1960s
Contents
- 1 Teenage Boom!
- 2 The 1960 Car Club Murder
- 3 Lowriders
- 4 Ray Soff Remembers Junkyards Filled With Affordable Customs
- 5 Hot Rods of the 1960s
- 6 Custom Cars of the 1960s
- 7 Hydraulic Lifted Cars of the 1960s
- 8 Competition Cars of the 1960s
- 9 Hot Rod and Custom Show Cars of the 1960s
- 10 Dragsters of the 1960s
- 11 Custom Builds of the 1960s
- 12 Concept Cars of the 1960s
- 13 Hot Rod, Custom Car, and Lowrider Clubs of the 1960s
- 14 Custom Body Shops of the 1960s
- 15 Custom Upholstery Shops and Upholsterers of the 1960s
- 16 Custom Paint Shops of the 1960s
- 17 Custom Painters of the 1960s
- 18 Pinstripers of the 1960s
- 19 Hydraulic Lift Shops of the 1960s
- 20 Speed Shops of the 1960s
- 21 Custom Wheels and Accessories Shops of the 1960s
- 22 Hot Rod and Custom Car Shows of the 1960s
- 23 Drag Racing Events of the 1960s
- 24 References
Teenage Boom!
By 1960, more than a million and a half cars were registered in teenagers’ names in the US. The rapid growth of the suburbs and their teen population had helped spread hot rodding and customizing across the country. If you lived in the suburbs, owning a car would for many become a necessity as school and jobs were not often easily reached by public transportation.[1]
The 1960 Car Club Murder
The 1960 Car Club Murder was a tragic and defining moment in the history of Southern California car clubs. On March 28, 1960, a violent clash erupted when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. Armed with weapons, the Townsmen stormed the hall in an attack described as premeditated. During the chaos, 16-year-old Neil Mahan of the Dutchmen was shot in the head while seeking refuge in the kitchen. He succumbed to his injuries days later, igniting outrage and leading to the arrest and trial of several Townsmen members. The incident highlighted the dangerous rivalries between car clubs of the era and ultimately led to widespread discussions about youth violence and the car club culture of the 1960s.[2]
Lowriders
The first hydraulic lifts were installed on custom and show cars in the late 1950s. In the early to mid 1960s most cars running around with hydraulics were considered custom cars. As the trend started moving towards nice, clean cars, most lowriders in the mid to late 1960s weren't considered customs anymore due to their lack of body modifications. The mainstream automotive press began to recognize the importance of lowriding, and used the term as early as 1966 to describe cars like Jerry Cohen's 1948 Chevrolet.[3]
Ray Soff Remembers Junkyards Filled With Affordable Customs
Ray Soff of Saddle Brook, New Jersey has been into cars since he was a kid, and his passion for custom cars can be traced back to the early 1960s. "When I was 15 years old I bought a 1951 Ford convertible for $80.00. It needed parts. I bought a Flathead motor. An old one that was shot." It was an automatic transmission, so Ray put a stick shift in it. "I was going to customize it." He used to go to a junkyard to get parts. "My dad knew a junkman," Ray told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2021. "We would go to the yard every Saturday. Dad would bring him a cool sixpack of beer and we would take anything for free." Ray and his dad went every Saturday. He never brought a camera, but in 2021 he still recalled that the yard was filled with old customs. "One was a '51 Ford hardtop. '50 Merc grille shell, '51 Ford headlights frenched in, '51 Packard taillights. Maroon paint. I asked the junkyard owner why it was there. Flathead went out." He asked Ray if he wanted it, but his dad refused, reminding Ray about the one he already had at home. "Next one was a black '50 Ford Coupe. Louvered hood. Flames all over it. The hood was on the side of it and it had no motor." Other cars included a green 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe. Half done. A 1950 Oldsmobile convertible. Baby blue with a dark blue top. "When we were there it was towed in. It had race decals on the windows. I opened the hood. It had chrome valve covers. I took them." Ray also recalls a Purple Metalflake 1956 Chevrolet Sedan that had been hit in the front. "It had 1956 Packard taillights."[4]
