Walter Leeman

Walter Leeman's 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline was restyled by Walt in the mid 1950s. The first version was completed in 1956.

Walter pinstriping his 1951 Chevrolet in the T-Timers club booth at the Los Angeles County Fair. This is the only photo Walt has of himself pinstriping. Photo courtesy of Walter Leeman.

Walter Leeman's 1934 Ford 5-Window Coupe was built by Walt and completed in 1958.

Walter pinstriped Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird at a Hollywood car show. He was about 18 years old, and still in high school, when he did the car.

A photo of Walter's T-Timers of El Monte club plaque. Walter served as President and Vice-President of the club at different times. Photo courtesy of Walter Leeman.

A photo of Walter's T-Timers of El Monte club jacket. Photo courtesy of Walter Leeman.

Walter Leeman's 1960 Pontiac.

Walter was an auto tech at LAPD, and he used to dyno tune the B&W Pontiac Freeway cars. Photo courtesy of Walter Leeman.

Walt's Volvo PV 144. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping Walt did for Vans West in the 1970s. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Pinstriping by Walt. Photo by Walter Leeman.

Walter Leeman's 1953 Chevrolet Bel-Air. Walt restyled this in the early 1980s, and it was completed in the later part of 1983. At the time Walt was living in Paonia, Colorado. He had no garage, and 90% of the build was done outside.

Walter Leeman's 1940 Ford Coupe. Walt built this after the '53 Chevy.

Walter Leeman's Second 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline. The build was completed in 2009.

Walter Leeman of East Los Angeles, California. Walter was a member of the T-Timers of El Monte, and served as President and Vice-President at different times. The T-Timers had chapter clubs all over Southern California that were sponsored by the Elks Lodges.

Around 1956 Walt started pinstriping. He was self taught, and he picked up the trade after reading some Von Dutch articles in various magazines. At the time Walt had a 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline that he was restyling. During the build, the Fleetline was decorated with primer spots and pinstripes. Walt pinstriped out of House of Chrome, that was located at the Ayalas property in the 1950s. In 2015 he told Kustomrama that he was striping out of the House of Chrome after school and on weekends; "I had met Earl Bruce, who owned a bar on Sunset Blvd, and a 1940 Ford that Valley Custom had done some custom work on. When I was about 18, I pinstriped Gil Ayala's Wild Bird at a Hollywood car show. At the show Earl brought Von Dutch over and introduced me to him. He didn't say much but it sure rattled me for a bit. " After a couple of years House of Chrome moved to a new location, and Walt went with them. He stayed there until he joined the US Air Force.

About the time the T-Timers club was folding up, Walter and Doug Loukota met up with the guys in the Hollywood Tribesmen at the San Fernando Drag Strip, and they were asked to join.

In 2014 Walt was living in Delta, Colorado. He had pretty much retired from striping, he just did some touch ups of other works for body shops after a repair.

Walter Leeman's Cars

Walter Leeman's 1934 Ford 5-Window Coupe
Walter Leeman's 1940 Ford Coupe
Walter Leeman's 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline
Walter Leeman's Second 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline
Walter Leeman's 1953 Chevrolet Bel-Air
Walter Leeman's 1960 Pontiac
Walter Leeman's Volvo PV 444

Cars Pinstriped by Walter Leeman

Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird