The Rik Hoving Custom car Photo Archive is one of the greatest online resources for old custom cars I've ever found. The above photo is of the very famous "Hirohata Mercury" that became the epitome of 50's customizations. The page on that George Barris-built masterpiece is right here, but the entire website is a treat to wander through for anyone who's ever taken an interest in the first generation of custom car builders.
I grew up at car shows and would see and hear about many of these great projects, so this site is a real walk down memory lane for me. And my memory lane is lined with slow moving "cruisers" like the Hirohata Merc. Rumbling and crawling down the curbside lane so you could get a good look at the people on foot. It was much later than the 50's when I "cruised the strip" in my custom 62 Studebaker Hawk, but I did have a cassette tape of genuine 50's radio -commercials and all- to play to get into the mood. Yeah. I'm old enough to remember when gas was cheap. *sigh*.
Have a look at really rare photos of a culture where buying a car off the rack just ain't cool daddy-o.
Visit the Rik Hoving Custom Car Photo Archive right here
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