Kustoms Illustrated Award of Excellence 2015

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Rik Hoving

KI AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2015

The Kustoms Illustrated Magazine “Award of Excellence” is given out at selected custom car events across the United States. It is meant to honor and recognize the “best of the best” cars in the custom community.

Of course, this is not always easy as there are so many beautiful and well done customs at these high profile shows. When unable to make the pick personally, Luke Karosi typically has a well-known or involved member of the custom community make the pick on the magazine’s behalf. This award has become coveted and much anticipated by the entrants at these fine custom events.

At this year’s West Coast Kustom’s “Cruisin’ Nationals” show, Luke picked Wayne Bolon’s gorgeous 1952 Chevrolet Fleetline that he calls “Something Sweet.” Wayne’s Chevy is fresh on the scene and exudes that early traditional custom look that so many people strive for. His ’52 features many custom tricks such as, frenched headlights, 1956 Chevy rear wheel wells grafted in, Buick side trim, extra grille teeth and smooth body work covered by a stunning Lemon Drop Pearl and Cream paint job. Outstanding!

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More recently, at the Custom Car Revival in Indianapolis, Indiana, Ron Hensley, on behalf of Kustoms Illustrated, picked Tom Culbertson’s radical chopped ’49 Ford coupe. Tom’s shoebox has been around a number of years and was built during the resurgence of custom cars back in the ‘80s. It is fresh out of 14 year storage and looks as good as ever!

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Congratulations to both Wayne and Tom! Be sure and look for future Kustoms Illustrated “Award of Excellence” winners to be selected at “The Sit Down” in San Jose, California, on July 11th, 2015, Kustom Kemps of America’s “Lead Sled Spectacular” in Salina, Kansas, July 23-26th, 2015, “Lead East” in Parsipanny, New Jersey, Labor Day weekend, and “Customs by the Sea” in Wildwoods, New Jersey on October 3, 4th 2015.

Kustoms Illustrated #42

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Rik Hoving

KUSTOMS ILLUSTRATED #42

Press Release: Issue #42 of Kustoms Illustrated Magazine is hot off the presses and will begin mailing early week 46!

Press Release from the Kustoms Illustrated Office
In Kustoms Illustrated issue #42, we have an incredible line-up of great looking customs and event coverage tailored specifically for the traditional custom car enthusiast. From the East Coast to the West Coast, from the Mid-West to Overseas, we’ve got it covered!

Our feature cars this issue include Rick Marvin’s glowing ’41 Ford coupe from Indiana. This beautiful custom features all kinds of neat tricks and fresh new ideas that you just have to see.
Next, we photographed “Angel Eyes” against the breath-taking backdrop of Mount Rainier in Portland, Oregon. Dave Spear’s ’52 Chevy is a perfect example of a classic 1950s custom. The modifications are endless, and they all flow seamlessly into one graceful package. Wait until you see the interior!

We traveled back east to shoot Fred Krol’s super-clean mild custom ’56 Chevrolet convertible against the Googie architecture of the Shriner’s building in Berlin, Connecticut. Fred’s ’56 shows the restraint and style that a true mild custom should be. This period-perfect drop-top looks like it could have been cruisin’ the streets of Anytown, USA in the mid to late ‘50s!

Clyde Wooten’s ’58 Pontiac has the perfect “California Rake.” This Portland, Oregon, cruiser has been causing quite a stir lately wherever it goes. Clyde nailed the late ‘50s street custom look with this seldom customized body style and the use of unique and original colors. Check it out in issue #42!

We have event coverage from two new shows as well as two old favorites. Rik Hoving takes us all the way to Sweden for the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend where he captured the amazing period-perfect customs in attendance. He also takes us on a special road trip along the west coast of Sweden where he rides “shotgun” with six traditional customs in a row. The coverage is wrapped up with some amazing shots of the 2nd Annual Custom Car Line-Up where eight select period customs gathered to be photographed as one; just as the legendary Marcia Campbell did in 1951 with a selection of Barris-built cars.

“Customs by the Sea” is a brand-new show in Wildwood, New Jersey, held in conjunction with the “Race of Gentleman.” Sondre Kvipt and his brother Olav of Oslo, Norway, organized and produced the event, and Kustoms Illustrated has coverage of this historic and up-and-coming traditional custom car show.

Our two old favorites include Lead East in Parsippany, New Jersey, and the KKOA “Leadsled Spectacular” in Salina, Kansas. Both shows are loaded with great kustoms and you can see them all here in the new issue!

Subscribe today! And remember; only subscribers receive the glossy full-color 4 X 6” collector’s post card inserted in each mailed issue!

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2014 Lead-East Award of Excellence Winner

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Rik Hoving

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNER

Leading Custom Car magazine Kustoms Illustrated announces the 2014 Lead-East winner of their Award of Excellence.

In late August 2014 Don “The Egyptian” Boeke’s 1955 Lincoln won the Kustoms Illustrated “Award of Excellence” at the world famous Lead East Show.Congratulations to Don for winning this prestigious award presented by the leading Custom Car magazine in the world. The 32nd Annual LEAD EAST World’s Biggest 50’s Party was held from Wednesday, Aug. 27 thru Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014 in Parsippany NJ.

Don’s 1955 Lincoln has a well balanced chop top and tasteful customizing throughout, making it a very elegant custom. The pearl yellow paint with candy dark yellow fogged highlights add to the gracefulness and elegance of this fine traditional custom. The interior was upholstered in a period correct pattern in white and dark yellow. The dash and window garnish molding were painted the same color dark yellow to blend the inside and outside perfectly. Congratulations winning this great award Don!

