 1960 and 1963 he took the car through five different stages. This photo shows a mild iteration of the car as it appeared circa 1960.

Larry Wood's 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Haddam, Connecticut. Later known as "Mr. Hot Wheels," the Ford was Wood's first hot rod and a project that would encapsulate his early fascination with automotive design and craftsmanship. The build was started in 1958. He completed it in 1961 before being accepted to the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Roy Abendroth originally wanted Richard Axcell to give his 1955 Buick custom a Metalflake paint job. Too busy doing everyday cars, Axcell told Roy to see his buddy Larry Watson. Roy told Watson that he was interested in something different for the car. Watson, who had just recently painted Ron Aguirre's X-Sonic, told Roy about the lifts Ron had installed on his Corvette to adjust the ride height by the touch of a button. That was something brand new that caught Roy's interest, so he approached Aguirre about having him install lifts on his Buick as well. Ron accepted the offer, and Roy drove the car up to Fontana to have Ron install lifts up front. Afraid of damaging the paint, Roy figured out it was safer to install the lifts while the car was still in primer. "Ron took it apart and put all the lifts in. From what I understand, the lifts were built from parts from an aircraft. Like a piper cup or something like that. Componentes that lifts the wheels in and out when it's flying." The lifts were installed around 1961, about a year before he first showed it. It was the second car Ron installed lifts on, and it might have been the third hydraulic lifted custom in the world. Photo courtesy of Roy Abendroth.

The Slo Poks of Wapato, Washington was a small northwest club started in 1959-1960. The club rented a clubhouse building from Logan's Feed And Seed for club functions and to work on their cars. Photo courtesy of Kevin Bennett.

Dave Willis' 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe of Port Alberni, Bristish Columbia, Canada. Originally built by Gary Stermer of Vancouver in the 1950s, Dave purchased the coupe circa 1960. Dave spent two years of spare time turning the coupe into a showstopper.

Robert Ansetta's 1951 Ford Crestliner of Morris Plains, New Jersey. Robert owned the car from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s, and most of the custom work on it was done during those years. Robert passed away in 1961 before the build was completed, and it was his brother Vinnia who finally completed the build in 1983.

Gary Glenn's 1957 Ford of Lansing, Michigan. The Hyde Brothers gave the car a panel paint job in 1961.

In an attempt to get into the youth market, Ford Motor Company teamed up with AMT to launch the "Custom Car Caravan" in 1962. Together they wanted to create and campaign customized and performance-themed Fords. Or, as Ed Roth described it in his book, "making sure all of Ford's stuff was in the car shows around the country." The first cars were built in-house, but it didn't take long before Ford started to commission famous customizers such as George Barris, the Alexander Brothers, Bill Cushenbery, and Gene Winfield to dream up and execute life-size Ford customs.

From strip to street. In 1962 American Racing started promoting their popular Torq-Thrust wheels towards the general public, and a couple of street racers were used to promote the 7" x 15" Torq-Thrust wheel for both competition and street use. Designed for 7.10/15 slicks or 7.60 to 8.20 street rubber, the wheels were priced at $65.00 each. Click here to check out Kustomrama's Guide to American Racing Torq-Thrust Wheels.

A photo of Paul Hannan's 1929 Ford Model A roadster photographed at the 1962 Grand National Roadster Show in February of 1962. This is one of the earliest street rods we have found running American Racing Torq-Thrust wheels. Hannan polished the wheels before he installed them on his roadster. A very labor-intense process. Today you can achieve the same look by ordering and installing a set of Polished Torq-Thrust Original Wheels. Check sizes, prices, and availability on these wheels on Amazon.com. Photo from The James Handy Collection.

Bob Peterson's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe of Mason City, Iowa. Bob bought the coupe in 1962. At the time, he was stationed at the Army's Nike-Hercules missile headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he kept the car at a friend's house in Minneapolis.

Deaner Probst's 1933 Ford Cabriolet of Jefferson, Wisconsin. Known as "Lil' Dough," Probst dragged the car home as a project in 1957. He spent the next years working on it while showing it at various shows. In 1962 he debuted a Metalflake red iteration of the car.

Don Provance's 1957 Ford Fairlane of Oak Lawn, Illinois. The second iteration of the car, known as "Gold Digger," was completed circa 1962-1963. This version was upgraded with dual headlights integrated with scoops containing forward-pointing sunken antennas. It did also roll on chromed and reversed wheels.

Leon Kendrick's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Houston, Texas. Featuring stacked dual headlights and a panel paint job, the "Wild Deuce" iteration of the coupe started appearing in magazine in 1963.

Orin Meyer's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Orin first saw the car in 1957, when it was owned by Norman Fortini of Plymouth, Massachusetts. He purchased it from Duncan Weaver around 1960, and this photo shows the coupe as it appeared in 1963.

Marv Shetler's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan of Scott Mills, Oregon. Marv bought the Ford in Kansas in 1962, while he was in college. At the end of the school year in 1963 he drove the car back to Oregon.

George Jezek's 1949 Chevrolet 2-Door Sedan of West, Texas. Jezek was a local pinstriper and a founding member of the Eliminators of West car club. Known as The Candy Cart, Jezek's Chevrolet went through several modifications during the late 1950s and the 1960s. This photo shows how it appeared in 1962 after Jezek had installed a heavily chromed 283 Chevy engine and removed exterior chrome accessories such as dual spotlights and lakes pipes.

Gene Winfield's 1935 Ford Shop Truck of Modesto, California. The '35 was Gene's second shop truck, and when he got it, half of the kustomizing had been done by Rick Lefelt. After completing the build, he started showing it in 1960. Before the 1963 season, Gene painted the truck with 40 coats of Candy Blue lacquer over a pearl base.

DeWayne Iverson's 1949 Mercury of Tacoma, Washington. DeWayne purchased the car from a lot in Tacoma in 1963. The car had already been customized when he got it.

Miles Masa's 1962 Chevrolet Impala of Downers Grove, Illinois. Restyled from a wreck in 1963, the car was shown as "The Stardust."

Sonny Kahal's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan. Sonny showed the car at the Detroit Autorama in the mid-1950s. Back then, it featured a chopped top, a 1951 Oldsmobile engine, and bobbed fenders. Herb Derose of Toledo, Ohio purchased the car from Sonny in the mid-1960s.

Wayne Knudsen's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe of Toledo, Ohio. The chopped and channeled coupe is believed to have been built by Knudsen in the mid-late 1950s. It was later acquired by Warren Bookman, the organizer of the Toledo Auto Rama. Under Bookman's ownership, the car was prominently showcased at the Auto Rama, drawing significant attention and acclaim from attendees and automobile enthusiasts. This photo shows the car as it appeared in 1964.

Don Sealy's 1933 Chevrolet Pickup of Grants Pass, Oregon. Named "The Hauler," Don got the truck from a young man that stayed with him and a wife for a while in the later 1950s or the early 1960s. Don began installing the drivetrain from a wrecked 1957 Chevroler 210 around 1964-1965. The project was abandoned in 1965, but the truck remained in the family, and in 2020 it was owned by his son Robert.

Kalle Jonasson's 1939 Mercury Convertible of Costa Mesa, California. Originally restyled in the 1940s or the 1950s. An earlier iteration of Kalle's Mercury was supposedly spotted in Lynwood, California in 1958. By 1963, it had been repainted in Green Metalflake, and an old photo shows it sitting at a car dealership in San Diego. Kalle bought the car in May of 1978 and spent two years restoring it, giving it his own look.

Christer Gref's 1956 Ford Fairlane of Stockholm, Sweden. Known as "Chrille," Gref lived in Hägersten in Stockholm. This vehicle, tastefully modified and parked near the bridge to Djurgården Island in Stockholm, was immortalized in a photograph taken by Roland Larsson in 1965. Despite its striking appearance, Gref's Fairlane was never displayed at any of the early Swedish Hot Rod Shows during the 1960s. This absence from the custom car spotlight has made it somewhat of a mystery within Swedish car culture. It remains unclear whether Gref actively participated in the car scene or preferred to enjoy his Fairlane privately.

Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette of Roosevelt, New York. For more than six decades, Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style has been recognized as the inventor of the Lace Paint Job, as he debuted Doug Carney's 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix at an indoor car show in April 1967. Five months before this great event, in November 1966, Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer of Roosevelt, New York, showed his panel and lace painted 1963 Chevrolet Corvette at the ISCA New York Coliseum Show. The lace paint job was applied late in 1965. Photo courtesy of Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer.

A detail shot of the lace paint on Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette dated October 1965. "No one knew what it was," Gary told Kustomrama late in 2022. "Everyone there was saying, "Did you see the paisley paint job?" The following year almost half the cars at that show had lace paint jobs." Photo courtesy of Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer.

John Viggianelli's 1963 Ford Galaxie of Pacoima, California. Viggianelli's Galaxie was mildly restyled before it around 1965 received a Candy Ruby over Pearl Silver, Red, and Maroon Metalflake custom paint job by Larry Watson at Watson's House of Style. After the car had been painted, a Mexican gentleman in Glendale installed hydraulic lifts up front.

Watson's Custom Auto Painting - Two Locations. One of Larry Watson's business cards from the 1960s. Business was booming at the time, and Larry was running one shop in Paramount and one in Van Nuys. This card was donated by Marshall Tripp, who worked for Larry between 1966 and 1967. Card from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Miles Masa's 1962 Chevrolet Impala of Downers Grove, Illinois. Restyled from a wreck in 1963, the car was shown as "The Stardust." Miles rebuilt the car into the "Goofy Grape" around 1966-1967.

Attending the 1962 Grand National Roadster Show was also John Gomez's 1957 Chevrolet. A radical Joe Bailon build that had been dressed up with mag wheels for the season. This is one of the first customs we have seen rolling on Torq-Thrust wheels. If you want the same kind of wheels for your custom, you better check out the Polished Torq-Thrust Original Wheels, or the Chromed model of the Torq-Thrust D's. Check sizes, prices, and availability for these wheels on Amazon.com. Photo by Bud Lang, from The Petersen Archive.

Dick Ceola's 1930 Ford Model A truck of Springdale, Arkansas. Dick was a member of the Ozark Drifters Kar Klub of Fayetteville when he started the build in 1960. Completed two years later, in 1962, the ruck went on to become a trophy winner in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible of La Salle, Illinois. Ron was a member of the Illinois Valley Mis-Fires. Between the years 1960 and 1963, he took the car through five different stages. This photo shows an iteration of the car that debuted in 1962.

A photo of Larry Grossman taken in 1962 at age 14. "I had been drawing wild monsters and cars on shirts for kids with felt markers, until my Mom drove me to Ed "Big Daddy" Roth’s shop in Maywood, CA. I was a big fan of Roth's, and was thrilled when he airbrushed a shirt for me (BTW, out back they were working on the "Mysterion"). I promptly went home and quickly bought myself an airbrush! Within a few months I was custom airbrushing shirts for customers at car shows, department stores, fairs, and other events." Photo courtesy of Larry Grossman.

Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible of La Salle, Illinois. Ron was a member of the Illinois Valley Mis-Fires. Between the years 1960 and 1963, he took the car through five different stages. This photo shows the fifth and most radical iteration of the car that was restyled in 1963. By then, the car had received an asymmetrical scoop on the hood, radiused wheel wells, and a fogged paint job. Ron sold the car to a used car dealer in Princeton, Illinois in July of 1963. Rumors have it that the car was then sold to a fellow from Ohio, possibly Dayton.

Don Tognotti's 1913 Ford Model T Roadster, "King T", of Sacramento, California. Restyled by Don and Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop, the build was started in 1962 and completed in 1964, winning the 1964 America's Most Beautiful Roadster award.

Avenue Auto Interiors of Bridgeport, Connecticut. A custom upholstery shop run and operated by Jim DeSalle. DeSalle started doing interiors in the early fifties, and his shop was known as one of the finest upholstery houses in the New England area. After operating Avenue Auto Interiors for fifteen years, Jim changed its name to Vantastics, turning it into a van customizer shop. The auto trim field had started slowing down, so Jim looked into other areas.

Buzz Pitzen's 1923 Ford fiberglass-bodied Model T roadster of Redondo Beach, California. Buzz bought the body from Diablo Speed Shop in Walnut Creek, California, and it is believed to be the first fiberglass T Bucket ever made. Known as the Glass Image, the build was completed in 1960, making it the world's first known Fiberglass T-bucket hot rod.

Lee A. Jagla's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster Pick Up of Hayward, California. Lee was a member of the Hayward V-Eights car club, and the Model T was a high school graduation gift from his parents in 1960. In 2014 the old hot rod was sold to Norway.

Manuel Gonzalez's Californian of Wilmington, California. Manuel's blown Chevrolet dragster was built by Allen Murdersbach. Started in 1959, the build featured an aluminum body by Bob Sorrell that Dean Jeffries painted Candy Apple Red and Pearlescent White. Don Prosser performed he engine work, and the build was completed sometime around 1960.

Ray McMullin's 1941 Cadillac Coupe. Ray lived in the Ogden area in Utah. He was a member of the Stags of Ogden car club, and fellow club member Mickey Ellis believes he gave the coupe a Candy Red paint job circa 1959-1960.

Norman Kopp's 1932 Chevrolet Coupe of Beloit, Wisconsin. Originally owned and built by Norman's brother, the first running completion was in 1958. The build was completed in 1961. Norman was a member of the Road Gents of Beloit car club.

Jacques Bechard's 1932 Ford Roadster of Montreal, Canada. The build was started in 1958. This photo shows the car as it appeared circa 1961.

Ron Price's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe of San Jose, California. Built in the early 1960s, the car made its debut in 1961, at the Grand National Roadster Show.

Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible of La Salle, Illinois. Ron was a member of the Illinois Valley Mis-Fires. Between the years 1960 and 1963, he took the car through five different stages. This photo shows a mild iteration of the car as it appeared circa 1961. By then, the car had received quad headlights.

Ernie Geisler's 1956 Chevrolet Convertible of Lynhurst, New Jersey. Ernie was a member of the Drivin Deuces of Carlstadt car club, and his car, known as "The Black Knight," was restyled by Monego's Auto Body in the late 1950s and the early 1960s.

Rich Wroblewski's 1958 Chevrolet Impala of Neptune City, New Jersey. Rich was a member of the Haulin' Gents car club, and his Impala was restyled by fellow club member Terry Browning in the early 1960s. It was shown and known as the "Jade East."

Eric Seltzer's 1959 Fiat 600 of Sherman Oaks, California. Powered by a 750cc Abarth engine, Eric bought the Fiat in October of 1960. When he got the car, it had been given a custom paint job with pinstriping by Von Dutch. After buying it, Eric had all the upholstery work done in Tijuana, Mexico.

Joe Roth's 1959 Chevrolet Impala of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Restyled by Cudahy Auto Body, the build was started in 1960 and completed in 1961.

Danny Leonette's 1960 Chevrolet Impala of Norwalk, California. Danny was one of the original members of the Seagrams of Norwalk car club, and he bought the Impala brand new. After buying it he dropped it in the front and back and added Appleton spotlights.

Keith Christensen's 1959 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery of Norwalk, California. Keith and Doug Carney installed hydraulic lifts on the car in 1961. It was also dressed up with a Murano Pearl Yellow paint job by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style. Keith ran Gene's Mufflers, and the Sedan Delivery was his daily driver.

Gary Ruddell's 1960 Ford Starliner of Norwalk, California. Gary was the President of the Seagrams of Norwalk car club, and he bought the car and had it restyled circa 1960-1961.

The second iteration of Bill Whetstone's 1960 Ford Starliner, as it appeared after the Alexander Brothers completed it in September of 1961. After touring the car for the 1961 season, Bill and Bud Andersen sat down to plan a new and reworked version. Redoing it was necessary to stay competitive on the show circuit, and being able to get paid for having a featured car. Painted Candy Blue, this version featured radiused wheel wells, shaved fins, and a single asymmetrical scoop in the hood. Known as the Adonis, this is one of the first customs featuring asymmetrical styling. Photo courtesy of George Barris.

The 1961 Plymouth Asimmetrica was the production version of the XNR showcar. 25 cars were supposedly planned for special clients, but only 2 are believed to actually have been built. Photo by Josh Bryan, courtesy of RM Auctions.