Hot Rods of the 1960s
Steve Scott's Uncertain-T
Dan Woods' Milk Truck
John Toohey's 2E-"T" Ford Model R Toadster
John Toohey's Royal-T Ford Model T C Cab
John Toohey's Ice T Ford Model T Touring
Don Tognotti's 1913 Ford Model T Roadster - "King T"
Bob Schoonhoven's 1921 Ford Model T Roadster - "Lil' Louie"
Bo Sandberg's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster - Purple Passion
Buzz Pitzen's 1923 Ford Fiberglass Bodied Model T Roadster - The Glass Image
Lee A. Jagla's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster Pick Up
Palle Eriksson's 1924 Chevrolet Roadster
Bill Cissell's 1925 Ford Model T Roadster
Larry Hughes 1926 Ford Model T Roadster Pick Up - The Bomber
Bo Huff's 1927 Ford Model T Bucket
Hasse Broberg's Modified
Eldon E. Schmidt's 1929 Ford Model A Roadster
Jerry McGinnis' 1929 Ford Model A Roadster
Dick Ceola's 1930 Ford Model A Truck
Bengt Wennergren's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster
Bill Leslie's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe
Bob Hagerty's 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan - Jade East
Jonas Qvarnström's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster
Lars-Erik Johansson's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster - The Orange Fink
Martin Oja's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe
Norman Kopp's 1932 Chevrolet Coupe
Art Lehner's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe - The Blue Indigo
Gary Priebe's 1932 Ford Roadster
Gunnar Johansson's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe
Jacques Bechard's 1932 Ford Roadster
Ron Maxwell's 1932 Austin Bantam
Göran Silfors' 1932 Ford Roadster - Early Bird
Lars Erik Ljungkvist's 1932 Ford Roadster
Leon Kendrick's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe - Wild Deuce
Lew Wolff's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Marv Shetler's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan
Max Magness' 1932 Ford Cabriolet
Orin Meyer's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe
Roland Larsson's 1932 Ford Roadster
Sonny Kahal's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan
Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe - The Glowing Coupe
Tommy Henderson's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan - The Green Machine
Don Sealy's 1933 Chevrolet Pickup Truck
Bob Peterson's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Dave Willis' 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Deaner Probst's 1933 Ford Cabriolet - Lil' Dough
Ron Price's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Don Vargo's 1934 Ford Cabriolet - The 69er
Egeo Barci's 1934 Ford Roadster
Per Arne Knudsen's 1934 Ford Cabriolet
Raymond Patricco's 1934 Ford Roadster
Rick Menz' 1934 Ford Tudor Sedan
Ron Maxwell's 1934 Ford 5-Window Coupe
John Erik Baalerud's 1935 Ford Cabriolet
Larry Wood's 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe
Christer Lundberg's 1937 Ford Coupe
Dave Miller's 1937 Ford Tudor Sedan
Custom Cars of the 1960s
Bob Davis' 1935 Ford 5-Window Coupe
Gene Winfield's 1935 Ford Shop Truck
Göran Silfors' 1936 Ford Sedan
Pete Limpert's 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan
Rich Vachata's 1936 Ford Convertible
Harry Fry's 1937 Ford Cabriolet
Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible
Ken McGoldrick's 1939 Chevrolet Coupe
Dennis Murphy's 1939 Ford Convertible Sedan
Gary Overby's 1940 Chevrolet Coupe
Don Moore's 1940 Ford Coupe
Dan Hiramoto's 1941 Buick Century Convertible - Raven
Ray McMullin's 1941 Cadillac Coupe
Augustus Eberman's 1941 Chevrolet Coupe
John Sak's 1941 Ford Convertible
Roger Squires' 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline - Pastime
