The 1949-51 Mercury is the quintessential custom car. Thousands of them have gone under the knife in the last five decades, so it's a little surprising to discover how little aftermarket support there is for these beloved 'sleds. It's a particularly disheartening discovery if you happen to be buildi
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Bill Layman's Classically Clean '54 Monterey
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With the recent surge in poker popularity-tournaments seemingly run round the clock on cable TV-it's little wonder the phenomenon has spread to the indoor car show circuit. Rick Perry, the promoter of the San Francisco Rod, Custom, and Motorcycle Show, recently raised the ante by having two differen
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One of the original objectives of car customizing was to make inexpensive vehicles look more like upscale models. So what's a custom enthusiast to do when he bases his project on the so-called Standard of the World-a Cadillac? If you're retired bodyman Ed Britz, you mix and match various elements of
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When Chip Foose and Wes Rydell get together on a custom project, step back and watch out. The results are bound to be spectacular.
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Whether you're attempting your first build or your 20th, one key to maintaining sanity is finding a balance between what you can afford and the desire to use top-quality parts. Fortunately, the hot rod aftermarket continues to develop quality parts to help us improve our cars, and magazines like Cus
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Wiring-the mere mention of the subject brings chills to the spines of most do-it-yourself rodders. For many, it's part of the sacred trio of chores left to hired guns-paint, upholstery, and wiring. But for those willing to do some research, practice a bit of trial and error, and spend the time and e
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Some guys have their hearts set on a particular make or model of car they want to customize. Others are less picky-they're just looking for a vehicle with the right elements to mold into their vision of the ultimate personalized cruiser.
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Many custom cars are built as a means for re-creating the past. Others conger up a past that never existed, and create a fresh new reality for the present.
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Is there such a thing as a practical custom rod? If so, Lance Overholser's '64 Ford Custom 300 may qualify. With a fuel-injected V-8, overdrive transmission, and sensible suspension, this road-worthy mild custom is as easy to cruise as it is to look at.
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Despite the family-vehicle stigma they've carried for decades, once-lowly station wagons have been hot commodities recently. So when Derick Samson, of Marshall, Missouri, got his hands on a clean '62 Chevrolet wagon, he was excited by the possibilities. The old family hauler needed a little straight
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Go ahead, admit it: You were about ready to turn the page and dismiss Clayton Moorman's Bel Air sedan as just another stock-bodied, resto-rod, red '55 Chevy. We almost did the same thing when we first saw the car at the 2005 Goodguys Southeastern Nationals. Then we took a second look. So should you.
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It's pretty easy to change a vehicle's style. Do a little cutting and welding here, some parts swapping there, and you're bound to make any car look different. Making tasteful and purposeful changes is a bit more challenging, however; it requires talent and restraint to truly enhance a car's design.
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It's fair to say Kansas has been good for the Kustom Kemps of America. The organization was formed in Wichita, and that's where its first national event-the Leadsled Street Custom Spectacular-was held more than a quarter-century ago. And while the Leadsled Spectacular would have many homes in many s
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Not all '50s cars were born cool. Sure, some started looking good over the years and others earned their keep as alternatives to the mainstream. A few even endeared themselves as loveable ugly ducklings. Then there's the Kaiser sedan.
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Mad Mod GalaxieWe've been pleased to bring you some of Brian Stupski's artwork in our "Stylines" column over the past couple years. You may recall in the January 2006 issue, Brian sketched several versions of a '63 1/2 Ford Galaxie. As always, we thought the images were cool, and apparently Jeff and
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Small & MightyTuff Stuff Performance Accessories is making engine swaps easier with mini gear-reduction starters for Ford, Olds, and Pontiac engines. Not only are these starters up to 1/3 smaller and 40-percent lighter than stock units, but they allow multi-indexing, meaning the starter can be posit
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When Derek Dejonge became the caretaker of his father's mildly customized '50 Olds 88 fastback, he knew he was being handed the keys to a cool ride. What he didn't expect was the crash course in modified suspensions he would receive.
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Ronnie Staples Reunites His '50 Ford With Its Original Builder
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How A Kid From The Wrong Place With The Wrong Car Shows Us What's Right
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So-called "contemporary" customs have gone through many phases in the past two decades, from the "dipped" monochromatic look to the pastel-painted, tweed-interior fad to recent styles with big-inch billet wheels and airbag suspensions. While aspects of each trend linger, we're seeing more traditiona
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It's pretty easy to change a vehicle's style. Do a little cutting and welding here, some parts swapping there, and you're bound to make any car look different. Making tasteful and purposeful changes is a bit more challenging, however; it requires talent and restraint to truly enhance a car's design.
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Richard Zocchi Takes Bold '59 Buick Styling A Step Further
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Custom Rodder has profiled many significant car builders and vehicles in this column the past several years. For our finale issue, however, it's only fitting to share the history of the man behind the National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame Museum, Darryl Starbird.
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Wonder Wagon"I am not a famous guy, but I thought you would be interested in one of my rare rides," writes Stuart Clark, of Chehalis, Washington. Rare, indeed-Chevrolet didn't build a two-door Impala station wagon in 1959, though Stuart's longroof has been decked out in Impala attire. It also wears
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