Los Angeles

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Being a jack of many trades, Jimmy Summers told his step-daughter Karen that he made his money owning gas stations. By the late 1930s, he was running "Jimmy Summers Custom Automobile Body Shop" at 7919 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. This photo of Jim's 1932 Ford Roadster was taken in front of his shop. Located right across the street from Fairfax High School, So-Cal Speedshop founder Alex Xydias was one of the local kids that used to hang out at Summers' shop after school. The shop was nothing fancy, Xydias recalls in Mark Christensen and Tony Thacker's book about So-Cal Speed Shop, "just four plastered walls, a bare concrete floor, and a gas jet, which on cold mornings was ignited to shoot a flame that warmed the shop in minutes." Photo from The Jimmy Summers Photo Collection.
In the spring of 1940 a leftover crew from Howard Darrin established the Coachcraft Ltd. custom body shop in Melrose, Los Angeles.
Louis Banto and Jack Perre's 1927 Ford roadster of Los Angeles, California was completed around 1951/1952.
Louis Banto and Sal Macchia's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster of Los Angeles, California was completed around 1949/1950.
A 1940 Ford hot rod, captured mid-transformation at Chuck's Top Shop in Los Angeles, California. Notice the louvered hood and the faux whitewall tires—creative touches that blend speed and style. Photo from The Robert Genat Collection.
Bill Vogt's 1929 Ford Model A, of Los Angeles, California.
Buzz Pitzen's 1929 Ford Model A Roadster of Los Angeles, California. Buzz was a member of the Challengers of Los Angeles car club. The build was started around 1954, and completed in 1959. Shortly after it was completed, Buzz sold the roadster to Barons of Westchester member John Rasmussen of Westchester, California.
Mac Schutt's 1932 Ford Roadster, of Bel Air, Los Angeles, California. The build took two years, and it was completed in 1949.
Ed Pink's 1936 Ford 5-Window coupe of Los Angeles, California. In 1949 Ed chopped the top on the Ford and converted it into a dry lakes racer. He joined the Rusetta Timing Association, and became a member of the Coupes club.
Arthur Lellis' 1939 Ford Convertible of Los Angeles, California. Restyled by Art at Art & Jerry Custom Shop, the build was completed in 1946.
Jerry Moffatt's 1939 Ford Convertible of Los Angeles, California. Restyled by Jerry at Olive Hill Garage, the build was completed in 1946.
Bill Henderson's 1939 Mercury Convertible of Los Angeles, California. Bill bought the Merc when he was 14 years old. In the mid to late 1940s he worked for Barris Kustoms, and they taught him how to customize cars, while he was working on the Merc.
Bob Creasman's 1940 Ford coupe of Los Angeles, California. Bob began restyling the car late in 1943, making it the first 1940 Ford coupe to be channeled, and the second to be chopped in the Los Angeles area. The work was done in conjunction with the Brand Brothers Body Shop in Los Angeles. In 1948 the car received fadeaway fenders.
Albrecht Goertz' 1940 Mercury of Los Angeles, California. Known as the Paragon, Albrecht's Mercury was restyled in 1939. Once completed, it was shown at the 1939 World Exhibition in New York. Albrecht went on to become a noted BMW designer.
Lloyd Marshall's 1948 Oldsmobile 98 Convertible was restyled by Brownie's Body Shop in Los Angeles, California, and fit with a top from Carson Top Shop.
Marcia Campbell's 1949 Chevrolet Convertible was restyled by Barris Kustoms in 1949.
Vince Ulloa's 1951 Chevrolet Four Door Fletline
