World War II

Dick Owens of Redondo Beach, California, had this 1940 Mercury convertible restyled by Barris Kustoms after returning from WWII. A veteran of the Battle of Guadalcanal, Dick came home, married his girlfriend Betty, and got right into the booming custom car scene. According to Betty’s brother, Harold Johnson, Dick already had the Mercury in 1945, and it was in grey primer at the time. Sam Barris handled the chop, sometime between 1945 and 1947, giving the car a sleek, lowered profile. The running boards were removed and replaced with filler panels, the license plate was recessed into the trunk, and a padded Carson Top was added by Glen Houser. The car also featured fender skirts, and Hollywood Flipper hubcaps wrapped in blackwall tires. Photo courtesy of Tina Bergeson.

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.

After serving in the Marine Corps during WWII, Lawrence Garrison moved to Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1947, bringing his passion for custom cars to the East Coast before hot rod and custom car magazines spread the movement. Based on a self-penned design, Larry transformed this 1940 Mercury into a sleek, low-slung masterpiece. He channeled the body, sectioned the hood, and chopped the windshield to achieve a streamlined European-inspired look. Full fadeaway fenders, nosed and decked bodywork, and push-button doors added to its elegance, while 1947 Buick bumpers and spun hubcaps gave it a distinctive flair. Larry built the car entirely himself, fabricating parts, stitching the Spanish leather interior, and even installing hydraulic window lifts. His Mercury wasn’t just a showstopper. It was a symbol of how custom culture was spreading across America. Luckily, the car has survived, and today it is currently located in Norway. Photo courtesy of Paul Garrison.

The outbreak of World War II temporarily halted the progress of the custom car movement as material shortages, fuel rationing, and restrictions on civilian car production made it difficult for enthusiasts to modify or even maintain their vehicles. However, the war had an unintended positive impact on the industry. Many young servicemen received extensive training in welding, machining, and fabrication—skills that would later prove invaluable in car customization. Exposure to European sports cars and racing culture further influenced their tastes and ideas, introducing new design concepts that would shape the post-war era. When the war ended, a booming economy provided returning veterans with disposable income, allowing them to invest in automobiles and modifications. This combination of technical expertise, fresh inspiration, and financial means led to a resurgence in car culture, laying the groundwork for the explosive growth of the custom car scene in the late 1940s and beyond.