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Kustoms are modified cars from the 1950s and early 1960s done in the customizing styles of that time period.

The usage of a "k" for "kustom" rather than a "C", is said to have originated from car builder George Barris
George Barris

George Barris may refer to:*George Barris , designer of custom made cars*George Barris , photographer in the U.S. Army and of Hollywood stars...
. This style generally consists of starting with a 2-door coupe, lowering the suspension, chopping down the roofline, sectioning and/or channeling the body, and removing most of the body trim, door handles, etc.






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Kustoms are modified cars from the 1950s and early 1960s done in the customizing styles of that time period.

The usage of a "k" for "kustom" rather than a "C", is said to have originated from car builder George Barris
George Barris

George Barris may refer to:*George Barris , designer of custom made cars*George Barris , photographer in the U.S. Army and of Hollywood stars...
. This style generally consists of starting with a 2-door coupe, lowering the suspension, chopping down the roofline, sectioning and/or channeling the body, and removing most of the body trim, door handles, etc. Paint jobs often were high gloss, just about every color was used, and this paint job was usually topped off with flames, scallops, or Von Dutch (Kenny Howard)
Kenny Howard

Kenneth Graeme Howard , also known as Dutch, Von Dutch or J.L. Bachs , was a motorcycle mechanic, eccentric, artist, pinstriper, Metalworking, knifemaker, and Firearm....
 or Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries

Dean Jeffries is an United States custom vehicle Automotive design, Fabrication , Stunt performer and stunt coordinator for film and television program based in Los Angeles, California....
 style pin striping
Pin striping

Pin striping is the application of a very thin line of paint or other material called a pin stripe, and is generally used for decoration....
.

These cars can also be referred to as Custom cars, Leadsled
Leadsled

A leadsled is a car from the 1950s or early 1960s that has had extensive customization done to the body. The most common type of car turned into a leadsled is the 1949-1951 Mercury ....
s or Sleds. The term Kustom is generally used as a signifier that the cars was done in the 50s and early 60s style as opposed to later more modern styles.

See also

  • Kustom Kulture
    Kustom Kulture

    "Kustom Kulture" is a United States neologism used to describe the artwork, the vehicles, the hairstyles, and the fashions of those who drove and built custom cars and Custom in the United States of America from the 1950s through today....
  • Custom car
    Custom car

    A custom car is a passenger automobile that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to engine tuning, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission ....
  • Hot rod
    Hot rod

    Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. Nobody knows for sure the origin of the term "hot rod." One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a Roadster that was modified for speed....