Dave Puhl's House of Kustoms

A construction photo of Joe Briske's 1934 Ford 3-Window Coupe. Built by Dave Puhl at his House of Kustoms, the car became known as "The X-Altered." Photo from The Roger Lick Collection.

Quality time. A construction photo of Dave Puhl with The Illusion developed in October of 1965. Puhl seems to be having a brake, reading a copy of Hot Rod Magazine when this photo was taken. Photo from The Roger Lick Collection.

Dave Puhl's Illusion was restyled by Dave at House of Kustoms. In 1965, The Illusion won the 1965 Experimental Sweepstakes at the Indianapolis Summer Nationals. In 1966 it won the Sweepstakes at the Los Angeles Winter Nationals. After that it was leased out, touring the United States and Canada.

In 1971 Tom Kelly of St. Louis, Missouri commissioned Dave to restyled his 1969 Chevrolet Corvette. He trailered the car to Palatine, Illinois in August of 1971 to have Dave design and do the work. "I wanted it ready for the 1972 NCCC Convention in Dallas, Texas," Tom told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2019. The build was delayed, and in February of 1972, Tom received a letter from Dave where he apologized for the delay. He had just lost his shop and wrote to Tom to inform him that he would move into Dick Scully's shop where he would complete the build. Photo courtesy of Tom Kelly.

The envelope with the company logo on from 1972. Photo courtesy of Tom Kelly.

Tom Kelly's 1969 Chevrolet Corvette of St. Louis, Missouri. Kelly's Corvette was restyled by Dave Puhl at House of Kustoms. Puhl had Harry Bradley design a few proposals that Kelly could choose from. The build was started in August of 1971 and completed in July of 1972.

House of Kustoms was a custom body shop in Palatine, Illinois run by Dave Puhl.

Cars Built or Restyled by House of Kustoms

Tom Kelly's 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Dave Puhl's Illusion