1951 Chevy Custom’s Only a Minor Threat

51 Chevy Custom SoCal Cruiser

Two staples of Southern California are its top notch custom car scene and its abundance of sun-drenched females with golden hair. So what better way to showcase one of SoCal’s most recognizable custom Chevys, Ian Berky’s Minor Threat, than with quintessential SoCal Beauty Tara Studinger.

With several famous early 50′s Chevys produced in SoCal where the culture’s roots spawned, owner/builder Ian Berky has managed to redefine what was possible and raise the bar for any post-war era Chevys that follow. Even more impressive, this was Ian’s first crack at it! Imagine what any future builds may have in store…

The Chevy was a Christmas gift from Ian’s wife, proof that yes, there are still good ones out there to help fill the garage, not complain about whats in it. When she bought the car the roof had already been chopped, but Ian would soon learn the chop was a hack job and the work that lay ahead would have caused most to throw in the towel. Eventually coming to the realization the top just was not replaceable, Ian tracked down a few parts cars in Whittier and bought a complete ’49 Chevy top to replace the mangled iron on his ’51.

With no shortage of metal work on his hands to put a new twist on an old classic, Ian enrolled in a metal working class hosted by none other than custom car legend Gene Winfield. Not only would the knowledge prove vital on molding in the fenders, rounding the edges of the grill opening and fabricating a custom grille, but along the way he established a friendship with one of the culture’s originators. Since this was a radical build plan in the making, Ian made sure all the traditional modifications had been addressed; shaved handles, nosed front, decked rear, and frenched headlights before he would send the car half way across the country for some beauty tips.

Eighteen months went by before the metal and bodywork was complete. Then Ian sent the rolling metal canvas to Premier Body & Paint in Arkansas City, Kansas. The plum color was mixed and shot by shop owner and Beatnik C.C. member Jeff Myers. If the name sounds familiar it’s because Jeff’s work has adorned some of the most award-winning customs of today. Look closely and you’ll catch a glimpse of the subtle, purple metal flake scallops running the length of the top of the front fenders. Then, you’ll truly recognize Jeff’s talent .

If you can take your eyes off Tara long enough… in the interior you’ll notice white and paint matched tuck and roll across the front bench and custom rear bucket seats. The theme carries across the headliner as well with purple piping trimming the seats and roofline.

Under the hood a SBC dressed with finned valve covers, finned breather and chrome alternator keep the engine as aesthetically pleasing as the shapely exterior. Performance enhancements such as an Edelbrock intake manifold and 4bbl carb dismiss any misconceptions that the 51 may be all show and no go. No shortcuts were taken with this build so why start in the engine bay?

Since Ian’s plans for the Chevy never called for long trips strapped to a trailer, the suspension was upgraded with a Mustang II kit up front and Gambino taildraggers for the rear. A shortened 9 inch Ford rearend offers additional reliability for cruises or road trips and the wide whites (at least what you can see of them) tuck nicely into the front fender wells and are completely hidden out back when the skirts are on and the Chevy’s laid out.

Since building the ’51, Ian’s had no shortage of requests from friends and new customers to apply his touch to their rides. After taking one look at Ian’s Chevy, can you blame them? I was fortunate enough to see Ian’s ‘51 first hand at Texas’ increasingly popular custom show the Lone Star Round Up back and April. It looked right at home next to several already famous customs from various Beatniks C.C. chapters; quite an accomplishment for a customizer that truly honed his skills during the build.

Ian hails from Burbank, a city most famous for its movie studio lots where some of today’s most popular young stars can often be spotted. However, there’s an older one running the streets of Burbank now, 60 years old to be exact, that’s sure to steal the spotlight from any of them without ever saying a word.

Photos by Trent Sherrill

Model Tara Studinger

Hot Rod Photos from Chuck Vranas – He’s Like That

Hot Rod & Custom Car Photography

Jeff Norwell’s perfect hot rod pickup at the Moody Mile in Syracuse

Whether your building your first hot rod or a website about hot rods, it’s best to have a little help. The most generous people you meet help when really, there’s nothing in it for them. They’re just, “Like that”.  That’s the case for this featured photographer, Chuck Vranas.

I met Chuck at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA. He was floating around shooting here and there, but didn’t look overly busy and rushed (like me), so I asked who he shoots for. At the time, he was shooting for Source Interlink powerhouse Street Rodder Magazine.  Chuck shoots and writes feature car and tech stories for Street Rodder quite a bit, especially lately. Check out the newest issues and you’ll see stories Chuck did. It’s almost like seeing someone you know on TV! (but totally different)

Chuck is the real deal when it comes to hot rods too. Doesn’t it kinda show when a photographer really likes what he’s shooting? Ansel Adams can shoot some landscapes like nobody’s business, but does he see the beauty in a salty lake bed filled with hot rod coupes like this? I guess not my friends…

With the help of his Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop buddies, in 2008, Chuck grabbed his rookie license in a Flathead V-8 powered ’32 Ford roadster to the tune of 117 mph. That might not sound like much, but what a thrill! I’ve bumped into Chuck a couple times on the salt and it’s no wonder some of his favorites photos are also mine from Bonneville Salt Flats.

