Taking cues from the fantastic era of the GM Motorama and concept cars of the 1950’s, as well as the show floor works of art that many enthusiasts recall from the Autoramas of yesterday, a distinct theme began to emerge.

Inspiration comes from a variety of sources, including 1950’s sport and pleasure boats, mid-century industrial design, kitchen appliances, transistor radios, television sets and more. Our team paid special homage to the concept cars of Harley Earl’s Advanced Styling Studio, mixing modern touches throughout. The result is a custom automobile designed with purpose. Every modification was chosen carefully, and exists to complement the areas surrounding it. The goal was a cohesive design that did not bow to convention or trends, seeking instead to appear timeless.

We are proud that each of the modifications performed are readily understood on their own, or when viewed as a whole.

Modifications list:

Body:
Roof chopped and swapped using a 1948 Buick four door fast back “Jet Back” roof
Roof shortened 16”, narrowed at front 3.5”, and widened 8.5” at rear
Full custom-fabricated A-pillars
A-pillars notched for belt line trim
Full custom-rolled and formed C-pillars
Full custom roof rails
Drip rails shaved
Windshield leaned back dropped 2”, moved forward 3”
Window openings shrunk 1”
Flush fit glass
Rear window from 1948 Buick four door fastback “Jet Back”
Rear window opening moved down 1”
Rear window frame sunk into body .75”
Transmission tunnel raised up six inches
Driveshaft tunnel raised four inches
Hood changed from side opening to “alligator” style
Custom billet hood hinges with pivot geometry based on 1969 Camaro
Full custom hood bracing and hood latch support
Custom hood latch
Fully filled and smoothed underside hood edge
Rear hood corners rounded
Hood shaved and smoothed
Fenders sectioned 1.5”
Custom flush fit Jeep Liberty headlights
Fender portholes removed
Front clip welded and molded onto body
Front door edges rounded
Handles shaved
Factory side trim removed
All new shaped brass and chromed side trim
Rear of quarter panels sectioned 1” and reshaped to enhance profile
1954 Mercury tail lights re-sized and flush fit
Three line Art Deco styling carried from tail lights onto body
Trunk lid sectioned 1.75”
Trunk lid re-skinned with 1951 Buick skin
Custom trunk latch
Lower trunk lid gap changed to meet frenched pan and new bumper
Stainless belt line trim from 1953 Buick Special
Rocker pinch weld filled and reshaped with round rod
Rear wheel opening reveals removed
Custom fabricated, flush fit fender skirts
Reshaped 1952 Buick front bumper
Bumper bullets removed
Bumper shaved and smoothed
Bumpers smoothed and painted on back side
Full hand-built frenched splash apron around bumper
“V” cut 1951 Oldsmobile grille bar with custom mount
Grille over-rider bar smoothed
1955 Pontiac rear bumper joined into one piece and smoothed
Custom-formed license plate filler
Curved license plate bracket and frame to flow with bumper
Integrated exhaust outlets fabricated to compliment tail lights
Bumper tucked up to body 3”
Full frenched front and rear bumper
Integrated flange on bottom of bumper for belly pan mount
Full custom rear belly pan with hand fabricated and chromed brass trim
Custom front belly pans painted and polished
Custom front inner fender panels painted and polished
Smoothed wheel wells Full custom smoothed firewall
Full custom radiator mount
Full custom radiator shroud and cover
Bear claw door latches
Custom fabricated steel and chromed side window frames
Custom cut glass
Custom formed roof rail weatherstrip trim and rubber
Remote kill switch in drivers side rear wheel well
Remote battery jumpers in drivers side rear wheel well
Custom weatherstrips throughout
Remote under-dash mounted bell-crank master cylinder
Shaved front park lights
Front fender gap edge fully boxed, filled and smoothed
Custom hidden trunk mounted gas tank
Exhaust hidden by belly pan and exits via custom vents in rear bumper
Exhaust vents shaped to complement tail lights

Chassis:

Front frame Z’d seven inches
Custom tubular front suspension
A-arms smoothed and chromed
Custom fabricated mounts for Air Ride Shockwaves
Custom fabricated lower radiator mount
Frame fully boxed, plated and smoothed
Integrated round tube strengtheners for added safety
Integrated X-member boxed and plated
Custom fabricated driveshaft loop
Full custom, removable transmission crossmember mimics original unit
Custom fabricated rear belly pans accommodate exhaust
Integrated and hidden exhaust hangers
Period inspired custom fabricated exhaust couplers
Integrated front four bar boxed and smoothed
Four link smoothed and chromed
Front crossmember notched for engine clearance
Body mounts reshaped for flow, corners filled and edges rounded
Custom body mount bolt covers
Frame finished in Amber Ecstasy, buffed and polished

Wheels:

Fully CNC machined one-off wheels mimic classic cast GM eight lug rims
Body color matching accents applied to wheels
Custom center caps
One-off Resilence badges

Drivetrain:

