A Mini-History of the Custom Car in America

The classic era of the custom car in America lasted only about a decade, from 1945 to about 1955, but its stylistic impact continues to reverberate almost a half century later. To celebrate this dynamic era of automotive history, the Petersen Automotive Museum presents Kustoms with a "K" through 2003. The impact of this era's custom cars was so profound that in a matter of a few years, Detroit stylists were heading down the same wild, stylistic road. By that point, the custom movement had been assimilated into the automotive mainstream-exciting news for car buyers, but the end of the road for the hand-built classically styled customs.

Customs began as an outgrowth of the hot rod movement, which had its roots in the Depression. Hot rodding wasn't merely a sport or hobby; it quickly developed into a culture with its own styles, clothes, and language. When these original "rod jockeys" returned from World War II, they were getting married, starting families, and were looking for transportation more practical than stripped down, fenderless roadsters. They wanted a roof, some room, and some style. First came the '36-up "fat-fender" cars, with the '36 3-window and '40 and '41 Ford coupes being very popular. Any '40-'48 Ford, Mercury, or Chevy coupe was also fine custom fodder. But, being hot rodders, these guys couldn't leave these newer cars alone. They had to personalize them. They had to customize them.

Very quickly a custom style emerged. Buick or Packard teardrop skirts for the rear fenders became a must, as did wide whitewalls with Cadillac "sombrero" wheel covers, teardrop taillights, and dual spotlights. Cars were lowered more in the back than in the front. "Ripple" bumpers from a '37 De Soto were standard issue. Excess chrome was removed, and the cars were usually painted a deep, dark color like black or metallic maroon or green. Some plush red and white or black and white tuck-and-roll upholstery came when the owner could afford it. And a chopped top was considered the ultimate custom surgery.

By 1950, several "name" custom shops had been established, such as the Barris Brothers and Ayala Brothers in the Los Angeles area. Hot rod and custom car magazines were sprouting up; and, in 1950 the first competitive car shows were held. But the car shows and the quest for magazine covers killed the streamlined, organic custom. In order to win show points, one had to have more modifications than the other competitors. Most shows would not let a car enter if it was not significantly changed from the year before. Soon the once-organic customs became cluttered with more chrome, scoops, portholes, and other styling gimmicks. If one color was good, three were better.

This was about the time that Kustom came to be spelled with a "K," courtesy of George Barris. His first ads in Hot Rod magazine in 1948 read: "Barris' Custom Shop-Kustom Automobiles." His shop on Atlantic Boulevard in Lynwood, California where he moved to around 1950 was called Barris' Kustom City. Barris just liked spelling "C" words with a "K." It got attention. It was, somehow, more custom. And it's proven to have real staying power. The Kustom movement didn't escape Detroit's notice. By the late '50s, the most extreme production models were more outrageous than the hand-built customs that had inspired them. It wasn't the end of customs, per se, but the style of modification had clearly changed.

As editor of a young Street Rodder magazine in the mid-'70s, it took me a while to realize that customs had gradually faded from popularity. I finally suggested this in an editorial, and by August of 1977, we did a Special Merc issue, featuring a chopped '51 Merc on the cover and 14 more '49-'51 Merc customs inside. The response was enthusiastic, and soon the Kustom Kemps of America was formed in the Midwest. They held their first national event in Wichita, Kansas in 1981. The surprising thing about this custom car revival is that the vast majority of participants were freshly built cars, and nearly all were '50s models customized in the traditional early '50s style. This custom car revival continues unabated today, with the '50s theme prevailing.

One of the most amazing recent trends is the restoration of famous early customs. Amazing because it's a wonder that any of these cars survived, or that they could be restored from their rusted, wrecked, battered, or even burned remains. In other cases, knowing that the original no longer exists or is not available, several customizers have built clones of famous early cars. About a dozen clones of the crushed "Moonglow" chopped '54 Chevy exist now. The recently completed original Hirohata Merc (many early customs were named after their owners) appears at the Petersen Museum Kustoms with a "K" exhibit. But nearly 20 years ago, Jack Walker, knowing the original was unavailable, built an exact clone of this car, working strictly from magazine photos of it. In other cases, such as the Monsignor Ernst Barris '52 Chevy, the original car has been restored (from a totally rusted-out hulk) to its first custom incarnation. Later, a clone of its third Barris iteration was built.

It's only fitting that these great custom cars live on. Through their builder's creativity and amazing craftsmanship, they changed the automotive tastes of a nation.

By Pat Ganahl


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