Sven Sandberg

Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible. Sven's Sunliner was completed in 1964, featuring a Burgundy Mist paint job by his brother Bo Sandberg.

Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window coupe of Stockholm, Sweden. Sven started the build, known as the Glowing Coupe, in 1961. The first version was shown in 1965, featuring a paint job by Bo Sandberg of Yankee Customs.

Sven Sandberg's 1959 Chevrolet Impala. The car was originally a two-door hardtop, but Sven cut the roof off it and fit it with a tonneau cover in 1965.

Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat. The Cool Cat was a customized Jaguar E-Type built by Bo Sandberg of of Yanke Customs in Älvesjö, Stockholm, Sweden. The build was completed in 1967, featuring a a red and pink Metalflake paint job. Sven bought the Jaguar from Bo and restyled it further.

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Stockholm, Sweden. Named The Wild Bird, Bo's Thunderbird was completed and made its debut in 1966. Sven and Joakim Sandberg purchased the old custom in 2020.

Order from: Sweden - Norway - Rest of the world

Sven Sandberg is a Swedish hot rod and custom pioneer from Stockholm. He emerged as a prominent figure in the early Swedish hot rod scene, inspired by the motor interests of his older brother, Bosse "Gamen" Sandberg.

Early Life and Career

Sven began modifying mopeds, motorcycles, and cars at his parents’ summer cottage in Vendelsö, south of Stockholm. His early interest in automotive customization set the foundation for his lifelong involvement in the hot rod and custom culture. Sven's first notable project was the restyling of a 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible. The car received a 1956 Chrysler New Yorker bumper at the front, while the rear bumper was molded to the body. The taillights were hooded 1959 Cadillac units, and he also added sunken electric antennas, a popular modification at the time. In 1964, his brother Gamen painted the car Burgundy Mist and added the text "Fo Mo Co" along its sides. The car was showcased at the Hot Rod exhibition at Ringvägen in Stockholm that same year and was a familiar sight during vacations to southern Europe.

The Glowing Coupe

Sven’s next project, and by far his most famous build, was The Glowing Coupe, a 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe that became one of Sweden’s most iconic hot rods. Its origins trace back to when Sven built a plastic model kit of the car at age 13, igniting his passion for the design. In the summer of 1961, at just 15 years old, he purchased a rusted-out body that would serve as the basis for his full-scale build, a body discovered by his brother Bo Sandberg in a Norwegian junkyard for a mere 225 Swedish kroners. The transformation began in a barn in Vendelsö and was completed five years later in “Transhuset” in Täby. With little experience at the time, Sven learned welding from Bo, starting by chopping the top five inches and then angling and boxing the frame. The lowered top was fitted with a Crown Victoria plastic roof, while power was provided by a 1955 Oldsmobile V8 engine. The engine, transmission, and rear axle came from an Oldsmobile that Sven purchased for 250 Swedish kroners. He also adapted the dashboard from the Olds and installed a 1959 Mercury steering wheel. Bo painted the car.

An early version of the Glowing Coupe was displayed at the first Hot Rod Show in Stockholm in 1964, and in 1965 it was presented at the first annual Hot Rod Show in the city. Following its completion, Bo suggested that the car be given a name, and thus it became known as the “Glowing Coupe.” Sven’s initial visit to the vehicle licensing department in 1965 ended in frustration when the car was not approved. He returned home, installed fenders, and repainted the car in “Sierra Gold,” a brown hue chosen for its neutral and approval-friendly qualities. In 1966, the Glowing Coupe won the best hot rod award at the Hot Rod Show in Marmorhallerna in Stockholm, as well as at Show Time in Örebro.

Beyond the competitive circuit, the Glowing Coupe became a centerpiece of Sven and his wife Maud’s holiday travels across France and Italy. The car, along with the couple, consistently drew attention wherever they went. One memorable incident occurred in Monaco when a group of Frenchmen swarmed the parked car, amidst shouts of “Brigitte Bardot!” the excited crowd clambered over the vehicle until Sven was able to slowly drive away. On another occasion at a German gas station, a rather stout gentleman, smitten with the car, inadvertently became stuck in the driver’s seat, requiring a team of onlookers to help push him out through the passenger side. Additionally, Sven attended Sweden’s first organized drag race in early October 1966 with the Glowing Coupe, where he recorded a quarter-mile time of 16.6 seconds on a wet track.

Personal Life

As a teenager, Sven met Maud, and the couple has remained together throughout their lives. Both Sven and Maud have been influential in shaping the friendly and positive atmosphere of the Swedish hot rod community. They later moved to Trollbäcken, Tyresö, where they in 2025 continued to reside. The couple is also the parents of two children, Carina and Joakim Sandberg.

Some of Sven Sandberg's Cars

Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe - The Glowing Coupe
Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible
Sven Sandberg's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Bo "Gamen" Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird - Wild Bird
Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat
The Zipper a T-23 Hot rod