Never understood the time and effort that went into this type of thing.

[Greg Myers]

[Greg Myers]

Guess that's where the early modelers got their cue. 

[Jon Haigwood]

Just a trend of the times. Everybody wanted to be like Barris.Kopper Kart, Outlaw, Beatnik Bandit, and many more. Similar to the "Rat Rod Trend  of today. Only the "Customs" showed some talented building skill as opposed to  the"Rat Rod" 

Look thru the photos in Kustomrama and Rick Hoving pages you will see some strange customs for sure. I scratch my head on some of their ideas on many.

[Deathgoblin]

It's strange, but I like it.  I loved old show rods. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've always understood the desire to build beautiful custom cars, but I've never been able to figure out the amount of effort that's been expended on fugly.

I know it's not concurrent with post-modern doctrine, but there ARE objective standards of beauty, proportion, and design, and a lot of stuff...a LOT of stuff...that's been built over the years has ignored same.

[cobraman]

What the heck is that ?

[Snake45]

I don't get it either. Maybe I was born or got interested in cars too late, but many of the '50s customs that "everyone" seems to rave about strike me as just backbirth eyesores. El Matador, the Aztec, and the Dream Truck just to name three. 

[Casey]

Those who don't understand likely never will. That just makes those of us who do understand enjoy it a little bit more. 

[Rob Hall]

27 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

I don't get it either. Maybe I was born or got interested in cars too late, but many of the '50s customs that "everyone" seems to rave about strike me as just backbirth eyesores. El Matador, the Aztec, and the Dream Truck just to name three. 

I think it's partially a generational thing..I find nothing appealing about 50s-60s era customs...all too weird for me.   For old cars, I like original survivors and concours quality restorations.   

[Spex84]

I'm with Casey on this one. 

What really intrigues me is the cars that "flip-flop". One minute, I think they're visionary. Another, I realize they're garish and ill-proportioned. And then back again. Virgil Exner's designs for Chrysler have this effect on me. 

As for El Matador, I challenge you to modify a '40 in accordance with the major trends of the day and get a better result. That car resolves with aplomb nearly every problem that WILL inevitably arise. It's head and shoulders above its contemporaries (Les Popo, Mark Mist, etc). It wasn't until I tried to build a scale model full-custom '40 that I realized how full of landmines the process is.

And WTF Ace, is that the world's first papier-mache Thunderbird?? Gross

 

[1930fordpickup]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste.  Look how many people just love the ugly tri 5 Chevys with the bumpers that should be on a Semi and the catfish grill openings. 

[Art Anderson]

As the old lady replied when someone commented on her new hairdo:  "It's all a matter of taste, Sonny!"

[D. Battista]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I don't get it either. Maybe I was born or got interested in cars too late, but many of the '50s customs that "everyone" seems to rave about strike me as just backbirth eyesores. El Matador, the Aztec, and the Dream Truck just to name three. 

 

25 minutes ago, Art Anderson said:

As the old lady replied when someone commented on her new hairdo:  "It's all a matter of taste, Sonny!"

I believe it is a matter of taste ..... cause I actually like the 3 you mentioned Snake... but I always liked different...!  

The El Matador

The Aztec

And 3 versions of The Dream Truck

[Greg Myers]

2 hours ago, 1930fordpickup said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste.  Look how many people just love the ugly tri 5 Chevys with the bumpers that should be on a Semi and the catfish grill openings. 

That's just plane . . . 

[Greg Myers]

Great example of something built by committee. 

 

[blunc]

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I've always understood the desire to build beautiful custom cars, but I've never been able to figure out the amount of effort that's been expended on fugly.

I know it's not concurrent with post-modern doctrine, but there ARE objective standards of beauty, proportion, and design, and a lot of stuff...a LOT of stuff...that's been built over the years has ignored same.

looks like something made for a tv show that died before pilot release.

[Spex84]

2 hours ago, blunc said:

looks like something made for a tv show that died before pilot release.

I was trying to figure out why the car's color and texture seemed so familiar. Then it hit me: It looks like a dried-up Triggerfish. "Deadliest Catch: LA Auto Show".

[ChrisBcritter]

6 hours ago, Snake45 said:

El Matador, the Aztec, and the Dream Truck just to name three. 

For me, El Matador is OK but not a huge favorite.

The Aztec: they did everything but section it, which was the one thing it really needed.

Dream Truck: Agree to disagree? To me it flows very well; maybe you'd like it better in a solid color without the scallops?

(And while we're at it, what do you think of the Hirohata Mercury?) 

[High octane]

6 hours ago, Casey said:

Those who don't understand likely never will. That just makes those of us who do understand enjoy it a little bit more. 

Ditto!

[martinfan5]

6 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

I think it's partially a generational thing..I find nothing appealing about 50s-60s era customs...all too weird for me.   For old cars, I like original survivors and concours quality restorations.   

Agreeing.

[426 pack]

I personally am not a big fan of the way things like that look. I do respect the amount of work that they put in to cars and trucks like that and there imagination that they had thought.

[Miatatom]

Different strokes.

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Dream Truck: Agree to disagree? To me it flows very well; maybe you'd like it better in a solid color without the scallops?

(And while we're at it, what do you think of the Hirohata Mercury?) 

Dream Truck: That couldn't hurt. As they say about the frozen tundra and the US State Department, almost anything you could do to it would improve it. 

Hirohata: I'm not a fan of '49 Mercs of any kind, but the Hirohata is one of the least awful of the breed. Probably about as good as it gets. 

[Oldcarfan27]

Customs started out after WW2 by returning GIs as a way to update or streamline the older cars to look newer and sleeker. If you've seen the early customs, you'd understand their appeal.

The earliest customs were very beautiful and modern for the time and actually IMPROVED the styling of the car. Don't forget, these builders did influence new car styling by around 1955 or 56. Low, lean styling, hardtops, vibrant candy and metallic paints and jet age details weren't introduced until the customizers tried them first.

By the late 50s, owners were just trying to outdo each other with "gotcha" gimmicks and bizarre changes just for the sake of change.

Enter the 1960s and things just got ridiculous - athough there were a few inspired gems then too.

By the way, lowrider enthusiasts owe their start to these early builders. Hydraulic suspension, swivel bucket seats with tuck and roll upholstery and multi-color panel paint jobs started here.

So even if you don't like period customs, more than likely something on your latest build was inspired from that short time in automotive history!

Edited July 9, 2018 by Oldcarfan27

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Hirohata Merc is an icon of the Kustom Kar genre, but there are a couple others on that body I prefer, one of them being Jerry Quesnel's '50.

Then there's Louis Bettancourt's '49...clean, clean, clean, and the definition of "flows".

And this later car, by I don't know who...

I still think the Metranga '40 Merc is about the top of the pile as far as old-school customs go though...