Per Ivar Kolgrov's 1948 Mercury Convertible
George Jezek's 1949 Chevrolet 2-Door Sedan - The Candy Cart
Bengt Wennergren's 1949 Ford
Gary Overby's 1949 Ford
Jim Galvin's 1949 Ford Tudor
Lloyd C. Hammond's 1949 Ford - The Majestic Lady
Tom Gibbons' 1949 Ford Tudor - The Orchid Lady
DeWayne Iverson's 1949 Mercury
George Egan's 1950 Ford Convertible - The Apollo
Billy Stein's 1950 Mercury Four-Door
Herb Passburger's 1950 Mercury
Ken Bausert's 1950 Mercury Convertible
Ralph Tyrone Scarfo's 1950 Oldsmobile 88 Hardtop
Bjørn Tømmervik and Ivar Buxrud's 1951 Chevrolet Bel-Air
Marshall's 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline
Tim Smith's 1951 Ford Victoria
Einar Valsjø's 1952 Mercury
Art Fortin's 1953 Ford Sunliner Convertible
Bo Thalinsson's 1953 Ford Sunliner Convertible
Ed Pogue's 1953 Ford Hardtop - The Glitra
Jarle Pedersen's 1953 Mercury
Vern LaCoursiere's 1953 Mercury
Buddy Katlik's 1953 Plymouth 4-Door Sedan
Richie Daus’ 1954 Buick Convertible
Dick and Doris Vanadrigham's 1954 Chevrolet
Gerald Twamley's 1954 Chevrolet 210 2-Door Sedan
Tom Von Pertz's 1954 Chevrolet
Al Peirish's 1954 Ford Skyliner
John Nadzon's 1954 Mercury - The Mysterian
Sven Blüme's 1954 Plymouth Convertible
Roy Abendroth's 1955 Buick Century - The BuSonic
Arne Lindstrand's 1955 Chevrolet
Don Brock's 1955 Chevrolet
Gary Oliver's 1955 Chevrolet - "El Prado"
Irvin Kirschner's 1955 Chevrolet - The Pirate
Leif Helander's 1955 Chevrolet Convertible
Rodney Rice's 1955 Chevrolet - The Astorian
Gil Ayala's 1955 Ford Thunderbird - The Wild Bird
Gordy O'Hara's 1955 Ford Thunderbird - "Scorchy"
Larry Quatrone's 1955 Ford Crown Victoria
Lee Bailey's 1955 Ford Convertible
Sal Consiglio's 1955 Ford
Tom Kosulandich's 1955 Ford Thunderbird - The Sundowner
Øistein Bondeson's 1955 Ford Fairlane
Bill Schott's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette
Ernie Geisler's 1956 Chevrolet Convertible - The Black Knight
Larry Nixon's 1956 Chevrolet Nomad
Les Mullen's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette - Dominique
Oscar and Ernesto Ruelas' 1956 Chevrolet
Ron Aguirre's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette The X-Sonic
Bo Hedenström's 1956 Ford Fairlane - The Avalanche
Christer Gref's 1956 Ford Fairlane
Don Von Dwingelo's 1956 Ford Thunderbird
Gene Boucher's 1956 Ford - The Marquis
KHJ's 1956 Ford Thunderbird - The KHJ Surfin' Bird
Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible
Bob Dzemske's 1956 Lincoln Capri
Ron Dulin's 1956 Plymouth Fury
Bill Shelley's 1957 Chevrolet Corvette - "Bali Hi"
Dan Contreras' 1957 Chevrolet
Dave Jenkins' 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air
Per Sjøvall's 1957 Chevrolet
Von Hunter's 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Doug Osterman's 1957 DeSoto
Hans Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1957 DeSoto
Bill Schott's 1957 Ford Fairlane 500
Don Provance's 1957 Ford Fairlane Victoria - Gold Digger
Gary Glenn's 1957 Ford
Jerry Drake's 1957 Ford Fairlane - Candy Cane
Matti Johanson's 1957 Ford Ranchero
Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible - Red Robin II
Mike Monteleone's 1957 Oldsmobile
Red Pierce's 1957 Oldsmobile
Jim and George Bernardo's 1957 Plymouth Convertible
Steve Drale's 1958 Cadillac Brougham
Bruce Schwartz' 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air - The "Blue Car"
Dennis McKee's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Doug Osterman's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette
Joe Hurst's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
John and Rebecca Hackler's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Rich Wroblewski's 1958 Chevrolet Impala - Jade East
Dick Scully's 1958 Ford Thunderbird - Electra
Dennis Unea's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Forest Cutler's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Harald Sannum's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Joe Roth's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Sven Sandberg's 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Tom Holden's 1959 Chevrolet El Camino - Ultimus
Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird - Surfin Bird
Bo "Gamen" Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird - Wild Bird
John Guenther's 1959 Ford Galaxie Sunliner - "The Beach Boy"
Dick Rothfuss' 1959 Chevrolet Impala - "Poopsie"
Mark Jorgenson's 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Bob Croatti's 1959 Ford Thundrbird
Danny Leonette's 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Eddie Buckston’s 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Tom Von Pertz's 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Bill Whetstone's 1960 Ford Starliner - The Adonis
Calvin Wilkes' 1960 Ford - The Candy Cane
Gary Ruddell's 1960 Ford Starliner
Geno Janokowski's 1960 Ford - The Black Jack
Jim Beeson's 1960 Ford Starliner
Mike Perello's 1960 Ford Starliner
Dell Chandler's 1960 Pontiac Ventura
Joe Hurst's 1961 Buick Electra
Richard Mikami's 1961 Chevrolet Impala - The Ant Killer
Carl Darling's 1961 Ford Starliner
Carl Tucker's 1961 Ford
Howard Gribble's 1961 Ford Starliner
Jim Robertson's 1961 Ford
John Zotynia's 1961 Ford Galaxie Starliner - "Persuasian"
Sandy Gordon's 1961 Pontiac Bonnveille Convertible
Mike Smith's 1962 Chevrolet Impala
Miles Masa's 1962 Chevrolet Impala - The Stardust/The Goofy Grape
Dick Axcell's 1962 Ford Thunderbird
The Pacifica
Bobby Freedman's 1962 Jaguar XK-E
Richard Zocchi's 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix
George Barris' 1963 Buick Riviera - The Villa Riviera
Bob Nordskog's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette - The Asteroid
Dave Prey's 1963 Chevrolet Impala - Cherry Heering
Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Ralph Prey's 1963 Chevrolet Impala - Cherry Heering
Ray Farhner's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette - Outer Limits
Richard Mikami's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Gordy Brown's 1963 Ford Thunderbird
Jim Boyd's 1963 Ford
John Viggianelli's 1963 Ford Galaxie
Bob Guilbault's 1963 Pontiac Bonneville
Richard Zocchi's 1964 Buick Wildcat
Allen Duke's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS
Jerry Greenwade’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette - Cosma Ray
Mike Smith's 1965 Buick Riviera
Alexander Ruelas' 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Bob Huffman's 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Milton Mills' 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Steve Arnold's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu
Nick Hoogoian's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu
Dave Stuckey's 1965 Pontiac Catalina
Kenny Isaak's 1965 Pontiac
Bob Stepanion's 1966 Chevrolet El Camino
Jerry Cove's 1966 Pontiac GTO
The Dodge Deora
Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat
Jim Arkin's 1967 Buick Riviera
Hydraulic Lifted Cars of the 1960s
Ed Roth's Mysterion
Pete Limpert's 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan
Ken McGoldrick's 1939 Chevrolet Coupe
Roger Squires' 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline - Pastime
Roy Abendroth's 1955 Buick Century - The BuSonic
Teddy Zgrzemski' 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
David Woo's 1957 Chevrolet
Teddy Zgrzemski' 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Red Pierce's 1957 Oldsmobile
Joe Hurst's 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Keith Christensen's 1959 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery
Tats Gotanda's 1959 Chevrolet Impala - The Buddah Buggy
Mark Jorgenson's 1960 Chevrolet Impala
Mike Perello's 1960 Ford Starliner
Richard Mikami's 1961 Chevrolet Impala - The Ant Killer
Carl Darling's 1961 Ford Starliner
Sandy Gordon's 1961 Pontiac Bonnveille Convertible
Mike Smith's 1962 Chevrolet Impala
Tom Chafin's 1963 Buick Riviera
