Marshall Tripp's 1951 Chevrolet

Marshall's Chevrolet outside Watson's Custom Auto Painting in 1966. Doug Carney's 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix can be seen in black primer next to Marshall's Chevy. Doug's Pontiac was was the first car ever to receive a Watson lace paint job, and the first lace paint anywhere. Marshall recalls that it was quite a trick to it, much more than just taping the lace to the side of the car. For instance how the lace was made to conform perfectly to the body around the wheel openings that protruded out.

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Photo courtesy of Marshall Tripp.

A closeup from a photo that shows Marshall's Chevrolet at Larry's shop after he started sanding off the flames. When the photo was taken the hood had been shaved, but the seam was still there. Photo courtesy of Marshall Tripp.

The rest of the photo from above. Photo from The Marshall Tripp Photo Collection.

The master himself, Larry Watson, posing next to a mildly customized 1961 Cadillac. In addition to a striking red and pink paint job by Watson, the car has had its fins shortened. Marshall's Chevy can be spotted in this photo as well. The photo was taken circa July 1967. Photo from The Marshall Tripp Photo Collection.

1951 Chevrolet Fleetline owned by Marshall Tripp of Long Beach, California. Marshall bought the car in the spring of 1965, and he painted flames on it right after he go it. The flame job was Marshall's first flame job on a car. Between 1966 and 1967 Marshall worked for Larry Watson at Watson's Custom Auto Painting. The Chevy was his daily driver, and he remembers that Watson told him that he liked the flames.

Impala Interior

Keith Christensen ran Gene's Mufflers next door to Larry Watson's Bellflower shop. Keith did the mufflers on Marshall's Chevrolet, and he also split the manifolds on the car; "Keith also helped me install a 1964 Chevrolet Impala interior in the car by making the brackets," Marshall told Kustomrama.

In 1967 Marshall started sanding off the flames, but then he was drafted in to the Army and sent to Vietnam. Just when he was leaving the motor went bad, so Marshall ended up giving the car to a friend.