Whittier

Art Tremaine's 1929 Ford Model A Roadster of Whittier, California. Art was a member of the Strokers of Whittier car club and his roadster was built in the late 1940s.

After returning from WWII, Glen Wall settled in Whittier, California, and found himself drawn to the booming post-war custom car scene. In the mid-1940s, while working at a car lot, he bought this 1939 Ford convertible, already chopped and fitted with a Carson Top. The car’s sleek, low stance turned heads everywhere he went, and before long, people started offering to buy it. That’s when Glen realized he could turn customizing into a business. He began sourcing 1939 Ford convertibles, chopping the tops himself, welding the posts, and having them leaded and primed before taking them to Glen Houser at Carson Top Shop for a padded top. Black was the best-selling color, and his cars featured fender skirts, Appleton spotlights, Buick trim details, sunken license plates, and dual exhaust. Looking back, Glen told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2016 that he estimated building and selling around 20-25 custom cars before chuckling, "But that’s a conservative number." This 1939 Ford was the first, and the one that started it all. Photo from The Glen and Forey Wall Collection.

Bob Dofflow's 1949 Ford

The Manta Ray was built by Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine of Whittier, California, sometime between 1951 and 1953. Inspiration came from Harley Earl's 1951 GM LeSabre concept car.

Mel Gerrard's 1950 Oldsmobile 88 of Whittier, California. The car was restyled by Gil's Auto Body Works in the early 1950s. The total cost of the restyling was close to $700, and the work was spread over an eight-month period.

Bob Knessel's Sports Custom. Featuring a Fiberglass body, Bob and his dad spent three years constructing the car. According to an appearance in Fawcett Book 413 How to Build and Race Hot Rods, Ed Roth was involved in the build, and rumors has it that he gave it a Metallic pink paint job once the bodywork was done. In the 2000s, Mike Spacek of Whittier bought the car from his buddy Dominic Conti.