Carps' n Dave's big adventure

Now I'm not the worlds biggest fan of the '32 Ford preferring the much sleeker 1933 model40, but I gotta tell you, when I see a hot rod done right, well I can dig it, no matter what model it it.

And folks, this thing might have more doors than most of you would wish for, but it's so sublime, it's damn near perfect!



Kinda reminiscent of the Doug Carter '32 sedan, on paper it just doesn't seem right to call it a hot rod, but in the flesh it's all hot rod and pretty as a picture too..



Yeah, it's painted solid grey, who would paint a hot rod or any car for that matter, grey?
But like Col sez, works, works and this my freinds works!



If this doesn't make your heart rate lift just a little bit, you better calla doctor coz yer dead.

OK so let's check out some rice burning, ground scraping commercial vehicles.

The normally high riding Hilux Surf or 4Runner as it's known here, would require some serious chassis and suspension skulduggery to get to passenger car ride height, so I have no idea what's happening here.



But I do know it will not go any lower!



Here's one to frighten the A$RF rulebook, early Hilux has more than enough mod's to make the Kustom points AND it has a chassis too!



Think this old gal has seen her last building site or mine, might be OK on the farm.



A few well detailed parts make a big difference.



Seems our Japanese compadres have a real soft spot for the old Hilux, but they don't use just the chassis to put a vintage body back on wheels, the use the whole thing!



And they paint 'em purdy colours too.
I'd love to know what's hiding under that bonnet bulge.



This one was about the smoothest of the Loluxes.



Did I mention it was smooth?
Look harder, you'll find the tailamps.

Did I mention that Japanese car guys have a great sense of hmour?
It shows in some of the vehicles, like this baby Daihatsu.

Check out the wheel caps and fry pan lid.



I think this was once a Mazda people mover.



This is a dinky little Suzuki, yoot.



It's kinda kool and warrants closer inspection.





How about a Honda ultra mini van, modified to look more like a ……..



DODGE!



This one also had some cool tricks and neat striping.



And a couple of accessories.



This Daihatsu is the next size up.



I think it may be on airbag suspension.



And one size bigger again……. The Toyota Hi or should that be LoAce.



Sounds like something you'd say to a mate when walking into the pub. 'Lo Ace, how yer goin'



Not all the low pick ups was originally from this neighbourhood.





And sometimes, some things are lost in the translation.



So.... are ya ready to be blown away by something truly amazing?

Wow, some bloody nice cars there mate.
Dunno about the rest but i wanna see something amazing.

So, ya think you're pretty handy with the airbrush do ya?

Well check this out. On first glance it looks like a nicely done stock bodied '59 Chev Impala Bubbletop, painted Platinum Pearl with an intricate pattern airbrushed or pinstriped onto it.



You did notice the pattern on the paint didn't you?



Look closely, it's not airbrushed or painted on, the pattern is in fact beneath the paint.



That's because the entire car has been cleverly EMBOSSED, the lumps are on the bare metal.



It only took the owner four and a half years to do it.



So how was it done?

Easy!

Using lotsa skinny masking tape, the pattern was laid out on the bare metal and a layer of primer surfacer sprayed on, when done the tape was removed.



After the primer was hardened, more tape was laid down in the lines left by the first layer of tape and more primer surfacer sprayed on.



This process was continued many times over the years until the embossed pattern was finally built up enough to call finished. It was then prepared for paint by hand sanding and the platinum pearl top coats were laid down before being clear coated.



I figure only a Japanese customiser could have thought it up and only a Japanese customiser would have the patience and skill to pull it off.

And after the show, he jumped behind the wheel and drove it home in the pissing rain.

.... F*@$
Holy hell that is amazing and so Beautiful.
I want it! I want it now.

Insane.
And also arguably metallic grey (thus arguably refuting your own "greyest" comments on the previous page).

I'm thinking this 'build it up with primer' technique could be used on models to produce swage lines or trim in/on bodywork - could be useful for work where filler isn't subtle enough.
Not that I do subtle...

That '59 is awesome, man, what a credit to the owner.

Yes...love the '59. Got to admire the patience, too.

So, last night we were looking' at vans, however we didn't see quite all of 'em like this yank style rig………



Or this one.



This one was sort of Yankee style, well it had a Yankee swimsuit and an Arizona theme…..



Then there was this ElCamino yoot, painted in traditional Japanese style like you might find on an enamel jewel box or similar.



It's owned by an artist who does trad style Japanese paintings with an automotive twist, he even gave me one of his paintings to bring home, which is currently being framed.



Speaking of Japanese, how about a Honda Accord done low rider style?

I reckon this puppy would push the A$RF Custom Classification rules to the limit.



The detail madness extends all the way underneath.





It also extends inside……



And there's not one swinging panel that operates the way it did when new.



If the Accord is too big, you could always downsize with a Honda civic……

Of course it wouldn't be Japan without a few customised Nissan Cedrics, like this very mildly modified street custom.



Or you could try something a little less mild but still not too far out.



Any Nissaholic would be wetting their pants over this more radical version…..



It even features Cadillac tail lamps.



And speaking of Cadillac, this one is mild with wild paint.

The Japanese love a custom car and the measure of a good radical custom is how well hidden is the identity of the original car.

Any guesses what this one started as?



It's pretty wild, inside and out.





even around the back.



Gene liked it so much he gave it his gong of approval.



Here's another one that should keep you guessing.



Surely one of you can recognise what it started as?



There is one key giveaway, can you figure it out?



Pretty much everything you see here was fabricated in the owner's shop.

As you'd expect the Japanese Custom scene is chock block with American iron, some imported and re modified, some like this Merc created locally from a stocker.



Once again, the paint is super radical, look closely at the black flake panels and you'll see that it's layered.



This thing is as cool, maybe even cooler than any Merc I've seen in Oz or the USofA.



Not only was Gene there but a couple of his creations seemed to have found their way across the Pacific.



Of course the Japanese are great copiers, even if this one is a different colour to the original.



The paint and detail was just as slick tho.



Likewise, the show sign displayed great imagination and flair.



Check out this '59 El Camino and see if you can find all the subtle changes.



There's lots to study at this end.



We all know that no display of Kustoms would be complete without a few Shoebox Fords.



There were a couple more just like this one only painted different colours.





Naturally the GM line up was also well represented, with stuff like this Caddy, which used De Soto grille teeth but had them mounted upside down and scalloped for a completely wild appearance.



For tonight well have to call this the end, tomorrow, some hot rods, maybe rat rods, motorcycle or pinstripers?.

73ish Toyota Crown?

Maybe a 60s Impala for the next one??

Loving these pictures and words, keep em coming!

I'll pay the Crown, but the other one is actually an early Valiant/Dodge Dart.

WOW so very cool ones there,the dak dak woody look's cool,thank's for sharing them

I'm Just lost for words with the amount of detail and... well.. everything there.

This one kinda makes me think what the Crimson Pirate might have looked like if built today.



It's kinda out there, but all seems to fit and work.



Being the 75th anniversary of the Deuce, there was more of them than other years in the show.
Cool thing with the way Japanese license plates work, every Deuce owner can have a big 32 on their plate.





There were a few model 40s on show, but next year should be their turn, coz they'll be 75 years old.



Most Deuce body styles were covered by the cars on show.



There was even a woody there.
However this isn't it, but it was cool all the same.



Especially when you looked inside the matching camper trailer.



Here's the deuce woody and it's progeny.

1937 was the other model year being celebrated, but only a handful of cars turned out.



Therw was a fine pair of Willys too.
Both stock bodied steel cars with all the original and hard to find trim bits in place, one '40 model and a '41.



I used to see this Deuce van at the NSRA Nat's, now I know what happened to it.



Likewise I saw this at Louisville two years back and now it is in Japan, still wearing Kentucky plates



This one was put together in Japan, so I'm told.



This is another locally built car.



Old timer roadster has all the correct period pieces.



There window is built using original body and panels.

The traditional style is also quite popular across many production years.

Deuce with all the correct cliches…….



…. and then some.



Maybe a model T is more to your taste.….





Model A…..





Sedan….



Pickemupo twuck…..



Road-duster…….







And of course coupes……







And guess who was having a birthday?

A great car show...and good photos. Loving this thread.

Love the vans.
Any of the more bizzaro home brewed Japanese style stuff there?

Nah, we didn't actually see much of that stuff.

However I'm told there will be some at the Nagoya show later in the year. I'm told the Nagoyta show is about double the size of this one.

I know they have a very active hot rod and muscle car culture down there as I've been to a couple of their midweek cruise nights.

Thanks Carps.
I don't know where you find the time to sit down & post all your pics. Do you not sleep?

I don't always waste time on sleep.

You ready for some pinstripers or motorcycles?