Teddy Zgrzemski

Teddy Zgrzemski's 1954 Ford. Bill Hines helped Teddy restyle the car. It was his first custom, and it hit the road as the X-Tremist in the Summer of 1960.

In 1960 Teddy left Michigan to work for Barris Kustoms in Lynwood, California. He drove the Ford to the west coast, and ended up selling it for 800 USD in 1961. After selling the Ford, he bought a one-owner cherry 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air hardtop that he restyled mildly before Junior Conway gave it a Candy Blue paint job.

Teddy Zgrzemski of Rockwood, Michigan.

Uncle Bill

Teddy was born in 1943. He is Bill Hines nephew, and it was his uncle Bill that got him interested in cars. In 2019 Teddy told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that his mom and dad got divorced when he was five; "I started hanging around uncle Bill's shop when I was about twelve years old." One day he stopped by Bill was busy painting a 1949 Mercury. "He was two-toning it down at the body line. My aunt was gonna go down and tape it off so he could paint the other color, but uncle Bill said "Let Teddy do it! Teddy can do it!" So she stayed home and watched the kids while I went down and taped it off. He put the first tape on, and I had to fill it up with paper."

First Car

When Teddy was 14 years old he had a 1932 Ford 5 Window Coupe that he was chopping at his uncle's shop. Dick Dean, who was 16 years old at the time, stopped by one day and helped Teddy with the chop. Teddy's Coupe was the first car Dick chopped the top on. "After the chop, the neighbors complained to my uncle Bill Hines," Teddy told Sondre, "and I had to sell it with the 4 inch chop. I learned a lot on that car, and just before the chop I got mad at my uncle. "I said all you want me to do is sand." I told him I wanted to learn to weld. He cut a wrecked fender in half and said "weld it together." I welded it. He tried to break it apart. He couldn't. He then said you know how to weld, so go back to sanding."

Ted Zgrzemski's Cars

Teddy Zgrzemski's 1932 Ford 5 Window Coupe
Ted Zgrzemski's 1954 Ford - The X-Tremist
Bill Hines' 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Teddy Zgrzemski's 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air