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Welcome to Kustomrama - Traditonal Rod & Kustom Wikipedia
Kustomrama is a Wikipedia dedicated to traditional Rod & Kustom cars. The Kustomrama Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia covering all aspects of our kulture. Everyone is welcome to contribute, and start new and interesting topics on the Kustomrama Wikipedia. Write about yourself, your company, your car, your favourite kustom or your all time automotive hero. All entries are welcome as long as they somehow relates to traditional Rod & Kustom cars.
Kustomrama Wikipedia is a project that will evolve and grow over time. Join this community today, and help Kustomrama become the number one Traditional Rod & Kustom Wikipedia!!
Featured Stories
Sam Barris' 1950 Buick
In 1953 Sam Barris sold his chopped and fully customized 1950 Buick Sedanette. For decades the car was gone, until it was found in the late seventies. The car was sold, and disappeared once again. Some years later the car was once found, this time on a riverbank in Tanton, Massachusetts. The shape of the car was then just as bad as when Sam bought it in 1951.
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Santo Vasques' 1950 Chevrolet
Featured on the cover of Car Craft May 1957, former president of the Renegades Car Club's 1950 Chevrolet Convertible is a really tasteful mid fifties kustom car.
[Read More]
Ray Giovannoni's 1936 Ford
Built in the late forties in Washington DC, this East Coast kustom really looks like a West Coast Harry Westergard creation. The car was featured in Hot Rod Magazine November 1948 as Ray was visiting the West Coast to get a new top made for the car.
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Kustomra'mag
Kustomra'mag 3 - The Viva Las Vegas Special
Third issue of Kustomra'mag is just released. Kustomra'mag 3 features 80 pages exclusive coverage from the Shifters Car Show at the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 2008. This is the biggest issue of Kustomra'mag so far.
Click here to check out the third issue of Kustomra'mag
Kustomra'mag 2 - The Lonestar Roundup Special
Second issue of Kustomra'mag is out. The second issue, called the Lonestar Roundup Special is bigger than the first issue, and contains an exclusive coverage from the Lonestar Roundup 2008. As last time, all pictures are taken by Sondre Kvipt aka SuperFleye.
Click here to check out the second issue of Kustomra'mag
Kustomra'mag 1 - The Scandinavian Special
Premier issue of Kustomrama Magazine, a Scandinavian Special featuring photos taken by Sondre Kvipt at the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2007, Jokers Car Show 2007, and Lowbrow Showdown 2007.
Click here to check out the premier issue of Kustomra'mag
Latest News
07.03.2008 - CKOS Lead Parkin' and Hangar Rockin' No.7
Summer is on, and there seems to be traditional rod & kustom related events going on all over the world. If you are currently near Västerås, Sweden, or St. Stephan, Switzerland you probably have your weekend filled up already, as you don't wanna miss the CKOS Lead Parkin' or Hangar Rockin' show!
Click here for more CKOS Lead Parkin' info and pictures.
Click here for more Hangar Rockin' info and pictures.
06.27.2008 - Lowtech - Traditional Hot Rod & Kustom Blog From Switzerland
Are you one of those advanced hight tech greasers? If yes, add Marc's Lowtech blog to your RSS reader. Marc has the scene in Switzerland covered, and visiting his site before going home from work is always a treat.
Click here to visit the Lowtech blog
06.27.2008 - The Loud Mufflers Hot Rod & Custom Car Show #6
This weekend it is time for the 6th Loud Mufflers Hot Rod & Custom Car Show in Paris, France. Both Keith Weesner and the legendary Trashmen will be there, what about you??
Click here for more info and pictures
Featured Events
A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2004 - New Pictures!!
SuperFleye and Kustomra'mag has provided us with a new set of pictures taken at the 2004 A-Bombers Old Style Weekend in Uddevalla. The photos are a taste of Kustomra'mag, which is an online magazine dedicated to traditional rod & kustom cars that will be released in February 2008!
Click here to see the Kustomra'mag pictures from the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2004
A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2006 - New Pictures!!
