NOT ALL KUSTOMS WERE BEAUTIFUL... THE "PRE-BARRIS" ERA
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I recently ran across this old book, that my dad found for me, called the "Blue Book of Custom Styling"... It was first published in 1944, making the pics below some of the earliest customs you're likely to see. The issue I have is a second edition, dated 1949. The scan quality of most of these is definitely on the low end, but I still felt they were worth adding to the site. I love customized cars, but let's face it, most of these are pretty darned UGLY!... To me, these photos make it clear that it really took a man named George Barris to finally lead everyone in the right direction... |
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OK, here's a disgusting hack job... Someone got out the welding torch and went to work on a 1936 Cord... I'm wondering if it was ever completed? |
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The builder apparently thought he could improve on Gordon Beuhrig's coffin nosed design... |
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This Buick was built in 1936 by Maurice Schwartz, and was based on an Anthony Garrity design. |
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The nose treatment predates the Harley Earl LeSabre by many years... |
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The big Buick was built for the movie "Topper"... |
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There's something about this one that leads me to believe it started off as a Ford... |
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Pontiac, maybe...??? I kind of like this car... |
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Same car... That appears to be a Carson Top... |
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Here's another Carson Top, this time on an early Chevy that is also sporting a Lincoln grill... |
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This started out as a 1941 Ford... The bumper guard treatment on this one is a little odd, not to mention the wavy, cut-down doors... |
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This one may have started out as a 1936 Ford...??? |
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This is just downright bizarre... This appears to be a 1931 Cadillac Roadster, with huge fins, several years before the fin craze hit Detroit... |
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Same car... |
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Why would anyone want FINS on a car like this anyway...??? |
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Here is a very mildly customized Studebaker... |
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Same... |
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Someone felt a Lincoln grill would look good on the old Stude... |
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This early Chevy got the Buick fadeaway fender treatment... |
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Not a bad looking car... The proportions seem just a little odd... |
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It looks better from this view... |
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If you have found this page through a search engine, you may want to go to the home page for more unusual car stuff....
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