Old School Customs: Top Traditional Custom Car Builders

In the late 1930s, as roadster- and coupe-driving hot rodders started families, they suddenly needed reliable cars that could transport more than two people. Thus, custom cars were born—passenger automobiles turned into one-of-a-kind art pieces reflecting the aesthetic sensibilities of their owners and builders. Today, the mild-to-wild styles and techniques that grew out of the custom car movement might seem like they’ve been around forever. Fortunately, a number of top-notch builders are keeping these classic elements alive. 

This book profiles the work of some of the men who keep making custom car history, and features dozens of chopped, sectioned, shaved, decked, flamed, frenched, nosed, lowered, scalloped, striped, and slammed Caddies, Mercs, Buicks, shoebox Fords, Chevys, and Oldsmobiles that exemplify traditional custom car design.  Author Alan Mayes includes profiles of top builders from across the country—John D’Agostino, Bill Hines, Richard Zocchi, Darryl Starbird, Bo Huff, and Rick Murray, among others—each illustrated with color photography profiling the builder’ work. In addition, Mayes features archival images detailing earlier work of these history-making custom builders of today.

List of Builders

The Pioneers 

Gene Winfield               Modesto, CA

Bill Hines                      Long Beach, CA

Alexander Brothers       Detroit, MI

Joe Bailon                    Auburn, CA

Darryl Starbird             Tulsa, OK

The Lifers      

Tom Culbertson            Indianapolis, IN

Bo Huff                        Dragerton, UT

Mark Wojcik               Howell, NJ

Dave Kinnaman            Alexandria, IN

Murphy & the Striper   Palm Beach, FL

Dave Pareso                 Colorado Springs, CO

Gary "Chopit" Fioto      New Smyrna Beach, FL

The Pacesetters        

Gary Brown                 Indianapolis, IN

Brad Masterson            Paramount, CA

Voodoo Larry Grobe   Schaumberg, IL

Rick Murray                 Moab, UT