EARLY CUSTOMS Pre 1950 build Customs
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Michu.
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November 18, 2023 at 14:04 #75049
Craig Thorson
ParticipantItās a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe.
November 19, 2023 at 20:10 #75050Michu
ParticipantHereās another ebay find, a 41 Mercury with Carson Top and at least one spotlight. The California license plate on the 41 Dodge seems to be from 1942, so the cars are near new:
January 3, 2024 at 09:14 #75141Michu
ParticipantJanuary 9, 2024 at 21:58 #75155Michu
ParticipantJanuary 30, 2024 at 13:07 #75195Rik Hoving
KeymasterOkay… these photos are not fitting the theme of this post since they were taken in the 1960’s. But the car in the photos was originally restyled around 1947…
Dean Ekdahl send me a couple of photos he got from a friend some 25 years ago and was wondering if I could help him identify the Ford Custom in the photos. His friend ā Norm Morrison ā who passed away in the early 2000ās always mentioned that his old ā47 Ford was a Barris Custom from 1946-47. But Dean was not sure about that, he had not been able to find any other info on it.
The photos Dean send of the car were all from the early 1960ās, when Norm owned the car. Norm had mentioned āwhat a piece of shitā that car was, but he did take photos of it, and did hold on to them until he gave them to Dean 25 years ago. So the car must have meant something to him.
When Dean send me the first very small photos I recognised the shape of the padded top, and a few other details, and wondered if it could be the one that was photographed in front of the Barris Compton Ave shop back in 1947, and the same one that George Barris photographed in the early 1960ās. When Dean send me larger versions of the photos I could read the license plate, and it sure was the same car as George photographed in the 1960ās. The great news is that this one is still alive and well.Thank you for sharing these Dean, another piece of the puzzle for an original Barris related Custom. According to the Kustoms Illustrated article on this car, it was a guy named Fuzzy who worked for Barris who actually created the car. Possibly after work at the Barris shop?
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
May 16, 2024 at 16:13 #75382Rik Hoving
KeymasterJimmy Barter shared these neat photos on Facebook. I know, two hot rods, but at least one Custom as well š
“Taken at D & B Auto Sales, no date so late 40s, possibly early 50s”
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
September 15, 2024 at 19:09 #75537Michu
ParticipantSaw this photo on ebay recently, it looks to be pre 1950:
September 16, 2024 at 07:53 #75538Rik Hoving
KeymasterVery nice photo Michu. Clean and simple mild custom with all the right touches.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
September 26, 2024 at 19:41 #75544Michu
ParticipantDefinitely not the most elegant custom and i donāt know if this has been discussed elsewhere before, but i wonder if this 40 Ford is an early Barris K/Custom, because in an small picture from an 1949 Motor Trend magazine it is definitely in the front of the Barris shop in Compton (see comparsion picture with the 40 Ford coupe in front of the shop). On the picture where it is painted dark it has a 1947 license plate, so the pictures taken in front of the shop seem to be earlier than 1947 because the car has black walls, is painted white (primer?) and the top is black. Maybe they shaped the top at the Barris shop, covered it with some black material and brought it later to Gaylords or Carson Top Shop for finishing upholstery? Does anybody know?
September 27, 2024 at 03:00 #75545Mild Mitch
ParticipantI believe this car still exists and has been restored. I remember it from the old books and saw it some years ago at the Sacramento Autorama. Like maybe 2010 or so. Maybe more recent even.
I can’t recall if it was a Barris car or not. But it’s quite possible, and if not, they probably worked on it at some point.
It’s much prettier in person!
Mitch
September 27, 2024 at 06:09 #75546Rik Hoving
KeymasterNice Find Michu, I had not seen the white version of the car parked in front of the Barris Shop.
The Throther MacMinn book published by the Rodder’s Journal had two photo’s of the car, the one you posted and a rear angle view.
And below is what they wrote about it… Not much new info, but the info that is came from Sacramento might perhaps be a further indication Barris might have something to do with the car. Perhaps George and Sam worked on it while still in Sacramento during WWII?“Nice Try
In the early custom car era. There were no definitive guidelines or precedents. The seminal volume on the subject, Dan Postās Original Blue Book of Custom Restyling, first published in 1944, illustrated many of the techniques and ideas, but it did not make any judgements on what was right or wrong. This attempt, built apparently from a ā40 Ford Tudor sedan, with what appear to be fine metalworking skills, albeit questionable design taste, utilized many custom touches that would soon become universal: a smoothed body that was devoid of unnecessary trim, a chopped and padded top, ā37 De Soto ribbed bumpers, even a spare tire insert in the decklid. Itās shown in three views on the inside front cover of Dan Postās book, unfortunately, with no label to identify the builder. But trust us, this rear three quarter-view is the carās best aspect. Seen from the front, in this 1947 photo, thereās a chromed Cyclopean āeyeā center headlamp in the hood that reportedly turned with the wheels; itās decidedly ugly.
That cut-down door line flows at too abrupt an angle from the hood plane, and the grille itself, although hand-formed and apparently functional, is far too massive for this application. In Motor Trendās first issue, dated September, 1949, this same car is shown, in a lighter color, with this unflattering caption: āWeird-looking car from Sacramento features a Cyclops eye that turns with the wheels, and a grille that works like a venetian blind to regulate the airflow through the radiator.ā
We canāt help but wonder what Mac thought.”
I do not recall ever seeing this again in more recent days, as Mitch mentioned. A new hood and grille would do wonders for the car for sure. But I guess this one was done in the “experimentation phase” of the builder.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
September 27, 2024 at 06:54 #75547Michu
ParticipantThat would be nice to see a picture of it how it looks now! Iāve seen the small Motor Trend picture in an thread about Carson Tops on the Hamb and recognized the Lettering on the wall. Maybe itās a bit unfair to say itās ānot the most elegantā or like in the book, of āquestionable design tasteā. It really sounds better to say it is an early custom with an experimental factor.
October 5, 2024 at 21:39 #75554Michu
ParticipantHereās another interesting photo of a Mild Custom Ford. The license plate seems to be a 1947 California plate, the upper right corner is out of sight, so it maybe has a 48/49 or 50 Tag on it. On the back of the photo is some writing. Of course itās not a Club Coupe but yes, it is a 41 Ford (the running board confirms this), and itās a Deluxe (no windshield trim and painted vent window frames). As it is written on the back of the photo,Ā it has a 47 Ford front attached to it. It looks like they also used the front axle of the 47, because the 41 axle is narrower and would look not so good with the new, wider front. Maybe the car had an accident before and that was the start of the customizing. The chrome trim from the upper grill bar is removed and replaced by a matching stainless piece like the lower ones, but it sticks out into the headlights! The bumpers seem to be 42/46 Ford, at least the guards. They retained the 41 Ford side trim and shortened it a bit on the newer hood. Also the Ford seems to be repainted completely. It is lowered in the back, and has, i believe, 46/48 skirts. On the back of the photo is written ālowered rear, and plainā, i believe this means it is decked too, matching to the nosed hood. And the Ford has reversed door handles! Iāve only seen that on earlier customs until now. I love those āunspectacularā street customs!
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