Charles Burwell's 1956 Oldsmobile

Painted by his cousin Eddie Cox, Charles' Olds featured a striking panel paint job with pearl pigments supplied by California customizer Dick Axcell. This photo is one of the few surviving images from that period, capturing a proud moment in Texas’ early custom car scene. Photo courtesy of Charles Burwell.

A colorized version of the 1962 photo showing Charles and his Oldsmobile custom. In this image, Charles has recreated the original panel paint job in Photoshop, restoring the vibrant hues once sprayed by his cousin Eddie. The photo helps visualize how Burwell’s teenage-built custom might have appeared cruising the streets of Houston in the early 1960s. Photo courtesy of Charles Burwell.

Photo courtesy of Charles Burwell.

Charles created this stitched version in Photoshop to show the full side view of his teenage-built custom as it appeared in 1962. Photo courtesy of Charles Burwell.

1956 Oldsmobile owned and restyled by Charles Burwell of Houston, Texas. Charles' Oldsmobile is a teenage-built custom remembered for its shaved and modified look, panel paintwork, and period details that made it stand out on the Houston streets in the early 1960s.

Houston, 1962

Charles owned the Oldsmobile in 1962, while living in Houston, Texas. At the time, there were few customizers in the area, but Charles and his cousin Eddie Cox were active young enthusiasts experimenting with custom paint and body modifications. Eddie had learned from California customizer Dick Axcell, who had relocated to Houston around that time. "There was one customizer in Houston back then who hailed from California. His name was Dick Axcell," Charles recalled. "My cousin Eddie learned from him... and taught me a few things too."

Custom by Paint

The first notable paint job on the car was done by cousin Eddie. He laid down a panel-style lacquer job with pearl pigments sourced from Dick Axcell. The effect was initially stunning, but Houston’s intense summer heat caused the lacquer clearcoat to flake within a year. “In spite of our mistakes, it was a thrilling teenage time... and I'll never forget the feeling of driving up in a customized car,” Charles later recalled.

Sungleam Blue Metalflake

After an accident damaged one of the rear quarter panels, Charles couldn't afford to have Dick repair the damage, so he found another painter to handle the repair and respray the car in Ditzler Sungleam Blue, a fine-grain metallic flake finish that gave the Oldsmobile a new look. This iteration was customized with a variety of period tricks. The hood was completely shaved, and the rear bumper was removed in favor of a rolled rear pan with an asymmetrical license plate recess. Out back, Charles installed 1960 Cadillac taillights. The car was also fitted with a chopped steering wheel, giving the interior a racy, custom touch.

Connection to Dick Axcell

For Charles and Eddie, Dick Axcell was something of a legend when he appeared in Houston. “To my cousin & I, Dick was the king customizer come to town,” Charles remembered. Axcell’s influence extended to other builds in the Houston area as well, including Eddie Cox's 1957 Chevrolet known as the “Tiki,” which was finished in a creative blend of gold, brown, and orange hues. That car was later shown at Darrell Starbird’s exhibit in ||Ft. Worth]], Texas.

Legacy

Although only a handful of photos remain, Charles’ 1956 Oldsmobile reflects the grassroots custom culture of early 1960s Texas. A scene where local teenagers and a few transplanted California craftsmen helped spread the gospel of customizing.