Ian Roussel: Kustom Cars Lead Sleds ('54 Chev 2 dr Back from the Dead II)

Here's a real good idea of what the movie is about, and the Chevy that is getting a 2nd life

Probably everyone has heard of the Space Junkie that Ian made and displayed at the shows last year http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/space-junkie-by-ian-roussel-was-at-gene.html but his shop, Way Kustom Metal Works isn't a Barris come lately shop.

Ian Roussel doesn't specialize in far out customs even though he has the skill and ability to. He mostly sticks to traditional customs, and he's really damn good at them. Innovative and imaginative at at customizing a ordinary old car, as a customizer must be, it is worth watching how he takes a old car and makes a cool custom.

If you can't hang out at his shop (who can?) then watching a video of Ian cutting and chopping a rusted and overlooked 50's 2 dr Chev is a cool way to see how it doesn't take a team from Monster Garage or Overhaulin' to work on a car and have a cool hot rod or custom result from getting rid of the old suspension and fabbing in a 80's GM sub frame, designing a better looking tail light configuration, and adding a couple trick pieces to have a one of a kind custom or hot rod.

Some of the video is interviews with Brad Masterson and Gene Winfield, so you get more than just a single perspective of the custom car world. Especially interesting is Victor Cacho's collaboration with Ian that has produced a handful of cool customs, and the trick T-bird with the hinged top.. not just a convertible top ... the entire top from the taillights to the fire wall.

You might recall Victor's Auburn from last years Grand National Roadster Show http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/1936-auburn-roadster-of-victor-cacho-is.html

For this and similar videos about Kustom Cars: http://www.throtteltv.com/

Another look at the El Guapo, the paint has been upgraded in a unique way

Looks cooler with the tank between the headlights too, and without the saw blades that used to top the airbags

The above switch is a real electric chair switch, from a Texas death chamber

I love the gauge pods, they are exhaust pipe!

Click on the above to see the flat black applied to emphasize the tattoo designs that are WW2 era simple birds, ships, etc

for the contrast to what it looked like with plain black paint, but pinstriped:

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/updated-gallery-now-that-taxi-has-coat.html

Gary and Pam Beineke made the GTX they wish Mopar had produced, but these hardcore fans did it themselves with the best designs from other mopars

The 1969 recalled rims, 1971 Barracuda gills, AAR Cuda hoodscoop and chin spoilers, 1971 Go Wing

I posted a photo of this in July 2009, but didn't have a link to a gallery like you can use here: http://www.bangshift.com/gallery/1972-GTX-Jet-X-by-Gary-and-Pam-Beineke-gallery.html

Isetta with a custom side vent from a VW bus. Great idea

this belongs to Frank at http://mechanicallyderanged5.blogspot.com/ and is just a rolling chassis with dry rot setting into the tires, having been passed along from the previous owner as a project and it's ready to go to the next owner, still without an engine. I think Frank added he vents though.

OilandSteel.tumblr.com

I've wondered why more fuel tanks weren't designed with tank level indicators, in the above case, a sightglass. Probably a held over prejudice from my submarine days

see more at http://oilandsteel.tumblr.com/

found on Voodoo Timm's Garage

So you think these are cool, go see the rest at http://voodootimm.tumblr.com

"Notorious" the Nova from Troy Trepanier (Rad Rods By Troy)

It's been on the show circuit since 2008.

NOTOROIUS”
1970 Nova
Color: Tierra del Fuego Grey (2008 Merc Maybach) top was customized to flat.
Engine: 572 GM crate engine with E85 capabilities
Trans: Bowler trans 4L80E
2008 Good Guys "Muscle Machine of the year”, 2009 Detroit Autorama: "Outstanding Engineered”, "Outstanding Engine”, "Outstanding Interior”, "Outstanding Street Machine”, 2nd place Pro-Touring 55 to current. Built for Gary Abraham and sons.

http://www.radrides.com/creations.php

for more info and a gallery of photos inside the car, under the car, and under the hood:
http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?502684-Rad-Rides-by-Troy-1970-nova-quot-Notorious-quot

Steve Heller is customizing new cars, an unusual type of hobby, not many pull it off well. Steve is putting a lot of effort into it, here's Cro Magnum

this car isn't something I'm keen on, but the attempt to make what you want from a new car to look like an old car is a good thing

Steve does more than just auto transfromations, he also hand crafts wood furniture and welds sculptures http://www.fabulousfurnitureon28.com/index.html

These lights are cooler than the car, I don't care for the saw blade, but that some old headlights are used for spotlighting is very cool

Something else Steve made looks familiar to me, the 48 Plymouth he made into the Bubble Car http://www.fabulousfurnitureon28.com/auto/bubblecar.html

Austin Speed Shop's "El Gringo Loco" ... fantastic interior, superb lace paint, terrific total design

I even dig the flame outlines.. .the traced out lines look really good in context to the gold lines from the headlights and along the hood borders

I love the seats, the center console, and the shifter knob.

You don't see many try at lace paint... this is one of the few new lace paints, and nailed it. perfect look!

Great customs at GNRS, I don't know what hall bldg, but the total quality caught my eye of these beautiful cars

The above "Wild Cad" from Mario Colalillo and Canden County Customs won Top Radical Kustom and the Barris Kustom D'Elegance award.

Love this color combo, reminds me of blueberries and cream

Terrific looking design, but I wouldn't have went with this color

D'Agostino Customs tackled one of the ugliest cars, a 1975 Stutz Bearcat... Elvis loved them, but do you?

John and his company do great work... and this will stand out anywhere is goes, but would you want it?

Hot rods, rat rods, and customs on the grass at the GNRS

The hub caps really set this hot rod off

The barber chair was there for sale, but if it had been part of the truck's custom build I think that would be awesome

1924 Dodge that was customized in 1947 by Bob Ferguson in Coronado, San Diego