Dick Axcell’s Candy Red Pearl 1962 Ford Thunderbird was one of the first asymmetrical customs to appear on the West Coast. Restyled by George Barris and his talented crew of craftsmen at Barris Kustoms, the build made its debut in 1962. The list of modifications included a unique off-set headlight, an asymmetrical grille, and an asymmetrical hood scoop. Mild alterations that still resulted in a dramatic and futuristic front end.

Art Lehner's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe of South Gate, California. Art ran Art Chrome Body Shop in South Gate, and most of the work on the car was performed there. The build was started in 1961, and completed sometime around 1961-1962. Known as "The Blue Indigo," it is believed that Art built the car from the remains of Walt Banker's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe.

Bo Sandberg's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster, Purple Passion, of Stockholm, Sweden. The build was completed around 1965.

John Caldwell's 1932 Ford Four-Door Sedan of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Being an early member of the Road Knights of Sydney car club, Caldwell bought the 32 late in 1964. Shortly after buying it, he gave it a Metalflake paint job. One of the first Metalflake paint jobs in the area.

Palle Eriksson's 1924 Chevrolet roadster of Stockholm, Sweden. The first version of Palle's rod was shown at the 1965 Hot Rod Show in Stockholm.

John Toohey's 2E-"T" Ford Model R Toadster of Eugene, Oregon. Built by John, the car made its debut in 1965, at the Portland Roadster Show.

Larry Grossman in the Barris booth at The Tridents Car Club Show in L.A. in 1965. Larry first met George Barris around 1962 when he would ride his 10-speed bike to his shop and hang out, watching his guys work on the cars. "By 1965, George invited me to airbrush shirts in his booth at the "Teenage Fair" in Hollywood. In the booth right next to Barris' was Ed "Big Daddy" Roth himself, who I was now competing with (I was 17)!! Both Barris and Roth were my heroes, and over the years, I did quite a bit of art for George and became friends with his family as well." Larry designed a couple of cars for George, in addition to creating the art for the cover of his final book. Photo courtesy of Larry Grossman.

Bill Cissell's 1925 Ford Model T roadster of San Carlos, California. Bill's bucket was built in the early 1960s.

Dick Kalivoda and John Hamlin's 1925 Ford Modified Model T Roadster of Seattle, Washington. The car had a racing past when Dick bought it, and the car is also known as Ed Norton & Armie Marion's 1925 Ford Model-T Roadster. Dick bought the car from Ed and Armie in the late 1950s,and he hit the strip with it in 1960.

Larry Hughes 1926 Ford Model T roadster pick up of Boulder, Colorado. Built in the 1960s, Larry's finned hot rod was known as the "The Bomber"

The Forcasta of Columbus, Ohio. The car was built by Darryl Starbird at Star Kustom Shop who wanted to show the world that his first bubble top car The Predicta was no fluke. After completing The Predicta, he immediately set out to build another bubble top car. Called The Forcasta, Starbird’s second coming was built for Chuck Miller of Columbus, Ohio. Chuck’s car was built on 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Monza chassis. Starbird wanted a car with a very low hood, and he was actually looking into using a rear-engined Wolksvagen. The Forcasta was a four-seater, so a one of a kind bubble was made to cover all heads of the passengers. The build was completed in 1962, and George Barris named it one of the best customs of the year, and “a forecast-a for the future”.

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Ed Roth's Rotar of Bell, California. After building The Beatnik Bandit, Ed Roth decided to challenge George Barris, building his own bubble-topped air car. While the Barris’ air car was well built, Roth’s Rotar was a little rougher. The XPAK 400 featured no frictional moving parts at all, and power came from two jet aircraft starter motors. Roths Air Car, on the other hand, was powered by two Triumph engines that he had turned on their sides and fitted with high-pressure propellers. The build was completed in 1962 featuring a patriotic red white and blue paint job by Larry Watson.

America's Wildest Show Rods of the 1960s and 1970s: Analysis and Opinions from George Barris, Darryl Starbird, Candy Joe Bailon, and Others (Cartech)

Les Mullen's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette of Miami, Florida. Known as "Dominique," Les spent 1,500 hours and 2,500 dollars restyling the car. The build was completed in 1962.

J.P. Danos' 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne. Known as The Fantabula, the car was Darryl Starbird’s third bubble top build. It was completed late in 1962 and made the cover of Car Craft January 1963. The interior carried the Starbird trademark stick steering and TV set.

Irvin Kirschner's 1955 Chevrolet of Westwood, New Jersey. Known as The Pirate, the car was the second East Coast bubble-top custom that made its debut in 1963. Restyled by Tony Bruskivage for Irvin Kirschner the 1955 Chevrolet custom featured a huge plastic bubble that enclosed the entire 4 place cockpit on the car. Photo from The Brian Frederick Photo Collection.

Dick Scully's 1958 Ford Thunderbird of Chicago, Illinois. The car was Darryl Starbird’s fifth bubble top custom. Completed in 1963, Dick’s Thunderbird was given the name Electra. The Electra featured one of Starbird’s largest bubbles, as it covered all four passengers and most of the trunk.

Tom Holden’s 1959 Chevrolet El Camino was a radical bubble-top custom from Detroit, Michigan. Named Ultimus, the build made its debut at the 1963 Detroit Autorama. The Ultimus featured two hydraulically operated vacuum-formed canopies from Cadillac Plastics Company. Photo courtesy of Carscoops.

Bobby Freedman's 1962 Jaguar XK-E. In 1963 Dick “Korky” Korkes built a bubble-topped 1962 Jaguar XK-E for Bobby Freedman. Bobby’s Jaguar featured a double bubble that was split by a center panel with chrome bands across the roof. When George Barris saw the car, he offered Korky a position as shop foreman Barris Kustoms. Korky took the offer and solicited Freedman to pay his way out to California. Freedman agreed and Korky packed up, installed a tow hitch on the Parisian, rented a uhaul, loaded on the Jaguar and headed out West. Never to look back again.

Ed Roth's Road Agent of Maywood, California. Ed Roth’s fourth bubble top build started out as a project car for Rod & Custom Magazine. A Corvair engine and rear suspension allowed a low-slung hood. Named "The Road Agent," the build was finished early in 1964, and it featured a bubble in fluorescent plastic, made in the pizza oven at Furt’s sign shop.

Ed Roth's Orbitron of Maywood, Califonria. The car featured three headlights in primary colors, and Roth's idea was that when the three lights hit the road they would be a white beam. Completed in 1964, The Orbitron was a failure at the shows. Roth believed it failed due to the engine being hidden. He sold the car to a fellow in Texas. It went missing for many years and was later found in front of a porn shop in Mexico. The Orbitron was Roth’s fifth and final bubble top show car in the 1960s.

Arnie Boyle's Piranha was a Competition Street Roadster built by Arnie Boyle of Montebello, California. A joint venture between Boyle and designer Roy Lonberger, the Piranha embodied a fusion of drag racing spirit and street-legal flair. The build was started in 1963. Completed in 1964, and unfortunately sold for parts in 1965, when Arnie's life took a dramatic turn.

Teddy Zgrzemski' 1957 Chevrolet Nomad of Rockwood, Michigan. Teddy bought the Nomad from his friend Gene Rosco back in 1964 or 1965. It came from California, and it featured a beautiful Eddie Martinez interior. Shortly after buying the Nomad, Teddy's uncle, Bill Hines, helped install hydraulic lifts on the car, turning it into what might be the first hydraulic lifted car in Michigan.

Jerry Greenwade’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette. Known as Cosma Ray, the car received a bubble top and custom body work by Darryl Starbird in 1964. It was later brought to Barris Kustoms for additional restyling and a new paint job.

Steve Scott's Uncertain-T of Reseda, California. Built by Steve in a small family garage, the build was started in 1960 and completed in 1965. He was 17 years when he started the build. The inspiration came from a cartoon that a friend had made in class.

Dan Woods' Milk Truck. The build was completed in 1965, making its debut at the 1965 Tridents Rod Custom Autorama.

Bob Larivee's Stiletto. In 1965 show promoter Bob Larivee commisioned Gene Baker to design him a crowd-pleasing bubble top he could use to attract ticket buyers. Gene teamed up with Buffalo, New York builder Ron Gerstener and built The Stiletto. The build was completed in time for the 1966 Detroit Autorama.

John Toohey's Royal-T Ford Model T C Cab of Eugene, Oregon. Built by John, the build was completed in 1966.

The Monogram model kit of "The Uncertain-T" was released in 1966. Steve was paid to put together a package of everything Monogram needed to make the tooling and the packaging for the kit. He arranged the photoshoot, set up the shots, and Dave Pedegana took the photos for Steve. After the kit was released, Monogram started focusing on muscle cars, and the kit was discontinued way too soon. A complete kit sold between the $350 to $500 range in 2017.

Mike Monteleone's 1957 Oldsmobile of Van Nuys, California. Living in the San Fernando Valley, a hub for hot rods and customs in the 1960s, Mike's Olds was skillfully restyled by Bill Cushenbery at Cushenbery Custom Shop in 1965-66.

The KHJ Surfin' Bird was restyled by Bill Cushenbery at Cushenbery Custom Shop for 93 KHJ Boss radio's "Big Kahuna" promotion in 1966. The Surfin' Bird is one of the last known true custom cars to be completed by Cushenbery.

Raymond Patricco's 1934 Ford Roadster of Irvington, New Jersey. Patricco didn't build the car, he supposedly bought it in the 1960 or the 1970s. He planned to restore it. That never happened, and it stayed in storage until he passed away in 2018. Rumor has the car was built in the 1950s. Back then it is believed to have run a DuVall Windshield.

The Car Craft Dream Rod was built by Bill Cushenbery for Bob Larivee of Promotions Inc. The first drawings of the car appeared in Car Craft October 1961. The build was completed late in 1963.

Ed Roth's Mysterion of Maywood, California. After completing the Rotar, Roth returned to his shop to build the Mysterion. He got the idea for car from the dragsters that started popping up with two, three and four engines. Completed in 1963, hydraulics were used to open and close the bubble top, and to adjust the height of the rear suspension.

The Silhouette was built by Bill Cushenbery of Monterey, California. In 1962 Cushenbery was rated by many as the best new customizer in America. Cushenbery opened up his first body shop in Wichita, Kansas in 1952. He found out that the custom car market in town already was dominated by Darryl Starbird, so after 5 years, he decided to move his operations to Monterey. The Silhouette was the first scratch built custom to roll out of Bill’s Monterey shop, and he won the first place in the “Tournament of Fame” contest with the car at the 1963 National Roadster Show, beating Starbird’s three-wheeled Futurista.

Darryl Starbird's Futurista of Wichita, Kansas. Starbird debuted the three-weeled bubble topped build at the 1963 Oakland Roadster Show. This was Starbird’s 6th bubble top build, and he sold it to Monogram after the show. Unfortunately, it fell off a transporter and was destroyed. Fifteen years later Starbird turned the remains of the car into the Star Trek Coupe.

The Strip Star is a show and competition race car built by Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop for the Promotions Inc Show Car Division in 1963.

Ron Kozak's Bubble Top Studebaker of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The build was started in 1961 and completed in 1963. Photo courtesy of Pat O’Connor - Canadian Hot Rod History.

Roy Abendroth's 1955 Buick Century of Compton, California. Known as the "BuSonic," the build was started in 1959 and completed in 1963. It featured bodywork by John Schott and Copper Metalflake paint job by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style. It was also fitted with hydraulic lifts.

Dean Jeffries' Mantaray of Hollywood, California. In 1963 custom painter and pinstriper Dean Jeffries wanted to prove that he was capable of competing head to head with top customizers such as George Barris and Gene Winfield, so he set out to build a scratch built bubble top car dubbed The Mantaray. The entire chassis of the car came from a pre-war Grand Prix Maserati. The asymmetrical body was hand-formed in aluminum. The bubble top, lights, and engine on the car could be operated by a radio control system, and the Mantaray put Jeffries in the winner’s circle at the 1964 National Roadster Show in Oakland where he won the prestigious "Tournament of Fame" award.

Roy Abendroth's 1955 Buick Century of Compton, California. Known as the "BuSonic," the build was started in 1959 and completed in 1963. It featured bodywork by John Schott and Copper Metalflake paint job by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style. It was also fitted with hydraulic lifts. In 1964 Watson resprayed the car in Green for Roy.

Bo Huff's 1927 Ford Model T Bucket, of Salt Lake City as it appeared in 1964.

Hasse Broberg's Modified of Enskedefältet in Stockholm, Sweden. The build was started by Pelle Karlson, but Hasse, a member of the Sill Drivers, bought it and completed it in 1964.

After debuting the Silhouette in 1963, Bill Cushenbery went back to the drawing board and designed another bubble top custom named the Silhouette II Space Coupe. He began building the car the same year. In 1964 he moved to a new shop in North Hollywood, bringing the project along. Toward the end of 1964, Bill had a dispute with his financiers. He took elements of the car with him and moved to a new shop, thinking he would get the rest of the car back to finish once the dispute was settled. He did not, and the car went missing. The remains were found in 1999. The build had never been completed, and it is still in works.

Eldon E. Schmidt's 1929 Ford Model A roadster of Garden Grove, California. Eldon bought the car in 1960. It came with holes in the body after a rollbar and safety-belts, indicating that it had been raced on the dragstrip. In 1962 he installed a 1958 Chevrolet 283 V-8 engine in the car before he gave it a Metallic paint job and a more contemporary look. In 1995 the car was sold to Sweden.

Jerry McGinnis' 1929 Ford Model A Roadster

Bengt Wennergren's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster of Enskedefältet in Stockholm, Sweden was built by Bengt between 1962 and 1966.

Bill Leslie's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe was built in Buffalo, New York in 1964.

Martin Oja's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The build was started in 1960 and completed in 1962.

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Gunnar Johansson's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Sweden. This is Gunnar's coupe as it appeared in 1965

The first version of Göran Silfors' 1932 Ford roadster of Sweden as it appeared in 1965. Gøran's roadster was named "Early Bird"

Jonas Qvarnström's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster of Sweden as it appeared when it was first completed in 1965.

Ron Maxwell's 1932 Austin Bantam of Salt Lake City, Utah. Ron built the Austin Bantam in 1964.

Lars-Erik Johansson's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster, of Stockholm, Sweden, was completed in 1966. Named "The Orange Fink", Lars Erik's roadster was known as the lowest showrod of Sweden at the time.

Bruce Olson's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Beach, North Dakota. The first version of Bruce's coupe was completed in 1955. In 1962 Bruce and his family moved to Fremont, California, bringing the coupe along. This version of the coupe was completed in 1963.

The first version of Lars Erik Ljungkvist's 1932 Ford Roadster, of Huddinge in Stockholm, Sweden, was completed in 1963. At the time there were about 30 hot rods in Sweden.

Bob Hagerty's 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan of Wheaton, Maryland. Bob, who was a member of the Coach Masters of Wheaton, built the car himself. The build took two years, and it was completed in 1964. Bob's tudor was shown on the East Coast as "Jade East."

Max Magness' 1932 Ford Cabriolet of Grandfalls, Texas. The build was started in 1959 and completed in 1960.

Gary Priebe's 1932 Ford Roadster of Monterey Park, California. Gary's roadster was completed in 1962. In 2016 Gary still owned the old hot rod.

The second version of Lars Erik Ljungkvist's 1932 Ford Roadster, of Huddinge in Stockholm, Sweden, was completed in 1964. This version was painted Marigold Metalflake..

Lew Wolff's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe was built and raced by Downriver Modified member Lew Wolff in the mid 1960s.

Roland Larsson's 1932 Ford Roadster was built in Sweden during the winter of 1959/1960.

Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window coupe of Stockholm, Sweden. Sven started the build, known as the Glowing Coupe, in 1961. The first version was shown in 1965, featuring a paint job by Bo Sandberg of Yankee Customs.

Don Vargo's 1934 Ford cabriolet. The car, named the 69er, was restyled by the Alexander Brothers. It made its debut at the 1962 Detroit Autorama.

Egeo Barci's 1934 Ford Roadster of São Paulo, Brazil. The build was completed in 1966, and it might have been the first hot rod of Brazil.

Per Arne Knudsen's 1934 Ford Cabriolet of Oslo, Norway. The build was started around 1964 - 1965, and completed in 1969. Once completed the vehicle licensing department refused to approve the build. After several attempts, Per Arne gave up fighting the law, and he sold the car to Ludvig Bjørnstad. Ludvig turned the hot rod into a drag racer, and it became one of the first Norwegian cars to ever compete in an organized drag race.

Rick Menz' 1934 Ford Tudor-Sedan of Sepulveda, California. Rick began building the car in 1960. At the time he was a member of the Chancellors of Van Nuys car club. He sold the Ford in 1962 before the build was completed.

Ron Maxwell's 1934 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Salt Lake City, Utah. The build was started in 1954, when Ron was 15 years old. The first iteration of the coupe was completed in 1955. Ron's coupe ran under flathead and later Cadillac power, competing in B/Altered at strips around Utah. In 1960 an Orange iteration of the car was completed.

Bob Davis' 1935 Ford 5-Window Coupe of Long Beach, California was restyled in 1960. Bob was a member of the Lords of Wilmington car club.

John Erik Baalerud's 1935 Ford Cabriolet of Oslo, Norway. The build was started in 1963 and completed in 1966. In 1968 John Erik became a member of the Nor-Way Custom car club.

Göran Silfors' 1936 Ford Sedan of Sweden as it appeared in 1965.

Pete Limpert's 1936 Ford tudor sedan of Gardena, California. Pete built the car in the early to mid 1960s. Around 1966/1967 it received hydraulic lifts by Dennis "Red" Pierce.

Rich Vachata's 1936 Ford Convertible of Berwyn, Illinois. Rich was a member of the Bearing Busters of Berwyn, and the other members in the club helped him build the car. The first version was completed in 1959. In 1960 fellow club member Dave Puhl gave the car a scallop paint job. This version of the car was named the Beach Comber.

Christer Lundberg's 1937 Ford Coupe of Stockholm, Sweden. Built in the early 1960s, an early iteration of the coupe was shown at the 1965 Hot Rod Show in Marmorhallarna in Stockholm.

Harry Fry's 1937 Ford cabriolet of Spring City, Pennsylvania. Harry was a member of the Brick Dusters of Spring City car club, and he ran a paint shop called Fryer's.The Ford was completed in the early 1960s, and Jack owned it until he passed away in 2002.

Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible of Huddinge in Stockholm, Sweden as it appeared in the early 1960s. Bo Sandberg and his girlfriend Morris gave the car a flame paint job in 1962.

Augustus Eberman's 1941 Chevrolet Coupe of Geneva, Wisconsin. The build was completed circa 1961, and it is believed to be designed by Brooks Stevens.

Gary Overby's 1940 Chevrolet Coupe was restyled by Gary Overby in 1960.

Don Moore's 1940 Ford Coupe

Dan Hiramoto's 1941 Buick Century convertible of Cleveland, Ohio. Built by Dan and his brother Ken, the car went trough several iterations between 1951 and 1962. This photo shows the car as it appeared in 1961, after Dan had taken full possession of the car.

John Sak's 1941 Ford Convertible of Syracuse, New York. Named "Barbie" after his wife, the build was started in 1957 and completed in 1960. "Barbie" was John's third 1941 Ford custom.

Roger Squires' 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline was restyled by Roger Squires of Torrance, California in the late 1960s. Known as "Pastime", the car is a surviving example of the early lowrider style, and it was engineered and built to a standard that was unusual for the time. The first version of Roger's Fleetline was completed around 1968.

Dave Prey's 1963 Chevrolet Impala of Inglewood, California. Known as the Cherry Heering, photos taken in 1968 show it running a custom paint job by Dave Kent and Walt Prey of Kent's Customs. Photo from The Howard Gribble Collection.

Per Ivar Kolgrov's 1948 Mercury Convertible of Oslo, Norway was restyled around 1963/1964. The car is known as the first custom cars of Norway.

Bengt Wennergren's 1949 Ford of Enskedefältet in Stockholm, Sweden. When Bengt bought the Ford, the rear end was already restyled by Leif "Grillkorven" Rose. The build was completed in 1963.

Gary Overby's 1949 Ford of Tacoma, Washington was sectioned 5 inches in 1961.

Lloyd C. Hammond's 1949 Ford of San Bernardino, California. Lloyd was a member of the San Bernardino Krankers and his car was known as "The Majestic Lady." The first iteration of his Ford was completed circa 1958. Circa 1961 the car received canted quad headlights from a 1959 Chevrolet.

George Egan's 1950 Ford Convertible of New Jersey. George was a member of the Drivin Deuces car club. Known as "The Apollo," the second iteration of Egan's Ford was restyled in the 1960s.

Billy Stein's 1950 Mercury Four-Door of New York City, New York. Billy lived in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood in Queens, and he got the Mercury on the road around 1961. Photo from The Ken Bausert Collection.

Herb Passburger's 1950 Mercury of New York City, New York. Herb lived in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn, and his Mercury was restyled around 1962.

Ken Bausert's 1950 Mercury Convertible

Ralph Tyrone Scarfo's 1950 Oldsmobile 88 hardtop of North Bergen, New Jersey. Ralph's Olds was supposedly restyled in San Diego in the mid 1960s.

Bjørn Tømmervik and Ivar Buxrud's 1951 Chevrolet Bel-Air of Trondheim, Norway. Restyled in 1965, Bjørn and Ivar's Chevrolet was one of the first custom cars of Norway.

Marshall's 1951 Chevrolet, of Long Beach, California, as it appeared in 1966. The flames were applied by Marshall in 1965.

Tim Smith's 1951 Ford Victoria of Tacoma, Washington was restyled by Dick Page in 1965.

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Einar Valsjø's 1952 Mercury of Trondheim, Norway was one of the first custom cars of Norway. The build was completed around 1963.

Art Fortin's 1953 Ford Sunliner Convertible, of Adams, Massachusetts, was started in 1960 and completed in 1962.

Bob Schoonhoven's 1921 Ford Model T Roadster of Battle Ground, Washington. Known as "Lil' Louie," the build was started in a basement in Vancouver, Washington in 1961. By 1967 Bob had turned it into a show-stopping sweepstakes winner, and it was featured on the cover of Rod & Custom June 1968, who called it "One of America's Top Ten T Buckets Ever Built."

John Toohey's Ice T of Eugene, Oregon. The shortened Model T Touring car was Toohey's third full hot rod build, and he completed it about 1967.

Von Hunter's 1957 Chevrolet Corvette of Portland, Oregon. This was Von's personal car. Built from a crashed car, the build was completed sometime around 1967.

Bo Thalinsson's 1953 Ford Sunlinner Convertible of Stockholm, Sweden. Built by Bo, the build was completed in 1967.

Jarle Pedersen's 1953 Mercury was owned and restyled by Jarle Pedersen of Oslo, Norway in the mid 1960s.

Buddy Katlik's 1953 Plymouth 4-door, was restyled by Jess Sandoval of Renewal Body Shop in Clovis for Fresno Pan Draggers member Buddy Katlik, of Fresno, California around 1960/1961.

Richie Daus’ 1954 Buick Convertible of New York City, New York. Richie restyled the car in 1962, at the time he lived on Hillside Avenue, off Sutphin Blvd in Jamaica, Queens.

Dick and Doris Vanadrigham's 1954 Chevrolet, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was restyled by Gordy Brown in the early 1960s.

Gerald Twamley's 1954 Chevrolet 210 2-door sedan of Artesia, California. The car was originally restyled in the late 1950s, and it went trough at least two iterations before Gerald tore it down to fit it with canted quad headlights in 1959. The work was done by a guy in San Pedro. When the job was almost done, Gerald got drafted in to the army and decided to sell the car for $300 in 1960.

Tom Von Pertz's 1954 Chevrolet of Lynwood, California. Tom was a member of the Tridents of Southern California car club, and he had the car when he joined the club in 1960.

Al Peirish's 1954 Ford Skyliner of Inglewood, California was restyled by Don Roberts of Bear Custom Shop in 1962. Al's Skyliner was one of the last customs to come out of Don's shop.

