Art Guglielmi's 1955 Ford
1955 Ford Victoria restyled by Richard Korkes of Korky's Kustom Shop for the vice president of the Free Wheelers of Whippany car club Art Gugliemi of Whippany, New Jersey. In 1958, Art decided bring his Ford down to Korky's Kustom Shop in his hometown Whippany. The top was chopped 3 1/2 inches, the door handles were shaved, Lincoln door buttons were installed instead. The hood and deck lid were shaved for all its unnecessary chrome. The rear fenders were extended 14 inches and a continental kit was adapted to the frenched gravel pan. A pair of 1956 Packard taillights were fit and frenched to the extended fenders, airscoops were made in the leading edges of the taillights. The rear bumper were fith with Thunderbird exhaust tips and station wagon guards. Up front, the headlights were frenched by using the stock rims, sheet metal and lead. The stock grille was replaced by a 1954 Chevrolet grille which had several additional teeth added. The front bumper was simplified by removing license and bumper guards. The side trim originated from a 1958 Ford 300 Series. Skirts were borrowed from a 1958 Mercury, which featured airscoops and extra trim. The car was lowered 4 inches in the rear and 3 inches in front with help from lowering blocks. The frame was C'd both front and rear, the drive shaft was tunneled. Once the body was complete, it was painted Cobalt blue lacquer and gold. The interior was upholstered in metallic blue, gold and white Naugahyde.[1]
Korky's Kustom Shop cooperated with Dom's Interiors to fabricate the unique two piece padded "Carson" top. The top frame was made on 1/2 inch pipe, flat steel, channel irons, weather stripping and parts of the original rails from the Ford's stock hard top. The sealing was upholstered with rubberized pig hair and the exterior with 38-ounce Naugahyde with 1/4 inch shoe leather as tacking strips. The joint of the two-piece was covered with 1/8 inch by 3-inch hand-formed and chromed steel moldings. The rear window frame was formed from a 1959 Ford Galaxie chrome molding, the window itself was a removable plexiglass. 1958 Ford molding were used behind the rear window on top to match the molding on the body. The headlining was pleated with foam rubber and Naugahyde to match rest of the interior. The whole job constructing and building the top took three weeks and cost $600.[1]
Magazine Features
Car Craft May 1959
Custom Rodder November 1959
References
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