SuperFleye has provided us with a new set of pictures taken at the 2006 A-Bombers Old Style Weekend in Uddevalla.
Click here to see the pictures from the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2006
A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2007
The Coupe Devils car club from Norway, gathered some of their cars and headed down to Uddevalla for the annual Old Style Weekend. As usual loads of cars from all over Europe was gathered in the old army camp Backamo. If the growth of this show continues, the show will probably soon outgrow Backamo too!
Visit the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2007 Lomographic Gallery
Pictures from the A-Bombers Old Style Weekend 2007
Featured Video
Rod and Wheelers Car Club - 1956
Tag along with the Rod and Wheelers car club of San Jose on their trip to Bonneville. This is a lost footage from 1956 featuring some real old school car club history. Courtesy of Dennis Gomes
Click here to watch the video
Featured Stories
The Moonglow
Built in the front yard of his parents house, Duane Steck's 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air low budget build, better known as the Moonglow, must be the most cloned 1954 Chevrolet ever. The car was last seen going in to a crusher near the LA harbor in the early 60's, but even though the car still lives on in our hearts.
[Read More]
Nick Matranga's 1940 Mercury
Built by George and Sam Barris, the Matranga Merc took 15 months to complete. Once completed the car got smashed in a telephone pole about one year later. Even though its short life, the Matranga Merc, won several prizes at the shows, and is today considered the most known 1940 Mercury kustom ever.
[Read More]
George Mitobe's 1957 Ford Ranchero
With a wild paint job by Larry Watson, George Mitobe's mild kustomized 1957 Ford Ranchero really stands out from the rest.
[Read More]
Ed Roth's Outlaw
Ed Roth's first attempt at working with glass resulted in a T-bucket inspired show rod called the Outlaw. Originally called the Excaliber, the Outlaw was released and sold by Ed Roth as a fiberglass kit.
[Read More]
Pete Angress' 1952 Ford
With a burgundy and gold kustom paint by legendary Larry Watson, Pete Angress' kustomized 1952 Ford Victoria is a great example of the cars of Kustomland in the late fifties.
[Read More]
The X-Sonic
Built in 1959 by Ron Aguirre, The X-Sonic was the first kustom ever to use hydraulics to lower and raise the suspension. The X-Sonic was also one of the first Bubble Top Kustoms, and is well worth a closer look!
[Read More]
Jeff Motes' 1938 Austin Bantam
One of the first cars featured on Kustomrama was Jeff Motes' 1938 Austin Bantam, Jeff's rad truck is now also featured in the Kustomrama Wikipedia, and is well worth a look!
[Read More]
Sam Barris' 1949 Mercury
Late 1948 Sam Barris sold his famous 1940 Mercury Kustom in order to buy a brand new 1949 Mercury. After driving the stocker around for a while figuring out how to chop it, Sam was finally ready to begin the operation. The first chopped and completed 1949 Mercury was born!!
[Read More]
Doane Spencer's 1932 Ford Roadster
Built for dry lake racing Doane Spencer's 1932 Ford Roadster was the first Hot Rod to win the Hot Rod class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
[Read More]
Dick Flint's 1929 Roadster
Featured on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine May 1952 Dick Flint's 1929 Roadster went on to become a true hot rod legend. Its signature aluminum track nose and belly pan, has been a major source of inspiration for many hot rodders during the years.
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Arthur Bentas' Raven
Starting with a brand new 1950 Dodge chassis it took Arthur Bentas 9 years to complete the Raven. When finished in 1959, the Raven won many prizes and was featured in the November issue of Hot Rod Magazine. In 1960, one year after it was finished, Arthur put the car away. Until 2007 the car was a lost legend on the east coas kustom scene. But in 2007 Joe Germann decided it was time to wake the car up from its long sleep again.
[Read more]
Bob Hirohata's 1951 Mercury
After seeing Sam Barris' chopped Mercury in 1952 Bob Hirohata immediately bought a brand new low-milage 1951 Mercury that he handed over to the Barris Brothers for a full kustom treatment. 3 months later Bob Hirohata was the proud owner of the first hardtopped '49 - '51 Mercury ever.