Inspired by vintage speed boat engines

500 cubic inch Cadillac
Block fully de-burred and smoothed
Custom machined aluminum pulleys
Full custom front motor plate engine mounts
Driver side features integrated A/C compressor mount
Passenger side features integrated generator mount
Custom fabricated intake, fully smoothed and polished
Six two barrel carburetors fully chromed with custom linkage and pivot plate
Custom Magneto-look electronic distributor
Full custom fabricated valve covers
Custom fabricated breather compliments valve cover shape
Custom fabricated, mandrel bent exhaust with full custom recessed hardware exhaust connectors
Custom fabricated marine-inspired exhaust headers honor old time water jacketed manifolds
De-burred smoothed and polished transmission case
Polished inspection cover and transmission oil pan
Custom fabricated driveshaft
Custom finned transmission fluid coolers
Custom fabricated hard line to oil coolers
Fully ground, smoothed and filled rear end housing
Rear end center section reshaped to match exact size and shape of dash gauge pod
Polished rear end insert with one-off Resilience badge on rear end
Custom fabricated four bar and Shockwave mounts
Oil filter relocator with aluminum hard line
All aluminum fuel lines
Custom fabricated radiator
Custom fabricated aluminum coolant lines
Painted satin Amber Ecstasy

Interior:

Custom fabricated dashboard honors Autorama-era heritage
Custom fabricated center dash pod
Instrumentation designed and built specifically for Resilience
Custom fabricated garnish moldings on doors and quarter panels
Fully welded and smoothed steering column
Custom fabricated column mount compliments dashboard shape
Custom fabricated package tray with perforated metal
Hidden FM stereo with 10 disc CD changer and remote control
Fully frenched metal surround for custom fabricated rear bucket seats
Front seats from fully-optioned 1959 Oldsmobile convertible
Custom shaped seat foam
Full custom front and rear fiberglass surrounds for recessed headliner
Custom fabricated smooth headliner
1952 Hudson dome light
1952 Hudson kick panel lights
Custom fabricated kick panels with perforated metal to retain audio quality
Custom fabricated door handles are curved and knife edged with Art Deco, three groove styling
Custom fabricated brake pedal arm is curved and knife edged with Art Deco, three groove styling
Custom fabricated throttle pedal is curved and knife edged with Art Deco, three groove styling
Custom fabricated, full length console with A/C vents at front and rear of console
A/C vents feature three-fin design to complement 1954 Mercury tail lights
A/C ducts run through console on bottom side
Custom fabricated shifter bulge and chrome trim bezel
Custom fabricated chrome trim on console
Fully restored 1959 Oldsmobile steering wheel with body color pearlescent, marbelized finish
Custom horn button
Body color pearlescent, marbelized finish on shift and widow crank knobs
Window cranks feature three groove art deco styling, sourced from 1941 Buick
Custom fabricated control panel houses ignition, headlight and air ride switches
Hand-formed steel trunk interior trim panels

The engine compartment was smoothed all around with a custom radiator support top, to cover a lot of the ugly stuff up, and the Chevy 350 crate engine features a custom sheet metal air cleaner and engine cover.

The body was slicked and smoothed and covered in a custom mix red pearl, with flames down the side.

Crazy Honda tail lights were added with all of the lower area under the trunk having to be rebuilt to flow into lights. Custom Billet grille added along with custom billet dash and plate frame for J&B Microfinish. A So-Cal windshield frame was added for a hint to traditional, the kicker in this project (and huge labor hours) was the addition of a hide-a-way folding top, starting with a top from a Coast to Coast car, then flipping, tweaking, cutting, welding, bending, reworking to make it latch to the windshield frame and hide behind the seat. Man what an undertaking!

Another neat little trick item is the headlight bar. Its mounted low for cool flow, and is a small version and the bends mimic the dropped tube axle. All suspension is either chromed or polished.

The drivetrain also got crazy with a big block Chevy with polished aluminum heads, polished dual quads, even a full polished trans. It also head heat and air, all stuffed into the small package. It rolls on 18″ and 20″ Colorado Custom rims wrapped in BFGoodrich rubber.

The chassis has boxed rails, custom front crossmember, and smoothed through out. All stainless lines, polished center section on a Dutchman nine inch, Wilwood brakes all around. Exhaust is coated and flow through Flowmaster mufflers. Painless wire harness feeds it all, and it’s all covered in DuPont materials.

We did not handle the interior here on this project.

Interior is a mild refresh also, AutoMeter guages, stock refoamed seats done by Carrie in Ultra leather, dash painted to match, and a Kicker Stereo.

Body was slicked and finished off in DuPont materials.

The chassis is a full twin rail round tube design and at that time had custom built front suspension and a arms. It also features a full mandrel Flowmaster universal kit with Flowmaster Mufflers.

The dash at that time had digital gauges and two buckets with a roll cage. The engine is a 427 engine and at that time had Dellorto carbs. The interior was done by Carrie even way back the first time.

