1962

George Barris the customizer, trendsetter, and innovator. When Bob Behme of Car Craft Magazine asked George about his predictions for 1962, George told Bob that 1962 customs, whether made from new or old cars, would tend to be asymmetrical, built with styling embodying off-set design. "Asymmetrical styling has been exhibited in the past, but such designs have been rare," George told Behme. "Asymmetrical styling will be the big design news in 1962. You will see floating headlights and off-set scoops coupled with the concept of off-balance, radical styling." This photo shows George behind his desk. Several of the concepts on the wall behind George features asymmetrical styling. Photo from The Brad Masterson Collection.

Dick Axcell’s Candy Red Pearl 1962 Ford Thunderbird was one of the first asymmetrical customs to appear on the West Coast. Restyled by George Barris and his talented crew of craftsmen at Barris Kustoms, the build made its debut in 1962. The list of modifications included a unique off-set headlight, an asymmetrical grille, and an asymmetrical hood scoop. Mild alterations that still resulted in a dramatic and futuristic front end.

In an attempt to get into the youth market, Ford Motor Company teamed up with AMT to launch the "Custom Car Caravan" in 1962. Together they wanted to create and campaign customized and performance-themed Fords. Or, as Ed Roth described it in his book, "making sure all of Ford's stuff was in the car shows around the country." The first cars were built in-house, but it didn't take long before Ford started to commission famous customizers such as George Barris, the Alexander Brothers, Bill Cushenbery, and Gene Winfield to dream up and execute life-size Ford customs.

A 1960s business card from Gene Winfield's Custom Shop, showcasing his role as a Styling Consultant for AMT Model Co., Inc. In 1962, Gene began working with AMT on a consulting basis, designing model kits and later building full-scale promotional cars in their Speed and Custom Division Shop. His innovative designs for AMT connected him to Hollywood, where he created iconic vehicles such as the Maxwell Smart Car from Get Smart, The Reactor for Bewitched, and the Galileo 7 shuttlecraft from Star Trek. Photo from The Mike Kosulandich Collection.

From strip to street. In 1962 American Racing started promoting their popular Torq-Thrust wheels towards the general public, and a couple of street racers were used to promote the 7" x 15" Torq-Thrust wheel for both competition and street use. Designed for 7.10/15 slicks or 7.60 to 8.20 street rubber, the wheels were priced at $65.00 each. Click here to check out Kustomrama's Guide to American Racing Torq-Thrust Wheels.

A photo of Paul Hannan's 1929 Ford Model A roadster photographed at the 1962 Grand National Roadster Show in February of 1962. This is one of the earliest street rods we have found running American Racing Torq-Thrust wheels. Hannan polished the wheels before he installed them on his roadster. A very labor-intense process. Today you can achieve the same look by ordering and installing a set of Polished Torq-Thrust Original Wheels. Check sizes, prices, and availability on these wheels on Amazon.com. Photo from The James Handy Collection.

George Jezek's 1949 Chevrolet 2-Door Sedan of West, Texas. Jezek was a local pinstriper and a founding member of the Eliminators of West car club. Known as The Candy Cart, Jezek's Chevrolet went through several modifications during the late 1950s and the 1960s. This photo shows how it appeared in 1962 after Jezek had installed a heavily chromed 283 Chevy engine and removed exterior chrome accessories such as dual spotlights and lakes pipes.

Attending the 1962 Grand National Roadster Show was also John Gomez's 1957 Chevrolet. A radical Joe Bailon build that had been dressed up with mag wheels for the season. This is one of the first customs we have seen rolling on Torq-Thrust wheels. If you want the same kind of wheels for your custom, you better check out the Polished Torq-Thrust Original Wheels, or the Chromed model of the Torq-Thrust D's. Check sizes, prices, and availability for these wheels on Amazon.com. Photo by Bud Lang, from The Petersen Archive.

Ron Volpe's 1957 Ford Convertible of La Salle, Illinois. Ron was a member of the Illinois Valley Mis-Fires. Between the years 1960 and 1963, he took the car through five different stages. This photo shows an iteration of the car that debuted in 1962.

Eldon E. Schmidt's 1929 Ford Model A roadster of Garden Grove, California. Eldon bought the car in 1960. It came with holes in the body after a rollbar and safety-belts, indicating that it had been raced on the dragstrip. In 1962 he installed a 1958 Chevrolet 283 V-8 engine in the car before he gave it a Metallic paint job and a more contemporary look. In 1995 the car was sold to Sweden.