[Read more]
Art Lehner's 1939 Ford
Featured in Rod & Custom March 1959 as "The Fadeaway Ford", Art Lehner's 1939 Ford ragtop was originally built in order to promote Art's body shop.
[Read more]
The Manta Ray
Heavily inspired by the 1951 GM LeSabre Concept Car two gentlemen from Whittier, California spent over 4200 hours converting a 1951 Studebaker into the fiberglass bodied Manta Ray.
The existense of the Manta Ray is not known today, but if you know anything about this wild build feel free to share it here on Kustomrama.
[Read more]
Rod & Custom Magazine’s Dream Truck
The Rod & Custom Magazine’s Dream Truck also known as the Duane Spencer Dream Truck was a rolling labaratory that readers of Rod & Custom magazine helped desingning by contributing styling ideas. Being built by several talented kustom builders such as Gene Winfield, Bob Metz and Barris Kustoms the car took 4 years to complete. In 1958 the car was Wrecked, and for several year it was a lost kustom icon.
[Read more]
Detroit vs the Customizers
Back in the mid fifties customizers claimed that Detroit stylists were copying their custom treatments, without giving them any credits for it. In June 1956 Rod & Custom magazine featured a 6 page feature by George Barris covering this subject. Being obsessed by "custom cars" being built and drawn by Detorit stylists, Kustomrama will in the future expand its scope, and also feature futuristic concept cars.
[Read more]
The Bonaguro Special
Named after its creator, John Bonaguro, the 1957 Bonaguro Special is a distinguished piece of kustom history. John started building the car in 1957. Starting with the suspension from a 1950 Studebaker, John completed his build 6 years later, in 1963. If you know anything more about the 1957 Bonaguro Special, feel free to share it with the rest of us here on Kustomrama.
[Read more]
The Alexander Brothers
Partners in crime, cutting up and kustomizing stockers in perfectly good condition, Larry and Mike Alexander, better known as the Alexander Brothers, opened up their first custom shop in Detroit in 1957. During the years, around 60 fully customized cars rolled out of the Alexander Brothers shop. Among these are noteable cars such as the Alexandria and the Purple Pelican.
[Read more]
Bill Hines Bat
Titled "Those fins are still growing" in the March 1959 issue of Rod & Custom, the Bat by Bill Hines was a shoebox that stood out from the rest.
Help us expand the story of the Bill Hines Bat on Kustomrama now!
[Read more]
The Sledanette
Recently up for sale on ebay is one of the slickest kustom cars in Scandinavia; The Sledanette. The car, built by Kari Saarlea from Finland, has been around the Scandinavian kustom scene for some years, and it really deserves a page in the Kustomrama Wikipedia. Hopefully the car will also be around for many more years to come.
[Read more]
The Ala Kart
The George Barris built Ala Kart was a big sensation when it debuted at the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in 1958. The air bagged 1929 Ford Model A pickup truck is known as the first show rod, and winner of the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Trophy at Oakland Roadster Show... twice!
Feel free to contribute to this story if you know anything about the famous Ala Kart
[Read more]
Shifters
First featured club on the original Kustomrama Marketplace was the Orange County Shifters. With roots all the way back to 1992, these guys are considered being the pioneers of the nostalgic hot rod scene as we know it. In true tradition, Shifters is also the first featured car club on the Kustomrama Wikipedia.
[Read more]
Pekka Wizzard Mannermaa
Pekka Wizzz Mannermaa, Born in 1958 has a pretty long stretch of working with Swords and 1-Shot. Here’s some background on this legendary Rat Finn from Finland .
[Read more]
The Pierson Brothers Coupe
Once known as the fastest closed car in America, the first coupe that beat the roadsters. The Pierson Brothers Coupe is also the first featured cover story on the Kustomrama Wikipedia.
If you know anything about this '34 Ford, please feel free to share it with the rest of us!
[Read more]