Richard Mikami's 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Gordy Brown's 1963 Ford Thunderbird
Jim Boyd's 1963 Ford
John Viggianelli's 1963 Ford Galaxie
Richard Zocchi's 1964 Buick Wildcat
Allen Duke's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS - Bloody Mary
Mike Smith's 1965 Buick Riviera - Lemon Drop
Alexander Ruelas' 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Bob Huffman's 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Jim Arkin's 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Milton Mills' 1965 Chevrolet Impala
Steve Arnold's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu
Nick Hoogoian's 1965 Chevrolet Malibu
Howard Gribble's 1966 Buick Riviera
Howard Gribble's 1967 Chevrolet Impala
Competition Cars of the 1960s
Dick Kalivoda and John Hamlin's 1925 Ford Modified Model T Roadster
Hot Rod and Custom Show Cars of the 1960s
Arnie Boyle's Piranha Competition Street Roadster
Bill Cushenbery's Silhouette
Bob Larivee's Stiletto
Dean Jeffries' Mantaray
Ed Roth's Beatnik Bandit
Ed Roth's Mysterion
Ed Roth's Orbitron
Ed Roth's Road Agent
Ed Roth's Rotar
The Calico Surfer
Darryl Starbird's Futurista
Darryl Starbird's Predicta
Gene Winfield's Strip Star
Jerry Woodward's X2000
J.P. Danos' 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne - Fantabula
Ron Kozak's Bubble Top Studebaker
The Car Craft Dream Rod
The Forcasta
The Reactor
Dragsters of the 1960s
Custom Builds of the 1960s
Concept Cars of the 1960s
Hot Rod, Custom Car, and Lowrider Clubs of the 1960s
1320 Crusaders
Automotive Engineers of Battle Creek
Axle Snappers of Aspinwall
Bay Cities Conservatives
Bearing Busters of Berwyn
Chancellors of Van Nuys
Coach Masters of Wheaton
Crusaders of Clifton
Cut-Outs of Port Alberni
DI-Gammas of Seattle
Downriver Modified
Drivin Deuces
Duke's
Dutchmen of Paramount
Golden Gears of Daly City
Hayward V-Eights
Imperials of Sarnia
Injectors of Lyons
Londeaus of Oakland
Lords of Wilmington
Nomads of Oakland
Nor-Way Custom
Ozark Drifters of Fayetteville
Pan Draggers of Fresno
Rev Masters of Sarnia
Road Huggers of Central Valley
Road Knights of Sydney
Roadsters Turtles
Romans Hot Rod Association
Rum Runners of Long Beach
San Bernardino Krankers
San Fernando Valley Illusions
Saints of Sydney
Satin Shifters of Chatham
Slo Poks of Wapato
Spades of Melbourne
Tridents
Viking Custom
Custom Body Shops of the 1960s
Barris Kustoms
Bear Custom Shop
Bernardo Auto Body
Cooper Body Shop
Derby Custom Shop
Farhner Custom Shop
Flyers Body Shop
Heinrichs Auto
House of Customs
Miles Customs
Renewal Body Shop
The Body Shop
The Egyptian Custom Body and Paint
Trend Automotive
Yankee Customs
Custom Upholstery Shops and Upholsterers of the 1960s
Avenue Auto Interiors
Dave's Trim
Johnny's Top Shop
Potter's Auto Trim
Redcar
Custom Paint Shops of the 1960s
Bo's Paints
Custom Car Koloring
Carter Pro Paint
Joe Andersen's Custom Shop
Kent's Customs
Korky's Kustom Shop
Mr B's Custom Shop
The House of Custom Color
Watson's House of Style
Custom Painters of the 1960s
Dave Puhl
Dick Kalivoda
Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer
Jerry Drake - Spider the Crazy Painter
Joe Andersen
Larry Watson
Pinstripers of the 1960s
Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer
Jerry Drake - Spider the Crazy Painter
Walt Prey
Hydraulic Lift Shops of the 1960s
Speed Shops of the 1960s
Custom Wheels and Accessories Shops of the 1960s
Hot Rod and Custom Car Shows of the 1960s
Buffalo Autorama
Grand Rapids Rod & Custom Show
Hartford Autorama
Hot Rod Festival
Hot Rod Show
Pacific Northwest Motorama
Portland Roadster Show
Ram Rods Rod and Custom Car Show
Rochester's National Auto Review
San Mateo Custom, Rod & Sports Car Show
Showtime Sweden
Syracuse Autorama
Toronto Autorama
Tridents Rod and Custo-Rama
Winternationals Custom Auto Fair
Drag Racing Events of the 1960s
Detroit NHRA Nationals
Winternationals Championshop Drag Races
References
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