Jerry McGinnis' 1929 Ford Model A Roadster

Dick Ceola's 1930 Ford Model a truck of Springdale, Arkansas. Dick was a member of the Ozark Drifters Kar Klub of Fayetteville when he started the build in 1960. Completed two years later, in 1962, the ruck went on to become a trophy winner in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Martin Oja's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The build was started in 1960 and completed in 1962.

Art Lehner's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe of South Gate, California. Art ran Art Chrome Body Shop in South Gate, and most of the work on the car was performed there. The build was started in 1961, and completed sometime around 1961-1962. Known as "The Blue Indigo," it is believed that Art built the car from the remains of Walt Banker's 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe.

Gary Priebe's 1932 Ford Roadster of Monterey Park, California. Gary's roadster was completed in 1962. In 2016 Gary still owned the old hot rod.

Marv Shetler's 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan of Scott Mills, Oregon. Marv bought the Ford in Kansas in 1962, while he was in college. At the end of the school year in 1963 he drove the car back to Oregon.

Bob Peterson's 1933 Ford 3-Window Coupe of Mason City, Iowa. Bob bought the coupe in 1962. At the time, he was stationed at the Army's Nike-Hercules missile headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he kept the car at a friend's house in Minneapolis.

Deaner Probst's 1933 Ford Cabriolet of Jefferson, Wisconsin. Known as "Lil' Dough," Probst dragged the car home as a project in 1957. He spent the next years working on it while showing it at various shows. In 1962 he debuted a Metalflake red iteration of the car.

Don Vargo's 1934 Ford cabriolet. The car, named the 69er, was restyled by the Alexander Brothers. It made its debut at the 1962 Detroit Autorama.

Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible of Huddinge in Stockholm, Sweden as it appeared in the early 1960s. Bo Sandberg and his girlfriend Morris gave the car a flame paint job in 1962.

From Strip to Street - Click here to check out Kustomrama's Guide to American Racing Torq-Thrust Wheels.

Don Moore's 1940 Ford Coupe

Herb Passburger's 1950 Mercury of New York City, New York. Herb lived in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn, and his Mercury was restyled around 1962.

Art Fortin's 1953 Ford Sunliner Convertible, of Adams, Massachusetts, was started in 1960 and completed in 1962.

Richie Daus’ 1954 Buick Convertible of New York City, New York. Richie restyled the car in 1962, at the time he lived on Hillside Avenue, off Sutphin Blvd in Jamaica, Queens.

Al Peirish's 1954 Ford Skyliner of Inglewood, California was restyled by Don Roberts of Bear Custom Shop in 1962. Al's Skyliner was one of the last customs to come out of Don's shop.

Gordy O'Hara's 1955 Ford Thunderbird of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Gordy purchased the Thunderbird from a local Ford dealership in 1957. At the time he was only 19 years old. Gordy spent the next 5 years hopping up and restyling the car. The build was completed in 1962.

Sal Consiglio's 1955 Ford of New York City, New York. Sal lived in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood. He was a member of the 1320 Crusaders car club, and his Ford was restyled in 1962. The build was sold before it was completed.

Les Mullen's 1956 Chevrolet Corvette of Miami, Florida. Known as "Dominique," Les spent 1,500 hours and 2,500 dollars restyling the car. The build was completed in 1962.

Gene Boucher's 1956 Ford, The Marquis, was restyled by Bill Cushenbery of Cushenbery Custom Shop. The build took two and a half year to complete, and it made its debut in January of 1962.

Dean Jeffries' 1956 Porsche 356 Carrera

Dave Jenkins' 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air as it appeared after the Alexander Brothers hap painted it candy red in 1962.

Dennis McKee's 1958 Chevrolet Impala of Torrance, California. Dennis' Impala was restyled in 1962, and it received a pearl Tangerine paint job by Joe Andersen of Joe Andersen's Custom Shop in the Summer of 1962.

J.P. Danos' 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne. Known as The Fantabula, the car was Darryl Starbird’s third bubble top build. It was completed late in 1962 and made the cover of Car Craft January 1963. The interior carried the Starbird trademark stick steering and TV set.

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Älvesjö in Stockholm, Sweden. This version of Bo's first Thunderbird was completed in 1962.

Eddie Buckston’s 1960 Chevrolet Impala of New York City, New York. Eddie lived in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood, and his mildly restyled Impala had been fitted with 1962 Pontiac Bonneville taillights.

