Molded Fenders

Long before he became the legendary "Leadslinger" and the "Godfather of Hydraulics," Bill Hines was already pushing boundaries in Michigan in the early 1940s. Pictured here with his first custom, a 1941 Buick Convertible, Hines restyled the car sometime between 1941 and 1943, adding molded fenders, widened rocker panels, and a 2-inch chopped top. True to his forward-thinking nature, he even added a fin down the middle of the decklid—years ahead of its time. The bold styling choice wasn’t well received back then, and after enduring endless teasing, he replaced the trunk lid. But that early experiment in customization set the course for a career that would influence generations of builders. Hines' story began in Ecorse, Michigan, where he honed his skills before heading west to California, bringing his unique vision to the heart of the custom car movement. Photo courtesy of the Hines Family.

Ray Giovannoni's 1936 Ford Roadster of Washington, D.C. Before custom car magazines spread the gospel of chopped tops and lead sleds, Bud Unger was shaping metal on the East Coast, unaware of the California scene. A skilled metalworker trained in the Air Force, Unger applied his aircraft fabrication techniques to Ray Giovannoni's 1936 Ford roadster, creating one of the finest early East Coast Customs. He fully molded the fenders, quarter panels, aprons, and running boards, shaved the deck, moved the taillights into the bumper, and reshaped the front end to fit a Packard grille. The finishing touch? A deep, 20-coat jet black paint job laid down circa 1947-1948. Ray drove the freshly built custom across the country to have a Carson Top made in Los Angeles, gaining nationwide attention along the way. The trip proved that East Coast builders were creating showstoppers on par with their West Coast counterparts, and in November 1948, the car landed a feature in Hot Rod Magazine, cementing its legacy in early custom car history.

Benny Furtado's 1948 Ford Convertible. This early Gene Winfield custom showcases his emerging style before he became a household name. Built at Windy's Custom Shop, Gene's humble operation in a chicken coop behind his mother’s house at 1309 Figaro Avenue in Modesto, California, Furtado's Ford was one of his first customer builds. Benny, a dairyman, bought the car new and drove it stock for a year before bringing it to Gene for a chop in 1949. The roof was lowered, the rear fenders were molded, and a padded Carson-style top from Hall Upholstery completed the look. To drop it even further, Gene C-notched the frame, and later, a 1948 Cadillac grille was installed. This Ford stands as an early example of Winfield's craftsmanship before he became one of the most innovative and respected customizers of his era. Photo courtesy of Orvel "Speed" Reichert.

Custom Cars Featuring Molded Fenders

Ray Giovannoni's 1936 Ford Roadster
Bill Hines' 1941 Buick Convertible
Benny Furtado's 1948 Ford Convertible