Fred Rowe's 1951 Mercury Convertible, of Los Angeles, California was restyled by Barris Kustoms. The build was completed in 1953. A second version of the Merc, restyled in 1954 was featured in the movie Running Wild along with Bob Hirohata's 1951 Mercury.
Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird of East Los Angeles, California. Known as the Wild Bird, the car was restyled by Gil and Al Ayala at Gil's Auto Body Works. The first version was completed in 1956.
Bruce Schwartz' 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air - The "Blue Car"
The flyer for the 1964 Winternationals Custom Auto Fair. Held at the Great Western Exhibit Center in Los Angeles from February 6-9, 1964, the show was promoted as one of the nation's largest and most popular custom auto shows of its time. Scan courtesy of Tom Kosulandich.
Mark Jorgenson's 1960 Chevrolet Impala was restyled in the mid 1960s featuring lifts up front by Dick & Ron's and a pearl blue fadeaway paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop.
Sandy Gordon's 1961 Pontiac Bonnveille Convertible received a fadeaway paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop in the summer of 1965.
Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala of San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California received a full custom paint job by Joe Andersen's Custom Shop and lifts on all four corners by Dick & Ron's in the summer of 1966.
Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala as it appeared after Joe Andersen of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop had repainted it black pearl with cobweb in 1967.
Jim Arkin's 1967 Buick Riviera of Los Angeles, California. Jim was a member of the San Fernando Valley Illusions car club, and in 1968 his Riviera featured 8 inch Ansen slotted aluminum wheels, and a subtle business men's pinstripe by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style. The pinstripe consisted of two lines, a half inch apart, that ran the length of the car.
The 1965 Winternationals was held January 28 - February 7, 1965, consisting of the Winternationals Custom Auto Fair and the Winternationals Championship Drag Races. The Custom Auto Fair part of the show was held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Joseph Perez - Perez Kustom Kar Interiors of Los Angeles, California. Donated by Marshall Tripp, this business card comes from the office of Larry Watson. In the 1960s Joe was known as one of the best custom upholsterers in Southern California, and he did many of Larry Watson's interiors. Marshall, who worked for Larry between 1966 and 1967, remembers Watson once telling him that "you'll never win best interior with black." When Marshall worked for Watson, Joe had a shop at 4819 Nobel Street in Los Angeles, and diamond and pleats were his specialties. Photo from The Kustomrama Business Card Collection.
Sinister Knights of Los Angeles was a car club out of Los Angeles.
Charles Marshall's 1950 Cadillac Roadster of Palo Alto, California. The design of the car was inspired by the 1953 Cadillac LeMans concept car, and according to later owner Charles Marshall it was supposedly built in New Jersey in the 1960s. Bill Halvorsen of Los Angeles owned the car in 2000.
Henry Contreras' 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air of Norwalk, California. Henry was a member of the Rogues of Long Beach car club, and his Chevrolet was restyled several times in the 1950s and 1960s. Branson's Custom Shop was responsible for many of the modifications on the car. Ron Gomez of Los Angeles owned the car in 2013.