The top of Don’s Lincoln was done in pearl very light yellow with darker yellow fogged in edges and gob webbing for the perfect late 1950’s feel.
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Scalloped and pin-striped spotlights and amazing attention to detail everywhere you look.
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Don named his Lincoln “Nadine”
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Kevan Sledge wins KI Award

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Rik Hoving

SLEDGE WINS AWARD of Excellence

the Kustoms Illustrated Award of Excellence goes to Kevan Sledge’s ’40 Mercury at The Sit Down show.

From the Kustoms Illustrated Facebook page
It was an honor to bestow the Kustoms Illustrated “Award of Excellence” to Kevan Sledge’s period perfect 1940 Mercury at this year’s Gambino Kustoms THE SIT DOWN. Kevan’s Merc is truly one of the finest early customs built in modern times. The fit and finish was astounding and the overall execution capture the true essence of a traditional early custom car.
Congratulations Kevan!

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The one-and-only 100% Kustom Car Magazine Kustoms Illustrated is celebrating its ten year anniversary with introduction of the Kustoms Illustrated Award of Excellence. A few times a year the magazine editor Luke Karosi will be awarding the best-of-the-best Custom Car with this new prestigious award. The award will be given out at a few designated Custom Car Shows a year, including the West Coast Kustoms Santa Maria show, and the Gambino Sit Down. From time to time well know Custom Car people will help with the judging of the award winner.
Besides winning the Aluminum plaque trophy the winning Custom will also get a full feature in Kustoms Illustrated magazine as part of this Award of Excellence.

This years Gambino The Sit Down show was possibly the best ever with a huge amount of really amazing Custom Cars, making winning the award even more special. Below are two photos showing just a small selection of the great cars at the show.

From the Custom Car Chronicle team
Congratulations winning the Award of Excellence Kevan Sledge.

Kustoms Illustrated No.37

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Rik Hoving

KUSTOMS ILLUSTRATED ISSUE 37

The only strictly custom car content magazine Kustoms illustrated has produced another fine magazine with Issue #37.

Kustoms Illustrated magazine contains 64 pages and is formatted just like the old 1950’s little magazine. The perfect format to bring it with you every where you go.

This issue has Mark & Kelley Skippers Royal Victoria on the cover and as collectors card (for subscribers only). The photo above shows the openings spreads of the main chapters.

Inside you can enjoy the following content.

John D’Agostino’s latest, 1940 Cadillac “Sophia”
Kustom News from around the world
Santa Maria’s Cruising Nationals 2013
Daniel Montgomery’s 1953 Ford F-100 “Bleu Ambition”
The Skipper’s 1951 Ford “Royal Victoria”
1940’s Era Custom Car Revival
Tim’s 1939 Mercury Coupe “The Kirkegaard Merc”
2013 Detroit Autorama

If you do not subscribe to Kustoms Illustrated check out your local car show for dealers, or contact Luke Karosi for a subscription.

Advertorial: Kustoms Illustrated

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Office

A MAGAZINE MADE WITH PASSION AND KNOWLEDGE

In March 2004 Luke Karosi from Ashford, Connecticut debuted with the first issue of Kustoms Illustrated. Luke had chosen to give his new all custom car magazine an old vibe by using the same small magazine size as that was used back in the 1950’s. Kustom Illustrated concentrates on the Custom Cars from the 1940’s till present day

Kustom Illustrated is on-topic, it’s strictly car and occasional model cars. It’s filled with well written stories and images. There are very little tattoos and models (okay…sometimes there are some girlfriends next to a photographed car and sometimes they have tattoos). Luke became interested in custom cars when he was only ten years old. His older brother had bought a huge stack of old Hot Rod, R&C, Custom Rodder and other magazines home in 1978. Luke spend weeks, month even reading all those magazines cover to cover, absorbing all he could. He knew he was stuck for live to custom cars.

Before starting his own Kustoms Illustrated magazine he “practiced” as a free lance writer and photographer for independent magazines like Rolls & Pleats and Mag-neto. At first Luke had a full time job and worked on Kustoms Illustrated magazine in his spare time. Especially the first couple of issues were hard, since this was all new to him. But after a while Luke was starting to generate a work flow and each issue became easier to produce.

At the 2011 GNRS Kustoms Illustrated was one of the main sponsors in the prestigious Customs Then & Now exhibit.

A few years ago Luke moved from Connecticut to California where he now works on the magazine part time. His new Californian location allows him to visit all the major West Coast car shows and custom builders which all get a fair share in his now world wide known magazine. While at the same time he maintains close contacts with his friends and free lance photographers and writers back East, to ensure cross country coverage of whats going on in custom car world.
One of Luke’s ambitions is to have people in forty or so years still have their collection of Kustoms Illustrated magazines and hang on and love it they same way as he cherish his collection of early Hop Up, Rod & Customs, Custom Cars, etc magazines.

Kustoms Illustrated has become the standard full custom car magazine for the world. It is not only shipped to all corners of the world, there are also contributors working for the magazines from many other countries than just the US. As we write this Luke has just finished issue # 37 of Kustoms Illustrated, a number of issues he did not even dare dreaming about when he first started.

The Kustoms Illustrated award is just one of the many way’s Luke uses to promote custom cars.

It is always a pleasure to get a new copy of the quarterly Kustoms Illustrated in the mail. Browsing thru the paper magazine with similar dimensions as the old 1950’s magazine still give us at the Custom Car Chronicle a special feeling. If you have found your way into the pages of the Custom Car Chronicle and enjoy what you see then we can highly recommend you to start reading Kustoms Illustrated. Check it out and subscribe to Kustoms Illustrated