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.

Teddy did the scallops on Sy Gregorich's 1955 Ford Crown Victoria when he was 14 years old. "I went over to his garage and taped them all off," he told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2019, "then my uncle painted them." The next day Teddy came in and pinstriped around the edges. "I got 15 dollars for doing it," he still recalled in 2019. Photo from The Dave Jenkins Collection.

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.

Getting there! An under-construction photo of Dick Bailey's Model T of Ypsilanti, Michigan. According to Teddy, Bailey's Model T was the first wild-looking T-Bucket in Detroit. "He was a trendsetter back then," Teddy told Sondre Kvipt in 2020. Later shown as "The Wild One," Bailey's T-Bucket was the first car Teddy painted when he came back from California in 1962. Charging $ 175.00, Teddy painted it Candy Tangerine over Gold. Photo from The Dave Jenkins Photo Collection.

Teddy Zgrzemski' 1957 Chevrolet Nomad. Teddy bought the Nomad from his friend Gene Rosco back in 1964 or 1965. It came from California, and it featured a beautiful Eddie Martinez interior. Shortly after buying the Nomad, Teddy's uncle, Bill Hines, helped install hydraulic lifts on the car, turning it into what might be the first hydraulic lifted car in Michigan.

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."

The scallops on the Victorian

Teddy did the scallops on Sy Gregorich's 1955 Ford Crown Victoria in 1960, when he was 14 years old. "I went over to his garage and taped them all off," he told Sondre, "then my uncle painted them." The next day Teddy came in and pinstriped around the edges. "I got 15 dollars for doing it," he still recalled in 2019. "Back then I was into customizing, and money wasn't that important. It was the second or third scallop paint job that I ever did on a car." Known as the Victorian, Sy's Crown Victoria went on to become a pretty famous car. "White Pearl with Candy Apple Red scallops. That was a beautiful car. The nicest car the Alexander Brothers built I thought."

Teddy Zgrzemski's Cars

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

Cars Painted or Scalloped by Teddy Zgrzemski

Dick Bailey's Model T - The Wild One
Sy Gregorich's 1955 Ford Crown Victoria - The Alexandrian