Coachcraft Ltd.

In the spring of 1940 a leftover crew from Howard Darrin established the Coachcraft Ltd. custom body shop in Melrose, Los Angeles.[1]


Hot Rods of Los Angeles, California

The Blair Special
Louis Banto and Jack Perre's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster
Louis Banto and Sal Macchia's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster
Bill Vogt's 1929 Ford Model A
Buzz Pitzen's 1929 Ford Model A Roadster
Kazar Simonian's 1929 Ford Roadster
Chet Herbert's 1932 Ford 4-door Sedan
George Sein's 1932 Ford 5 Window Coupe - The Flamer
Jack Peters' 1932 Ford Roadster
Lonnie Gaskin's 1932 Ford 4-door Sedan
Mac Schutt's 1932 Ford Roadster
Ed Pink's 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe


Custom Cars of Los Angeles, California

Bruce Riddel's Kaiser
George Barris' 1936 Ford Convertible
Jack McNeil's 1936 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Arthur Lellis' 1939 Ford Convertible
Jerry Moffatt's 1939 Ford Convertible
Bill Henderson's 1939 Mercury Convertible
Bob Creasman's 1940 Ford Coupe
Jim Chapkis' 1940 Ford
Johnny Williams' 1940 Ford
Albrecht Goertz' 1940 Mercury Coupe - The Paragon
Jack Stewart's 1941 Ford Coupe
Earl Wilson's 1947 Studebaker - The Grecian
Lloyd Marshall's 1948 Oldsmobile 98 Convertible
Marcia Campbell's 1949 Chevrolet Convertible
Charles Marshall's 1950 Cadillac Roadster
Mando's 1950 Chevrolet
Chuck DeWitt's 1950 Ford
Curt Mendalson's 1950 Ford
Bill Cicerone's 1950 Mercury
Bob Feldner's 1950 Mercury
Tom Davis' 1950 Oldsmobile 88
Tony Tellez' 1951 Chevrolet
Vince Ulloa's 1951 Chevrolet Four Door Fletline
Fred Rowe's 1951 Mercury
Frank Airheart's 1951 Oldsmobile 98 Convertible
Charles DeLacy's 1951 Studebaker
Ed Wilder's 1952 Cadillac Coupe deVille
Custom City Auto Sales' 1952 Mercury
Vic Tuttle's 1953 Mercury
Anthony Heinsbergen's Muntz
Chuck DeWitt's 1953 Ford Station Wagon
Russel Martin's 1953 Studebaker
Henry Contreras' 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
Ronnie Reishert's 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air
Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird - The Wild Bird
T. A. Neal's 1956 Buick
Ed Hoban's 1956 Chevrolet
Bruce Schwartz' 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air - The "Blue Car"
Frank Mann's Baby LeSabre
Mark Jorgenson's 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Sandy Gordon's 1961 Pontiac Bonnveille Convertible
Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Nick Hoogoian's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu
Jim Arkin's 1967 Buick Riviera


Custom, Body, Repair and Paint Shops of Los Angeles, California

Alex & West Body Shop
Barris Kustoms
Bob's Restoration
Brand Brothers Body Shop
Brownie's Body Shop
Coachcraft Ltd.
Cook's Machine Works
Earl and Don Lee Cadillac
Guild Auto Body
Jimmy Summers Custom Automobile Body Shop
John's
Kenny's Garage
Olive Hill Garage
The Branson & George Body Shop


Upholstery Shops of Los Angeles, California

Carson Top Shop
Chuck's Top Shop
Jack McNeil
Perez Kustom Kar Interiors


Speed Equipment Manufacturers of Los Angeles, California

Cyclone Racing Equipment
Edelbrock
Grant
Sharp Speed Equipment


Custom Accessory Manufacturers of Los Angeles, California

Jimmy Summers


Custom and Hot Rod Cars Shows of Los Angeles, California

Hot Rod Exposition
Los Angeles County Auto Show
Motorama
Winternationals Custom Auto Fair


Car Clubs of Los Angeles, California

Challengers of Los Angeles
Road Rebels
San Fernando Valley Illusions
Shacklers
Sinister Knights of Los Angeles


Citizens of Los Angeles, California

Al Sharp
Albrecht von Goertz
Anthony Heinsbergen
Arthur Lellis
Bill Cicerone
Bill Halvorsen<be> Bill Henderson
Bill Vogt
Bill Walker
Bobby Reggiero
Bob Creasman
Bob Feldner
Bruce Riddel
Bruce Schwartz
Buzz Pitzen
Charles DeLacy
Chuck DeWitt
Curt Mendalson
Don Blair
Earl Wilson
Ed Hoban
Ed Pink
Ed WIlder
Frank Airheart
Fred Rowe
Gordon Pilkington
Jack McNeil
Jack Perre
Jack Stewart
Jack Peters
Jerry Moffatt
Jim Arkin
Joe Perez
Johnny Williams
Lloyd Marshall
Lonnie Gaskin
Lou Baney
Louis Banto
Mac Schutt
Marcia Campbell
Mark Jorgenson
Nick Hoogoian
Ron Gomez
Ronnie Reishert
Russel Martin
Sal Macchia
Sandy Gordon
T. A. Neal
Tom Davis
Tony Tellez

Vic Tuttle




 

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