We drove that all over like that, putting over 30,000 miles on it, and even drove it away from the Church when we got married. It then sat neglected for quite a few years, then we decided to redo it again. Carrie’s only words were that it still “had to be purple”.

The basic body was left the same, just fixed all the road rash. Custom bumpers were fabbed and chromed as well as full custom brass side trim that has been chromed, and a cool slick two tone to fit more modern times, using DuPont materials. A full Air Ride was added, with a new Dutchman polished quick change rear, full polished stainless four link and new polished tubular a arms, also included in the new upgrade is polished 6 pitons calipers with 13″ drilled, coated and vented rotors, engine freshened by Auto Ron’s of Davenport Iowa. Trans by Wayne Morris with a US Gear Gear Vendors overdrive unit for high way cruising.

The interior got an all new update also, four buckets done again by Carrie, Kicker stereo, Auto Meter Gauges and full custom dash with console.

Wheels are one off custom Colorado Custom 20″ and 22″ polished units wrapped in BFGoodrich rubber.

The modifications list includes:
Classic Performance Products super slam kit, lowered springs, dropped spindles, disc brake kit, and power booster/master cylinder system
Wheel Vintiques smoothies painted body color, with bullet caps
Coker Classic tires
Fresh warmed over 350 small block built by Bill and Dewey at Holden Machine
New bed wood kit with stainless bed strips
Re-chromed bumpers
Repro seat cover by Gene Nalley
Satin painted interior and dash
DuPont paint and materials
Mooneyes finned valve covers and air cleaner
Dura-Shine intake
Edelbrock carb
Dynamat insulation
Drive shaft by Brick at Dan’s Driveline, Las Vegas

Engine is a wicked healthy 460 Ford big block built by Auto Rons of Davenport Iowa, stuffed with parts from Comp Cams, lots of cool features, custom valve covers with extra cove section to hide plug wires from top view, custom air cleaner/engine cover. Lots of custom engine sheetmetal, hand made inner fenders, radiator support and cover, custom Allstar Performance radiator, Zoops brackets and pulleys. A heavy duty trans from TCI was used. Exhaust features Flowmaster mufflers.

Interior features a full custom center pod dash with custom Auto Meter gauges, custom sheetmetal console, all painted to match the ultra leather stitched up by Carrie Strange. Wiring is Painless Performance and Stereo is Kicker.

Engine Bay

Body has a ton of subtle customs touches, bottom of hood smoothed, sides of hood smoothed, firewall smoothed, inner fenders smoothed, custom radiator cover, all door jambs smoothed, flush taillights. Interior is reworked by Carrie again, with a ton of custom polished billet from J&B Microfinish.

The ‘41 Cadillac was owned by a guy named Al Lauer, he owned an Indian motorcycle dealership in Sacramento. He brought the car to Harry Westergard for repair after the car was caught in a flood. Harry said “as long as we have it apart, why don’t we…” …and another custom came to be. It was never published in any early publication, but Harold Bagdasarian, George Kutavinis and Dick Bertolucci all identified it. Maybe it got no ink because it was always in primer. The custom was built in 1948.

We did the full frame off project. It features a cool Caddy engine with old speed equipment. Stock rebuilt chassis, cut coil springs and de-arched rear leafs to get it low.

Interior was done in a traditional tuck n roll, handled by Dave Martinez, the traditional interior “go-to” guy.

2002 Mustang modular 4.6 over head cam Ford Racing engine with a Procharger system, inter-cooler, Bowlers electronic over drive computer shifted trans.

Flush fit glass, shaved handles, removed trim, body was a uni body but has had full Indy Car style monocoque sub floor built, with small rectangle tubing for supports and sandwiched smooth 18 gauge sheet metal top and bottom for a smooth and strong body.

All steel interior except for the two piece bolt in seats.

Huge Kicker stereo system, with two 12” subs, four sets of component speakers, and two huge amps.

Hot Rod Air Heat and Air unit.

Bilstein shocks.

Bonspeed 18” and 20” brushed Big Block style rims, wrapped in BFG rubber.

Dynamat insulation.

Tons of custom body mods, slimmed down bumpers to steal style from Mustangs and Camaros, partial roll pans front and rear, front clip molded on and inner fender and inner panels fabbed, for a totally smooth backside of all front end and engine panels.

Tubular custom front suspension, triangulated four link rear. Custom smooth shaped rod ends.

Dutchman Quickchange rear end.

Flowmaster Mufflers and full mandrel bent exhaust system, custom flanges through out.

Hot Hues by DuPont Amber extasy gold with satin charcoal hood, roof and trunk.

Bottom of body is smoothed and painted the amber color in satin.

All the chassis has has every weld dressed and body worked, and painted the amber color in base coat clear and polished for a super smooth nice look.

The chassis is a work of art with almost $50k in labor in the chassis alone. Full round tube tri-rail, with 1” cross supports, the chassis must be seen to gain a full appreciation of the work involved.