Chuck’s also a car owner and driver whenever his photography lands him back at home. I saw first hand what Chuck and his wife Kim can do building a hot rod! (OK, it was mostly Kim) I called the story “Lady’s Choice” because most of the key decisions were Kim’s and she got it dead on with her 27 Ford Touring Hot Rod that competed for the AMBR award in 2009.

So look for Chuck at a show near you. If you see him… he’ll most likely be the relaxed, on-pace guy I first met at GNRS. Yea, I found out why… he’d been at the show almost all night. With his hook ups, he can shoot at night, with no people walking around and… AND with none of those ropes and barriers in his pictures. Jealous? YES!! But that’s what hard work and being, “Like that” will get’cha in the end.

Chuck’s got his own book he’s working on along with a the books he’s collaborated on. “Great American Hot Rods: A Full Throttle Chronicle of Custom Cars from the Street, Show and Strip” on KP Books, and the children’s book “Custom Cars (Motor Mania Series),” with Lerner Publishing.

I liked so many of Chuck’s photos, instead of jamming them all into this story, I made an “Event” called Chuck’s Hot Rod Photo Fantabuli. It’s full of some choice shots from around the hot rod and custom world.

Thanks for everything Chuck!

51 Deluxe Cruisin for a Bruisin

Flat Black 51 Chevy Deluxe Cruiser

Author and Photographer: Mike Harrington

We have all heard the expression. “I’m going to beat you till your black and blue”. I don’t know about you, but anyone I’ve ever seen with a black eye or a serious bruise, the bruise looks more black and green. Kind of like this here ‘51 Deluxe custom owned by Dead Sleds member Crow and his wife Adrianna. Now before you splatter your drawers thinking “not another black primered car!” Throttle back for moment and take our word for it… This suede sleds body work is smoother than a velvet Elvis under a black light while puffing a cigarette packed with Mexican hay.

Many times a black sled will be bathed in apocalyptic black to hide the flawed body work. However, during the construction process of Crows blacktop bruiser he and club member Cepe spent a year massaging the metal on the ’51 Chevy bringing her back to life. That massaging came in the form of shaving all the prickly protrusions from the body of the Chevy. Some prefer to call them emblems and door handles, we’ll call them gone. What’s a proper cruiser with out some sort of a shave job?

As is typical of many a hot rodder or sled pilot they can’t seem to leave well enough alone on their vehicles. You may notice in the pictures that in some of the shots there are green metallic scallops and in others, they’re not there. It’s simple really; it’s the theory of evolution taking shape.

It started as an out-of-date stocker, then to the black and green machine you see here and finally a few more green scallops were added between photo sessions. No hot rod or custom car is ever finished they are just abandoned. And with just a few years of ownership of the 1951 Chevy Deluxe under his belt, evolution is key.

Besides the ever trusty small block Chevy mill residing under the hood, what makes the 51 Deluxe good is the air ride system that gives the Chevy its brutish stance. We could take another page describing all the things that have been done to this car, but the best part of it is that Crow, his wife Adrianna and the kids hop into the car and take it on rides any time the mood strikes.

Here’s the complete photo gallery of Crow and Adrianna slick black 51 Deluxe. Let’m know if you approve!

Rusty, Old and Artistic: Don’t Miss Michael

Hot Rod & Custom Car Photography & Writing

Through some good luck and a willingness to talk to everyone I meet… “Hey Do you use the internet!?” is a favorite thing my buddies tease me about… I bumped into Michael Harrington up at Bonneville Salt Flats in 2010. He was photographing a sick gasser Corvette (yes, on the salt!) and I asked who he shot for. Well, he’s worked for a few Primedia/Source Interlink titles you’ve heard of, most recently, Super Chevy.

Flash forward to present and Michael and I are back in touch and we’ve worked out a deal to publish his incredible photography and musings here at MyRideisMe.com. It’s incredible to publish professional pictures like this! Michael’s got a gift and I know I’ll learn from staring at his work.

I snaked this info from his photography home page Automotive-Photography.net to let you know more about him:

I don’t know how it happened, but it did. I guess most of us enthusiasts can blame it on our fathers. In my case, I can definitely pass the blame. My father was never a huge Hot Rodder by any stretch of the imagination, but as a child I do remember him working on other people’s cars and his own Grand Torino. From an early age I learned to appreciate the aesthetics and sounds of the American automobile. Then in the late 1980′s my grandfather gave me his 1973 Camaro. That act of generosity pretty much sealed my fate. A 17-year-old kid behind the wheel of a muscle car is altogether an exciting and stupid thing. That love — the love of feeling the torque throw you back into your seat; the curves, the chrome — it has always stuck with me.

