Frank Gould's 1958 Chevrolet

A photo of the car taken at the 1962 San Jose Autorama, while Mario Ghiorzi owned it. Photo by James Handy.

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. The Limelighter was Björn's main source of inspiration for the build. 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.

The Limelighter at the 2011 Long Beach Motorama. Photo by Robert A. Radcliffe Jr.

Photo by Robert A. Radcliffe Jr.

Photo by Robert A. Radcliffe Jr.

A photo of the Limelighter taken at the 2019 Customs by the Sea car show in Santa Barbara, California. Photo by Sondre Kvipt - Kustomrama.

A rear end shot of the Limelighter taken at the 2019 Customs by the Sea car show in Santa Barbara, California. Photo by Sondre Kvipt - Kustomrama.

1958 Chevrolet Impala originally owned by Mario Ghiorzi of San Juan Bautista, California. Mario was a member of the Padres of San Juan Bautista car club, and in 2020 Richard Souza told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that Bill Cushenberry of Cushenberry Custom Shop restyled the car for Mario, giving it a mild custom look. Mario was a quality supervisor at a local manufacturing company, and Souza worked with him as an adult. "The 58 was his only custom," Souza recalled.

Sold to Frank Gould

Mario sold the car to Frank Gould of Hollister, California some time in the early 1960s. Richard Souza grew up in Hollister, and he remembers Frank owning the car when he was a kid. "Frank Gould was an accountant here in Hollister, California when he owned the 58."

The Limelighter

After buying the Impala from Mario, Frank had Bill Cushenberry restyle it further, turning it into the Limelighter. Cushenbery restyled the car to emphasize and dramatize the Impala's sleek profile. Frank's Chevy was judged Best Custom at the 1964 Winternationals.

Restored and chopped

The Limelighter was restored by Oz Welch of Oz Kustoms for its current owner Bud Millard. During the restoration, the top on the car was chopped. In March of 2019 the car was owned by Dennis Krakenberg.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Popular Customs January 1966