Kjell "Kjelle" Gustad

The famous Mooneyes Dragster on display at Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm in 1961. Built on a Dragmaster kit chassis and powered by a Chevrolet small-block engine with a Potvin front-mounted supercharger, the car had previously run an 8.97 ET in the United States before going on a European tour sponsored by Revell and Wentzels Hobby. The appearance of the Mooneyes Dragster in Sweden left a deep impression on local hot rodders such as Hans Broberg and Kjell Gustad, inspiring them to build their own dragster shortly after. Photo from The Broberg Family Collection, courtesy of Lisa Broberg.

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.

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.

A photo of Hans Broberg and Kjell Gustad's Dragster at an indoor car show. Known as the first dragster in Sweden, Hans and Kjell, known as "Sillarna," constructed the dragster in their workshop in Skarpnäck. Photo from The Håkan Lindell Photo Collection.

Order from: Sweden - Norway - Rest of the world

Kjell “Kjelle” Gustad (born 1940) is a Swedish hot rod and custom car builder from Enskedefältet, Stockholm, Sweden. A key figure in Stockholm’s early hot rod and custom car movement, Kjelle is best known for his lifelong friendship and collaboration with Hans "Hasse" Broberg, forming the duo affectionately known among friends as Sillarna (“the herrings”).

Early Life and Influences

Kjelle grew up near the Broberg family in Enskedefältet, where his interest in cars began at an early age. Much of his youth was spent in the woods near home, repairing, dismantling, and experimenting with abandoned cars and mechanical parts.

Together with his classmate and close friend Hans Broberg, Kjelle became fascinated by the emerging American hot rod and custom culture through magazines such as Hot Rod Magazine and Rod & Custom. These imported publications fueled their imagination and laid the groundwork for what would become a lifelong passion for cars, craftsmanship, and creativity.

The First Builds

In 1957, Kjelle and Hasse began building their first cars, starting with a 1937 Ford Tudor that they converted into a convertible by cutting off the roof. “We wanted a convertible,” Hasse later recalled, “so we just cut it off.”

The following year, they bought a 1938 Chevrolet Convertible, which became their first serious custom project. Powered by an Oldsmobile V-8 engine and painted white with flames laid by Bo "Gamen" Sandberg and pinstriped by his fiancée Morris, the car became a local icon. Known for their humor and friendship, Hasse and Kjelle called themselves Sillarna and jokingly founded a “club” named Sill Drivers, complete with a hand-painted wooden plaque featuring a fish skeleton.

The Sillarna Dragster

Inspired by The Dean Moon Dragster that the Kasby Brothers brought from the United States for a Revell-sponsored event at Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm, Kjelle and Hasse decided to build a dragster of their own. Working out of their small Skarpnäck workshop, they constructed what is believed to be one of the first dragsters built in Sweden.

Once completed, the dragster was tested on the streets and at the Skarpnäck airfield. According to CG Björk, “A friend called Lill-Pelle was trying it out. We got in there without permission, and Lill-Pelle jumped into the dragster and started a burnout. A guard at the airfield came running, yelling that the car was on fire. We left, and the guard became furious.”

The dragster was later sold to Bo "Gamen" Sandberg, who added flames for display at the Hot Rod Show in Stockholm. It was initially powered by a Pontiac Rocket engine, later upgraded with a 475 hp Buick engine and a 1947 Ford transmission.

The Boat Years

By the mid-1960s, Kjelle and Hasse had shifted much of their focus to boats. In 1965, they sold their cars and purchased a 30-meter fishing vessel named Pride. Along with friends Arne Lindstrand and Saxin, they spent years repairing and refitting the boat. To finance the rebuild, they opened a floating nightclub called Club Batman.

In 1969, the group embarked on an ambitious voyage, sailing Pride from Sweden to the Mediterranean Sea, through the Caribbean, and on to Florida, USA. They spent time exploring the islands before selling the boat to new owners, who later beached it, leading to its eventual sinking.

The crew remained in Florida, buying several cars, including a Corvette, a Shelby GT500 convertible, and an old Detroit Electric-style car reminiscent of Grandma Duck’s automobile. The cars were stored at Ingemar Johansson’s Motel, owned by the former heavyweight boxing champion who became a friend of theirs.

Return to Sweden and Later Projects

After returning to Sweden in the 1980s, Kjelle continued his lifelong friendship and partnership with Hasse Broberg. The two shared workshops in Navis, Saltsjö-Boo, and Orminge, alternating between building boats and hot rods.

By 2015, Hasse and Kjelle had each made three transatlantic voyages, and both remained active in the Swedish hot rod and custom scene. At that time, Hasse owned a 1932 Ford three-window coupe and a fiberglass 1932 Ford roadster, while Kjelle was still searching for his lifelong dream car, a pickup he could turn into his own traditional hot rod.

Legacy

Kjell “Kjelle” Gustad is remembered as one of the true pioneers of Swedish hot rodding. With humor, ingenuity, and a hands-on spirit, he helped shape the culture that grew out of Stockholm’s southern suburbs in the early 1960s. His friendship and collaboration with Hans Broberg, and their playful identity as Sillarna, remain a lasting symbol of the creativity and camaraderie that defined Sweden’s early custom car movement.

Kjelle Gustad's Cars

Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's Dragster
Hans Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1937 Ford Tudor
Hans Broberg and Kjell Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible
Hans Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1957 DeSoto