The second version of John Nadzon's 1954 Mercury of Parsippany, New Jersey was restyled by Korky's Kustom Shop. The car, named The Mysterian, made its debut February 17, 1960 at the Hartford Autorama.

Sven Blüme's 1954 Plymouth Convertible of Lidingö, Sweden. Sven's Plymouth was restyled in 1965.

Arne Lindstrand's 1955 Chevrolet of Stockholm, Sweden. Arne's Chevrolet was restyled in the 1960s. This is how it appeared at the 1966 Hot Rod Show in Stockholm.

Don Brock's 1955 Chevrolet of Salt Lake City, Utah as it appeared around 1961 Don was a member of the Crusaders of Salt Lake City car club.

Leif Helander's 1955 Chevrolet Convertible

Rodney Rice's 1955 Chevrolet of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The car, known as "the Astorian," was restyled by the Alexander Brothers and Fostoria Customs. The build was completed in 1964.

Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird of East Los Angeles, California. Known as the Wild Bird, the car was restyled by Gil and Al Ayala at Gil's Auto Body Works. The first version was completed in 1956. In the early 1960s Gil redid the car.

Gordy O'Hara's 1955 Ford Thunderbird of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Gordy purchased the Thunderbird from a local Ford dealership in 1957. At the time he was only 19 years old. Gordy spent the next 5 years hopping up and restyling the car. The build was completed in 1962.

Larry Quatrone's 1955 Ford Crown Victoria was painted candy gold and lime by Larry Watson in 1960.

Lee Bailey's 1955 Ford Convertible of Battle Creek, Michigan. Lee was a member of the Automotive Engineers of Battle Creek. The Ford was his first car. His dad bought it for him in 1960, and he helped him restyle it the same year.

Øistein Bondeson's 1955 Ford Fairlane of Oppegård, Norway. The front on Øistein's Ford was modified to accept a tube grille in 1969.

Ralph Prey's 1963 Chevrolet Impala of Inglewood, California. Known as the Cherry Heering, photos taken in 1968 show it running a custom paint job by Dave Kent and Walt Prey of Kent's Customs. By 1969, it had been dressed up with a vail paint job by Walt. Photo from The Howard Gribble Collection.

Sal Consiglio's 1955 Ford of New York City, New York. Sal lived in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood. He was a member of the 1320 Crusaders car club, and his Ford was restyled in 1962. The build was sold before it was completed.

Bill Schott's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette of Portland, Oregon. Bill was a member of The Kings of Portland car club, and his Corvette was mildly restyled by Von Hunter in 1960.

Larry Nixon's 1956 Chevrolet Nomad of Tacoma, Washington received a custom paint job by Dick Page in 1967.

Oscar and Ernesto Ruelas' 1956 Chevrolet of East Los Angeles, California. Oscar and Ernesto were founding members of the Duke's car club, and their Chevrolet, known as Mr. Know it All, received a custom paint job by Joe Andersen at Joe Andersen's Custom Shop in the mid 1960s.

Ron Aguirre's 1956 Chevrolet "X-Sonic" Corvette of Rialto, California. By May of 1961 the car had received a futuristic bubble top. In 1960, the year the Predicta won “The Car of the Future Award”, an earlier iteration of the X-Sonic was shown at the National Roadster Show. After the show, Ron and his good friend Ed Roth decided that they wanted to build “Feature” cars and get paid to show them, not just win trophies. Ron had already installed hydraulic lifts on the Corvette, and now he wanted to go futuristic, replacing the stock top with a plastic bubble top.

Ed Roth's Beatnik Bandit of Bell, California. The Beatnik Bandit was Ed Roth’s first bubble top show rod. In 1960 Ed and Darryl Starbird toured together. Starbird had the Predicta, and Ed had the Outlaw. Starbird remembered that they often discussed building bubble top cars, and Starbird told him about how they made the top for the Predicta. Built by Roth and Dirty Doug Kinney, the Beatnik Bandit was Roth’s second fiberglass build. The body was sculptured over a shortened 1950 Oldsmobile chassis, and it featured a blown and chromed Oldmosbile engine. The build was completed in 1961, around the same time as Ron Aguirre’s X-Sonic.

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Ron Aguirre's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette of Rialto, California. Ron's Corvette, known as the X-Sonic, received a scallop paint job by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style in 1961.

Bo Hedenström's 1956 Ford Fairlane of Stockholm, Sweden. The build, know as the Avalanche, was started in 1966 and completed in 1967.

The second version of Don Von Dwingelo's 1956 Ford Thunderbird made its debut in 1960.

Gene Boucher's 1956 Ford, The Marquis, was restyled by Bill Cushenbery of Cushenbery Custom Shop. The build took two and a half year to complete, and it made its debut in January of 1962.

Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible of Stockholm, Sweden. Sven's Sunliner was completed in 1964, featuring a Burgundy Mist paint job by his brother Bo Sandberg. Bo ran a custom shop named Yankee Customs.

Bob Dzemske's 1956 Lincoln of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bob's Lincoln was restyled by Dave Puhl and Johnny Malik at Trend Automotive in 1960.

Bill Shelley's 1957 Chevrolet Corvette of Oakland, California. Named "Bali Hi," the car was restyled by Bill and Bob McNulty. The build was completed in 1960.

Dan Contreras' 1957 Chevrolet of Norwalk, California. Restyled in 1963, Dan's Chevrolet featured Copper plated spotlights, wheels and side pipes.

Dave Jenkins' 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air

Per Sjøvall's 1957 Chevrolet of Oslo, Norway was restyled around 1967 - 1968.

Doug Osterman's 1957 DeSoto of San Jose, California. Doug's Desoto was first restyled by Flyer Tabata at Flyers Body Shop in 1959. In 1960 it was taken to Joe Bailon of Bailon Custom Shop for a makeover. This version received one of Bailon's signature Candy Apple Red paint jobs.

Hans Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1957 DeSoto of Enskedefältet in Stockholm, Sweden was built in the early 1960s. Hans and Kjelle belonged to a little club called Sill Drivers, and they were often called "Sillarna". This photo shows the car as it appeared in 1964.

Bill Schott's 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 of Portland, Oregon. Bill was a member of The Kings of Portland car club, and his Fairlane was mildly restyled by Von Hunter in 1961.

Jerry Drake's 1957 Ford Fairlane of Lansing, Michigan. Jerry was a custom painter and pinstriper, operating under the name "Spider the Crazy Painter". He was also the President of the Injectors of Lyons car club. Jerry's Ford, known as the Candy Cane, received a custom paint job by Jerry and his buddy Dave Edmonds in July of 1960.

Matti Johanson's 1957 Ford Ranchero of Sweden. Matti's "Ranchero" started life as station wagon.The build was completed in 1965. The same year it was displayed at the first Hot Rod Show in Stockholm.

Red Pierce's 1957 Oldsmobile as it looked in the mid 1960s. Red's Olds was fit with hydraulic lifts all around.

Jim and George Bernardo's 1957 Plymouth convertible of Milford, Connecticut. Jim and George ran Bernardo Auto Body in Milford, and they were specialists in unique finishes such as Metalic, Candy, Pearl and Metalflake. Their Plymouth was completed early in 1961, making its debut at the 1961 Hartford Autorama. It featured a Silver Metalflake paint job, making it one of the first Metalflaked cars.

Steve Drale's 1958 Cadillac Brougham was mildly restyled in 1965.

Bruce Schwartz' 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air - The "Blue Car"

Dennis McKee's 1958 Chevrolet Impala of Torrance, California. Dennis' Impala was restyled in 1962, and it received a pearl Tangerine paint job by Joe Andersen of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop in the Summer of 1962.

Doug Osterman's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette of San Jose, California. Doug's mild Corvette was restyled in 1961.

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Gary Ruddell's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette of Norwalk, California. Gary bought the Corvette in 1960. At the time he was the President of the Seagrams of Norwalk car club.

Joe Hurst's 1958 Chevrolet Impala was restyled and fit with lifts in the mid 1960s.

John and Rebecca Hackler's 1958 Chevrolet

Dick Rothfuss' 1959 Chevrolet Impala of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dick's Impala, known as "Poopsie", was restyled late 1959 - early 1960.

