Picture Thread:Golden Era Customs
 

After WWII the custom cars scene grew to it's peak in the early '60s when performance took over. From out of hot rods built built for performance came style,which evolved along with the styling of factory cars from fat fender post war cars to turnpike cruisers of the late '50s-early '60s. I grew up with this stuff and have a small collection of pictures to share...

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From mild to wild,these cars were true craftsmanship on wheels...

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Hirohata Merc:

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Imagine that,a custom 49-51 Merc:

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49-51 Fords were more my preference. Love that Club Coupe!

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That's why I have more...

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More Fords and one more Merc:

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I grew up loving those '49 Ford Club Coupes,but I sure do dig the Chevys and other GMs. I don't remember seeing those as much as lead sleds,but that's what I'd like to have

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Ohhh yeah...

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i had a 50 chevy 2 door torpedo back with skirts in the early eighties.had a 216 with three on the tree...i wished i never sold it theres a couple of them in your pics the maroon one and a flat the flat black.your thread brought back some memories.thanks

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Way cool Daddy-O

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These cats are solid gone...

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i love early customs! westergard ,bertolucci, ayalas, valley customs and sam barris. beautiful cars
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Trucks were makin' the scene,too

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El Caminos...even home made versions:

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Later into the '50s...

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And '60s...

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Mostly '50s:

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I wish I would of lived during the 50's

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Just more:

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Ok,maybe some were more modern builds,but you get the picture.

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Those are cool cars.I a;ways thought that was a cool name,too. Talk about post-war era,that just screams it. My dad had a '49 Buick Torpedo Back in black when I was born.

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Some very sweet rides!

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They sure are an American art form. Some weren't al that attractive in my taste,but I give them all their due as works of art. I tend to like the mild side,or at least more flowing lines and smoother features. It almost seems Detroit was influenced by the custom builders as much as the custom builders were influenced by Detroit.
Me too. I was born in '55 and always wished I had been born about 10 years earlier. I still would have been a young buck in the '50s but would have started driving in '61 rather than '71. I guess to enjoy the '50s more I'd want to be 15-20 years older. My dad had a hot '36 Ford Coupe before I was born. Then a '49 Buick Torpedo Back.

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Cool pics. Thanks for sharing.
Kim

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Nice.

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They have a car show in Santa Maria -I think it's called West Coast Customs- that features nothing but this type of car. Tons of people come up from L.A. And they dress in period clothing, the women with the bright red lipstick and the men with the cigarettes rolled up in their t shirt sleeves. Pretty entertaining. Coming up fairly soon, I believe.
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Dad burn you Tim. I was born Jan. 1947 and grew up with this time in history. Mostly Chevys, Fords, Mercs, and a few Plymouth thrown in in this neck of the woods. It brings a lot of old memories up that I would be better off not reliving. I might not make it through this time.

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SWEET!!.. Tim, Thank you for sharing! I love old Customs..

I have dabbled with a couple of those in my day...

First one is a 55 Studebaker Speedster that was built in 1960...Featured in Rod N Custom in 1962 or 63, (I purchased it in 1974)
And a 51 Ford Vicky (Crappy pic) not sure when it was built. (I traded a Harley for it in 1983)

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Post #17 the blue and white Merc.I grew up in a Yellow and Black twin to it.My sister finally fell thru the floorboards and Dad riveted in a couple patches and drove it a few more years.My first car was a mild custom 53 cheby.I have always loved the Old customs though I kind of lost intrest when the 70's rolled around and chargers and such were being customized by installing as many scoops as they could fit.
I was really bummed when the mag people killed "Custom Rodder".I had a sub to it as far back as I did one to Hot Rod and Car Craft.And to think the younkers today think they invented "Body Drops".I guess they just didn;t have good influences and mentors growing up and lost out on terminology.God forbid you try to explain sectioning to them.And just think special,there's probably not a pound of "Bondo" or body filler in all of the original ones pictured.In fact just a few months ago,I saw a video of "Bill Hines' Chopping a car at a show.Had the Cigar in his mouth and the torch and paddle in his hands.They just don't build them like that any more.

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Oh the humanity ... that first pic is a 54 Chev and you called it a Ford *sniff*

:lol:

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Yeah,I saw that. I'm more lazy than ignorant (not that it isn't both) and didn't feel like fixing it.I have a hard time seeing what's what,especially with customs,in the thumbnails. I figured it would be you* (:rolleyes:) who would say something,too! :lol:

* being as old as you are and all...:exit:

Ron,I hoped you could enjoy the jaunt down memory lane. So,were you a greaser?

Livrat,I figured you might have had some experience with one or two. I remember a lot of old relic customs in garages by the '60s. It always amazed me how a show car could end up so rough so fast. Often a guy would go to redo one,then lost interest.

Deland,I know that combo. A gal I knew when I was in Cali in the mid-70s drove a '56 Merc those colors. It was the version like the Crown Victoria with plexiglass 1/2 top. Talk about rot...my dad drove a '49 Ford Woody once I came along making it three kids. He drove that till one day these people were passing him waving and pointing down. He stuck his head out and looked down and back to see my oldest sister looking back and waving. The wood had rotted to where she could stick her head out and she was waving to people driving by!!

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Here are some more I don't think I showed yet (have any eagle eyes noticed there is on duplicate already?:cool:

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Another batch of five:

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Torpedo!

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keeq the pix coming!
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Ok,do you mind trucks?

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Trucks!

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5 more:

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Kustoms: