Custom Car Movement

The custom car movement began in the 1930s and 1940s, when young enthusiasts, especially on the West Coast, started modifying production cars to create sleeker, more personalized rides. Inspired by European coachbuilt cars and fueled by creativity, early customizers like Harry Westergard and George Barris pioneered techniques such as chopping tops, shaving trim, and adding skirts. The movement gained traction after WWII, with returning GIs bringing mechanical skills and a hunger for individuality. By the 1950s, the custom car scene had become a national phenomenon, shaping magazines, music, fashion, and American car culture as a whole.