Forest Cutler's 1959 Chevrolet Impala was built in South Dakota in the early 1960s.

Harald Sannum's 1959 Chevrolet Impala was restyled in 1965, and it is known as one of the first full custom cars of Norway.

Sven Sandberg's 1959 Chevrolet Impala of Stockholm, Sweden. The car was originally a two-door hardtop, but Sven cut the roof off it and fit it with a tonneau cover in 1965.

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Älvesjö in Stockholm, Sweden. This version of Bo's first Thunderbird was completed in 1962.

The Surfin Bird version of Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Älvesjö in Stockholm, Sweden was completed in 1964.

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Stockholm, Sweden. Named The Wild Bird, Bo's Thunderbird was completed and made its debut in 1966. Bo ran a customs, paint, and parts shop in Älvsjö, Sweden, called Yankee Customs.

Bob Croatti's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Milford, Connecticut. Bob's Thunderbird was restyled by Bernardo Auto Body. The build was completed in 1961, and it made its debut at the 1961 Hartford Autorama.

John Guenther's 1959 Ford Galaxie Sunliner of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Restyled in 1960, the car was shown as "The Beach Boy."

Eddie Buckston’s 1960 Chevrolet Impala of New York City, New York. Eddie lived in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood, and his mildly restyled Impala had been fitted with 1962 Pontiac Bonneville taillights.

Mark Jorgenson's 1960 Chevrolet Impala was restyled in the mid 1960s featuring lifts up front by Dick & Ron's and a pearl blue fadeaway paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop.

Tom Von Pertz's 1960 Chevrolet Impala of Lynwood, California. Tom was a member of the Tridents of Southern California, and his Impala featured a bright red paint job with a bright pearl stripe painted by Barris Auto in Lynwood. Barris painted the stripe circa 1961.

Calvin Wilkes' 1960 Ford - The Candy Cane

Geno Janokowski's 1960 Ford - The Black Jack

Jim Beeson's 1960 Ford Starliner of Paramount, California. Jim was a member of the Dutchmen of Paramount car club, and the bought the car brand new in the Spring of 1960.

Mike Perello's 1960 Ford Starliner was restyled and fit with hydraulics in 1964.

Dell Chandler's 1960 Pontiac Ventura of a Lansing, Michigan. Dell's Pontiac received a scallop and panel paint job by Jerry Drake and Larry Cooper in 1960.

Joe Hurst's 1961 Buick Electra was restyled in 1965.

Richard Mikami's 1961 Chevrolet Impala of Gardena, California. Restyled in 1964, Richard's Impala featured hydraulic lifts by Bill Hines, a Pearl paint job by Joe Andersen and a custom upholstery by Russ and Bess. The car was known as "The Ant Killer"

John Zotynia's 1961 Ford Galaxie Starliner of Teaneck, New Jersey. John and his brother-in-law Nick De Simon restyled the car in 1961 and 1962, turning it into a mild custom.

Mike Smith's 1962 Chevrolet Impala was restyled in the mid 1960s.

Mike Smith's 1965 Buick Riviera was restyled in the mid 1960s

Howard Gribble's 1961 Ford Starliner of Torrance, California was restyled by Carl Darling and Howard Gribble. The build was completed early in 1966. Unfortunately a truck smashed one side of the car shortly thereafter.

Ken McGoldrick's 1939 Chevrolet Coupe of Southern California. Ken worked as a Manager for Larry Watson at Watson's House of Style in the late 1960s. He was working on the Chevy while he was working for Watson. By 1967 Ken's coupe had been fit with hydraulic lifts up front.

Carl Darling's 1961 Ford Starliner was restyled around 1967/1968.

Carl Tucker's 1961 Ford of Panorama City, California. In 1967 or 1968 Carl's Ford was pinstriped by Walt Prey.

Jim Robertson's 1961 Ford of Simi Valley, California. Jim's Ford was restyled in 1969, and it featured a fadeaway paint job by Bill Carter of Carter Pro Paint and pinstriping by Walt Prey.

Sandy Gordon's 1961 Pontiac Bonnveille Convertible received a fadeaway paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop in the summer of 1965.

The Pacifica is show car that Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop built for the Ford Custom Car Caravan in 1962.

Richard Zocchi's 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix was restyled by Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop in 1962.

George Barris' 1963 Buick Riviera of Encino, California. George, who owned and operated Barris Kustom City in North Hollywood, California, designed the car himself. Known as "The Villa Riviera Buick," the build was completed in 1963. In 1964 a white iteration of the car appeared in the popular Surf-movie "For Those Who Think Young".

Bob Nordskog's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, The Asteroid, was restyled by Barris Kustoms in 1963.

Ray Farhner's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, known as Outer Limits, was restyled by Ray Farhner of Farhner Custom Shop in Kansas City, Missouri in 1963.

Richard Mikami's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray of Gardena, California. Richard installed hydraulic lifts on the car in 1966.

Gordy Brown's 1963 Ford Thunderbird of San Fernando, California. Gordy was originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, but decided to move to Southern California in the early 1960s, after Utah passed a law against altered suspension. The Thunderbird was built at his shop House of Customs around 1963/1964, and it featured hydraulic lifts on all four corners so he could raise it up by the touch of a switch.

Jim Boyd's 1963 Ford of California. By 1965 Jim's Ford had been fit with hydraulic lifts up front. It would later receive lifts in the rear as well, along with some custom modifications and a Larry Watson paint job.

Bob Guilbault's 1963 Pontiac Bonneville. Bob was a member of the San Fernando Valley Illusions car club.

Alexander Ruelas' 1965 Chevrolet Impala was originally restyled by Bill Hines around 1966/1967.

Dennis Unea's 1959 Chevrolet Impala was restyled by Bill Hines in 1969.

Richard Zocchi's 1964 Buick Wildcat of Concord, California. Richard's Buick featured hydraulic lifts by Bill Hines and a fadeaway paint job by Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop. The car was restyled in 1964, when it was brand new.

Allen Duke's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS of Wilmington, California. Allen's lifted Impala went through several changes between 1965 and 1969. This was how it appeared after Carl Darling had given it a pearl blue paint job with a light cobweb effect on the side panels during the summer of 1967.

Allen Duke's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS, of Wilmington, California, as it appeared in 1968, after Carl Darling had given it a more spectacular custom paint job.

Allen Duke's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS of Wilmington, California as it appeared in 1969, after it had been turned into Bloody Mary.

The Calico Surfer was built by Barris Kustoms for Calvin Clark of Palos Verdes, California in 1964. Calvin was the publisher of the International Surfing Magazine.

The Reactor is an aluminum show-car built by Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop in 1965. Once completed, the car appeared in several television series. Gene bought the Reactor and restored it in time for the 50th Oakland Roadster Show in 1999.

The first version of Bob Huffman's 1965 Chevrolet, of Norwalk, California, featuring a bumperless front end design, restyled rear end and Hydraulics on all four corners was completed in 1966.

The second version of Bob Huffman's 1965 Chevrolet Impala, of Norwalk, California, was based on a design by Harry Bradley. The car was restyled by Bob and Tom Chafin. The build was completed in 1968.

Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala of San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California received a full custom paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop and lifts on all four corners by Dick & Ron's in the summer of 1966.

Nick Hoogoian's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu of Granada Hills, San Fernando Valley received a fadeaway paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop and lifts up front by Dick & Ron's in the summer of 1966.

Joseph Perez - Perez Kustom Kar Interiors of Los Angeles, California. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. In the 1960s Joe was known as one of the best custom upholsterers in Southern California, and he did many of Larry Watson's interiors. Marshall, who worked for Larry between 1966 and 1967, remembers Watson once telling him that "you'll never win best interior with black." When Marshall worked for Watson, Joe had a shop at 4819 Nobel Street in Los Angeles, and diamond and pleats were his specialties. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Custom Car Koloring by Larry Craig. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. Larry was a contemporary of Watson. He did excellent work, and Marshall remembers that he rented 14903 Lakewood Blvd. in Paramount, California after Watson moved. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

The Body Shop of Van Nuys, California. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. In 2018 Marshall recalled that Watson used this body shop up in the valley when he worked for him between 1966 and 1967. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Bill Carter of The House of Custom Color. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. The shop was located at 14373 Calvert St. in Van Nuys, California. The same address as The Body Shop. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Charles Altizer, Executive Vice President of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth of Maywood, California. Monsters that mean business. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Herb Speck - George Barris Kustom Centre of Paramount, California. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.

Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala as it appeared after Joe Andersen of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop had repainted it black pearl with cobweb in 1967.

Jerry Cove's 1966 Pontiac GTO of Hillside, New Jersey. Les Cove built this car for his son Jerry in the 1960s. Painted blue, it featured a chopped top, Thunderbird taillights, Buick Riviera headlights, and a bumperless design. Photo courtesy of Jerry Cove.

Milton Mills' 1965 Chevrolet Impala. In 1967 Bill Hines painted and installed hydraulic lifts on the car for Milton.

Steve Arnold's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu of Gardena, California. Steve was a member of the Tridents of Southern California car club. In 1967 Steve installed lifts on the Malibu.

Kenny Isaak's 1965 Pontiac. Kenny's Pontiac was restyled by Tom Chafin in 1967.

Bob Stepanion's 1966 Chevrolet El Camino was restyled by Gordy Brown of House of Customs in 1966.

Dave Stuckey's 1965 Pontiac Catalina of Wichita, Kansas. The build was started in 1967 and completed in 1969. The car was Dave's personal driver, and the overall height of it was drastically reduced by chopping the top 3 inches, sectioning the body 3 inches, channeling it 2 inches and lowering it 6 inches.

The Dodge Deora is a radical design interpretation of the Dodge A100 forward-control pickup truck. The Deora’s striking lines were penned by California-based designer Harry Bradley. It was built by the Alexander Brothers of Detroit, Michigan. The build was started in 1964 and completed in 1966. Once completed the unique creation was honored with the coveted Ridler Award at the 1967 Detroit Autorama.

The Ford Ranger II was a concept car that Ron Gerstner constructed for Ford Motor Company in 1966. The Ford Ranger II was designed by Syd Mead, who worked for Ford's Advanced Styling Studio in the 1960s. They commissioned Ron to build this striking vehicle, a testament to his reputation as a master builder. "Ron built the Ford Ranger II for Ford Motor Company in 1966," Charles Anzalone told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in August of 2023. Charles, who had known Ron for over six decades, began hanging out in his shop when he was 11. "He was always kind to me as a kid and let me hang around his garage to see all the cool cars he was building." Charles watched Ron build the Ranger II, and he recalled that Ron wanted to buy it and show it with some changes, "but Ford crushed it!" Photo courtesy of Core77.

Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat. The Cool Cat was a customized Jaguar E-Type built by Bo Sandberg of of Yanke Customs in Älvesjö, Stockholm, Sweden. The build was completed in 1967, featuring a a red and pink Metalflake paint job.

Jerry Woodward's X2000 of Provo, Utah was completed in 1962. The futuristic creation was a featured car at the 1962 National Roadster Show.

Dick & Ron's Custom of Huntington Park, California propably installed more lifts then anyone else in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Mike Davis.

Custom painter Dick Kalivoda's business card. Dick was from Seattle, Washington. Photo courtesy of Dick Page.

The 11th annual Hartford Autorama was held February 22-26, 1961 at the Connecticut State Armory in Hartford, Connecticut.

The 2nd annual Tridents Rod and Custo-Rama was held November 16-23, 1961 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

The 7th San Mateo Custom, Rod & Sports Car Show was held January 5-7, 1962 in San Mateo, California.

The flyer for the 1964 Winternationals Custom Auto Fair. Held at the Great Western Exhibit Center in Los Angeles from February 6-9, 1964, the show was promoted as one of the nation's largest and most popular custom auto shows of its time. Scan courtesy of Tom Kosulandich.

The 8th annual Portland Roadster Show was held March 5-8, 1964 at the Memorial Colosseum Portland, Oregon.

The 1964 Pacific Northwest Motorama was held November 6 - 8, 1964 at the Tacoma Armory in Tacoma, Washington. The show was presented by the Tacoma Toppers car club.

The 1965 Winternationals was held January 28 - February 7, 1965, consisting of the Winternationals Custom Auto Fair and the Winternationals Championship Drag Races.

The 1965 Pacific Northwest Motorama was held November 5 - 7, 1965 at the Tacoma Armory in Tacoma, Washington. The show was presented by the Tacoma Toppers car club.

The 1966 Showtime Sweden Örebro show was held January 6 thru 9, 1966 at Görtz Motor in Örebro, Sweden.

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The 1966 Masthugget Hot Rod Festival was held October 26-30, 1966 at BP Bilpark Masthugget in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The 1966 Linköping Hot Rod Festival was held November 25-27, 1966 at Rally Hotel in Linköping, Sweden.

The flyer for the April 1967 Hot Rod Show in Stockholm, Sweden. Two Hot Rod Show's were held in Stockholm in 1967. The first took place April 5-9, 1967.

Jim Arkin's 1967 Buick Riviera of Los Angeles, California. Jim was a member of the San Fernando Valley Illusions car club, and in 1968 his Riviera featured 8 inch Ansen slotted aluminum wheels, and a subtle business men's pinstripe by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style. The pinstripe consisted of two lines, a half inch apart, that ran the length of the car.

<-- 1950s - 1970s -->

Teenage Boom!

By 1960, more than a million and a half cars were registered in teenagers’ names in the US. The rapid growth of the suburbs and their teen population had helped spread hot rodding and customizing across the country. If you lived in the suburbs, owning a car would for many become a necessity as school and jobs were not often easily reached by public transportation.^[1]

The 1960 Car Club Murder

The 1960 Car Club Murder was a tragic and defining moment in the history of Southern California car clubs. On March 28, 1960, a violent clash erupted when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. Armed with weapons, the Townsmen stormed the hall in an attack described as premeditated. During the chaos, 16-year-old Neil Mahan of the Dutchmen was shot in the head while seeking refuge in the kitchen. He succumbed to his injuries days later, igniting outrage and leading to the arrest and trial of several Townsmen members. The incident highlighted the dangerous rivalries between car clubs of the era and ultimately led to widespread discussions about youth violence and the car club culture of the 1960s.^[2]

Lowriders

The first hydraulic lifts were installed on custom and show cars in the late 1950s. In the early to mid 1960s most cars running around with hydraulics were considered custom cars. As the trend started moving towards nice, clean cars, most lowriders in the mid to late 1960s weren't considered customs anymore due to their lack of body modifications. The mainstream automotive press began to recognize the importance of lowriding, and used the term as early as 1966 to describe cars like Jerry Cohen's 1948 Chevrolet.^[3]

Ray Soff Remembers Junkyards Filled With Affordable Customs

Ray Soff of Saddle Brook, New Jersey has been into cars since he was a kid, and his passion for custom cars can be traced back to the early 1960s. "When I was 15 years old I bought a 1951 Ford convertible for $80.00. It needed parts. I bought a Flathead motor. An old one that was shot." It was an automatic transmission, so Ray put a stick shift in it. "I was going to customize it." He used to go to a junkyard to get parts. "My dad knew a junkman," Ray told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2021. "We would go to the yard every Saturday. Dad would bring him a cool sixpack of beer and we would take anything for free." Ray and his dad went every Saturday. He never brought a camera, but in 2021 he still recalled that the yard was filled with old customs. "One was a '51 Ford hardtop. '50 Merc grille shell, '51 Ford headlights frenched in, '51 Packard taillights. Maroon paint. I asked the junkyard owner why it was there. Flathead went out." He asked Ray if he wanted it, but his dad refused, reminding Ray about the one he already had at home. "Next one was a black '50 Ford Coupe. Louvered hood. Flames all over it. The hood was on the side of it and it had no motor." Other cars included a green 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe. Half done. A 1950 Oldsmobile convertible. Baby blue with a dark blue top. "When we were there it was towed in. It had race decals on the windows. I opened the hood. It had chrome valve covers. I took them." Ray also recalls a Purple Metalflake 1956 Chevrolet Sedan that had been hit in the front. "It had 1956 Packard taillights."^[4]