San Jose

A 1940s San Jose postcard.

A San Jose Rod and Wheelers group shot from 1956. Photo courtesy of Joe Crisafulli.

Raymond Anderegg's 1927 Ford

Ron Price's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe of San Jose, California. Built in the early 1960s, the car made its debut in 1961, at the Grand National Roadster Show.

Doug Osterman's 1937 Plymouth coupe of San Jose, California. Doug's coupe was completed in 1959 featuring body and paint work by Flyers Body Shop, custom upholstery by Kay Seat Covers and plenty of chrome by San Jose Plating.

Jack Bertlow's 1949 Ford

Joe Crisafulli's 1949 Ford Convertible as it looked in 1956.

Lloyd Myers' 1949 Mercury convertible of San Jose, California. Lloyd was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers car club. The Merc was completed in 1959.

Tony Alvez' 1950 Cadillac Convertible

Paul Sobeck's 1950 Ford two-door of San Jose, California was restyled by Wirth's Body Shop. Joe Crisafulli gave the car a scallop paint job.

Joe Crisafulli's 1951 Oldsmobile of San Jose, California. Joe, a founding member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers car club restyled and painted the car himself late in 1959, while running J & J Auto Painting out of his dad's garage.

Jim Doyle's 1952 Mercury Convertible

Richard Relph's 1953 Chevrolet

Eric Bracher's 1956 Chevrolet of San Jose, California was restyled by Joe Wilhelm at Wilhelm's Custom Shop in the late 1950s.

Lenny Macchiarella's 1956 Chevrolet Pickup was restyled in the 1950s.

John and Ann Scarlett's 1956 Metropolitan of San Jose, California was restyled by Wirth's Body Shop in the late 1950s. Joe Crisafulli applied the scallop paint job.

Joe Crisafulli's 1956 Oldsmobile of San Jose, California. Joe was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers car club, and the Olds was restyled during the summer of 1957.

Ken Sowers' 1956 Plymouth of San Jose, California was restyled by Wirth's Body Shop in 1958.

Clif Inman's 1957 Chrysler

Doug Osterman's 1957 DeSoto of San Jose, California. Doug's Desoto was first restyled by Flyer Tabata at Flyers Body Shop in 1959. In 1960 it was taken to Joe Bailon of Bailon Custom Shop for a makeover. This version received one of Bailon's signature Candy Apple Red paint jobs.

Jerry DeVito's 1957 Ford Fairlane of San Jose, California. The first version of Jerry's Ford, known as the Maze, was restyled in 1957, featuring custom body work and paint by Wirth's Body Shop, and a scallop paint job by Joe Crisafulli of J & J Auto Painting. Jerry was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers car club.

Jerry DeVito's 1957 Ford Fairlane of San Jose, California. The second version of Jerry's Ford, known as the Maze, was completed in 1958, featuring a radical scallop paint job by Bob Heinrichs.

Jerry DeVito's 1957 Ford Fairlane of San Jose, California. The third version of Jerry's Ford, was completed in 1959. Jerry was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers car club.

Chuck Burkart's 1958 Chevrolet Impala of San Jose, California. Chuck was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers. In 1959 Joe Crisafulli gave the car a flame paint job at Flyers Body Shop.

The second version of Chuck Burkart's 1958 Chevrolet Impala, featuring a scallop paint job that Joe Crisafulli laid in 1959. Chuck was a member of the San Jose Rod and Wheelers.

Doug Osterman's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette of San Jose, California. Doug's mild Corvette was restyled in 1961.

Frank Goehring's 1958 Chevrolet Impala was restyled by Joe Crisafulli at Flyers Body Shop. The build was completed in 1959.

Steve Sellers' 1950 Ford Business Coupe of San Jose, California. Known as "Sellers Seaweed Coupe," the car made its debut at the third Billetproof car show in 1999.

Adam Woodhams' 1959 Buick LeSabre of San Jose, California. The build, known as "the Lone Wolf", was completed in 2015.

One of the best known and most published custom car and hot rod clubs of San Jose is the San Jose Rod and Wheelers. The club was established in 1954.

In the 1950s and 1960s Joe Crisafulli was pinstriping cars in the area. Joe worked on the west side of the city, and the only competition he had was Bob Heinrichs, who worked on the east side.

Hot Rods of San Jose, California

Raymond Anderegg's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster
Ron Price's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe

Custom Cars of San Jose, California

Doug Osterman's 1937 Plymouth Coupe
Jack Bertlow's 1949 Ford
Joe Crisafulli's 1949 Ford Convertible
Lloyd Myers' 1949 Mercury Convertible
Tony Alvez' 1950 Cadillac Convertible
Paul Sobeck's 1950 Ford Two-Door
Steve Sellers' 1950 Ford Business Coupe - Sellers Seaweed Coupe
Joe Crisafulli's 1951 Oldsmobile
Jim Doyle's 1952 Mercury Convertible
Richard Relph's 1953 Chevrolet
Clif Inman's 1957 Chrysler
Eric Bracher's 1956 Chevrolet
Lenny Macchiarella's 1956 Chevrolet Pickup
John and Ann Scarlett's 1956 Metropolitan - The Imp
Joe Crisafulli's 1956 Oldsmobile
Ken Sowers' 1956 Plymouth
Doug Osterman's 1957 DeSoto
Jerry DeVito's 1957 Ford Fairlane - The Maze
Chuck Burkart's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Doug Osterman's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette
Frank Goehring's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Adam Woodhams' 1959 Buick LeSabre - The Lone Wolf

Custom Body Shops of San Jose, California

Flyers Body Shop
Gene's Body Shop
Gambino Kustoms
Heinrichs Auto
Wilhelm's Custom Shop

Custom Paint Shops of San Jose, California

J & J Auto Painting

Upholstery Shops of San Jose, California

ABC Upholstery
Burns Upholstery
Kay Seat Covers
Modern Upholstery

Parts Manufacturer of San Jose, California

Sellers Equipped

Chrome Shops of San Jose, California

San Jose Plating

Car Clubs of San Jose, California

Axle Busters of San Jose
Modified Custom Club of San Jose
San Jose Esquires
San Jose Gear Jammers
San Jose Guzzlers
San Jose Igniters
San Jose Jousters
San Jose Rod and Wheelers

Car Shows of San Jose, California

Cam'n Coilers Reliability Run and Auto Show
Gambino Kustoms The Sit-Down

Citizens of San Jose, California

Adam Woodhams
Alex Gambino
Ann Scarlett
Chuck Burkart
Clif Inman
Doug Osterman
Eric Bracher
Frank Goehring
Gene Carvalho
Jack Bertlow
Jerry DeVito
Jim Doyle
Joe Crisafulli
Joe Wilhelm
John Scarlett
Ken Sowers
Lenny Macchiarella
Lloyd Myers
Paul Sobeck
Raymond Andregg
Richard Relph
Ron Price
Steve Sellers
Tony Alvez