The Forcasta of Columbus, Ohio. The car was built by Darryl Starbird at Star Kustom Shop who wanted to show the world that his first bubble top car The Predicta was no fluke. After completing The Predicta, he immediately set out to build another bubble top car. Called The Forcasta, Starbird’s second coming was built for Chuck Miller of Columbus, Ohio. Chuck’s car was built on 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Monza chassis. Starbird wanted a car with a very low hood, and he was actually looking into using a rear-engined Wolksvagen. The Forcasta was a four-seater, so a one of a kind bubble was made to cover all heads of the passengers. The build was completed in 1962, and George Barris named it one of the best customs of the year, and “a forecast-a for the future”.

Ed Roth's Rotar of Bell, California. After building The Beatnik Bandit, Ed Roth decided to challenge George Barris, building his own bubble-topped air car. While the Barris’ air car was well built, Roth’s Rotar was a little rougher. The XPAK 400 featured no frictional moving parts at all, and power came from two jet aircraft starter motors. Roths Air Car, on the other hand, was powered by two Triumph engines that he had turned on their sides and fitted with high-pressure propellers. The build was completed in 1962 featuring a patriotic red white and blue paint job by Larry Watson.

The Pacifica is show car that Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop built for the Ford Custom Car Caravan in 1962.

John Zotynia's 1961 Ford Starliner of Teaneck, New Jersey. John and his brother-in-law Nick De Simon restyled the car in 1961 and 1962, turning it into a mild custom.

Richard Zocchi's 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix was restyled by Gene Winfield of Winfield's Custom Shop in 1962.

Jerry Woodward's X2000 of Provo, Utah was completed in 1962. The futuristic creation was a featured car at the 1962 National Roadster Show.

The 7th San Mateo Custom, Rod & Sports Car Show was held January 5-7, 1962 in San Mateo, California.

A photo of Larry Grossman taken in 1962 at age 14. "I had been drawing wild monsters and cars on shirts for kids with felt markers, until my Mom drove me to Ed "Big Daddy" Roth’s shop in Maywood, CA. I was a big fan of Roth's, and was thrilled when he airbrushed a shirt for me (BTW, out back they were working on the "Mysterion"). I promptly went home and quickly bought myself an airbrush! Within a few months I was custom airbrushing shirts for customers at car shows, department stores, fairs, and other events." Photo courtesy of Larry Grossman.

An "Estimate of Repairs" from Bill's Body Shop dated 3-26-62. Bill Ortega did the first dechroming work on Tom's Thunderbird in 1962 before it underwent extensive customization under the skilled hands of Bill Hines. Scan courtesy of Mike Kosulandich.

<-- 1961 - 1960s - 1963 -->

Custom Trends and Forecasts for 1962

The February 1962 issue of Car Craft magazine contains a Custom Forecast for 1962 by Bob Behme. This was an annual forecast where Car Craft Magazine interviewed "the nation's best known, most original, busiest customized," getting their previews about what kind of originality that would set trends and make automotive news during the year ahead. The 1962 edition of the forecast contained expert predictions by George Barris, the Alexander Brothers, Gene Winfield, Joe Wilhelm, Bill Cuhenbery and Darryl Starbird.^[1]

Asymmetrical styling

Asymmetrical styling had its peak in the mid-1960s. It is advanced, and it is a daring and distinguished custom technic. Asymmetrical styling gives the car a non-balanced appearance, and it requires imaginative and unconventional thinking to succeed. George Barris predicted that asymmetrical styling would be the big design news in 1962!^[1]

Less interest in new cars. More interest in old cars

Joe Wilhelm told Bob Behme of Car Craft Magazine that the 1962 production cars were half customized and too much alike, making them hard and expensive to customize. Because of this, Wilhelm believed 1962 would bring less interest in new cars, and more interest in older cars. "For the first time in a decade customizers are predicting a second look at automotive history." With an emphasis on older cars, the expert panel believed that the customs would be more futuristic than traditional, predicting a strong trend toward "wild rods and coupes."^[1]

"The compact cars will have their biggest year"

Car Craft's expert panel predicted that the futuristic trend would echo on to late-model customs. Believing that big car customs would outnumber small cars, they also predicted that compact cars would have their biggest year, expecting a growing interest in small cars. Gene Winfield told Behme that he believed 30 to 50% of his work might be on customizing small cars in 1962. Chevrolet's Monza was one of the most mentioned compacts during the interviews.^[1]