Fin

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.