In college I would daily drive my lowered ’59 Buick Lesabre to school, attracting the strangest stares of curiosity (even from fellow “art” students). To them I was known as “that car guy”. How I became an automotive photographer was really quite by accident and not by my own design. If I was smart, I would have learned something practical like business or finance. But sometimes we don’t choose what we become, it chooses us. Besides, I think I would rather be strangled by a piano wire if I had to chain myself to a desk every day. Taking a beginning photography class for “fun” steered me into a whole new direction and ultimately became my career choice. After doing some freelancing for various automotive magazines during college, I was recruited and offered a job at Super Chevy magazine. I quit college and took the job, working for nearly five years writing and shooting stories all across the country. Working for a magazine and traversing the country was quite an exciting experience. Working for a giant corporation that owns nearly all the popular titles on the shelf, however, was not quite as exciting.

These days I have gone back to freelance photography, shooting and writing for various publications and companies. Of course, everything I do is still related to the automobile — that love will never die.

So as you can see, he’s a car guy that’s been into it forever.

Michael’s got an impressive resume of pictures and has an easy reading way of describing them too. Car Tech agreed and published a book of Michael’s work called Rusty Pickups: American Workhorses Put to Pasture. You can grab it over at Amazon.

So enjoy the stories and pictures and let Michael know you’re dig’n it by leaving a comment here and there. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it and we’ll both know if we’re on the right track with the stories we’re publishing.

 

Thanks!
pikesan

Rare Gem – ’47 Chrysler Royal Mild Custom

Custom 1947 Chrysler Royal Coupe

With the world of customs dominated by GMs and Fords, it’s always a nice surprise to see a builder venture outside of the “norm” (yes I know – somewhat of an oxymoron in regards to customs) and build a car from a lesser known and recognized platform. Its even sweeter when the gamble pays off and comes out looking like Phil Bell’s 1947 Chrysler Royal Business Coupe.

Back in 2005, Phil put the word out that he was in the market for a late 40’s model Mopar. A call soon came in from his friend and fellow Farm Boys C.C. member, Shane Taylor. Shane located a 47 Chrysler Royal Business Coupe in Burley, ID that he thought might foot the bill but it would take more than just a general restore – this one needed a resurrection. Phil took a look at the car and initially passed, but a year went by and nothing had captured his interest. So he went back in April of 2006 and $800 bucks later, was the proud new owner of a rusted out, windows busted, 47 Coupe that was up to it’s axles in dirt.

Since Shane helped find the coupe, it only seemed fitting that he let Phil use a spot in his shop, Wrecked Metals, to begin the resurrection. (Here’s a video introducing Wrecked Metal) So for the next 5 months Phil would leave his day job as a barber and spend the rest of the night at the shop working on the coupe. His buddy Matt Whitlock chipped in on the body work, helping mold in the fenders as well as with nosing the decking the coupe. A Camaro clip was welded in up front which offer performance upgrades such as power steering and disc brakes.

Phil’s coupe rolls on 15” reverse O.E.’s from Wheel Vintiques with Coker bias ply wide whites. The lowered stance is achieved through de-arched leaf springs in the rear and up front a coil and a half were cut from the factory springs. Suspension upgrades are on deck for future modifications to the coupe including a 4-link in the rear with coilovers at all four corners.

Where the original 251 “L-head” flathead six once resided the modern staple of performance, the small block Chevy, now lives except Phil wasn’t content with just a general run of the mill 350. So he stroked the SBC to 383ci with a Comp Cam and Weiand intake manifold topped off with and Edelbrock 4bbl. A TH400 handles the built small blocks power and since Phil and his Chrysler have made several long haul trips to California, Bonneville, and Washington, 2.73 highway gears fill the Camaro rear-end to keep the MPG’s in check. Although more revered for its reliability and durability, the Chrysler’s “L-head” made a period respectable 114hp and 204lbs/ft at just 1200rpm.

The subtle touches to the interior keep the traditional theme. White tuck and roll patterns with black trim courtesy of Sean Rodgers line the cabin. Instead of taking the knock-off repo or street rod route, Phil put in some legwork and tracked down a Pontiac Chieftan steering wheel from Vintage Auto salvage yard in Mountain Home, ID that adds true 50’s custom styling to the interior.

The chrome spear running nearly the length of the Chrysler added a smooth flush look from the factory so Phil opted to retain the spear and the door handles. Outback the “fatback” rear has been decked, the taillights frenched and Phil added a good dose of pinstriping. The front was nosed and all badges were shaved creating smooth lines at all corners of the Plymouth. Phil selected Copper Pearl with a satin finish to shoot the revamped coupe with, and just as with every other stage of the coupe, Phil loaded the paint guns and sprayed it himself.

In speaking with Phil he’s quick to point out he could not have built this rare traditional kustom without the help of his brothers from the Farm Boys C.C. Although it’s a smaller club, it’s a tight group of friends that lends their respective skill set when needed. And if you know a little about the history of the culture – that’s exactly how it all started.

For a quick look at what $800 buys in the form of a 1947 vintage tin, here’s the Chrysler Royal when Phil picked it up. You gotta have vision!

 

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