As the 1960s get across , direct customizers like Bill Cushenbery , creator of the Marquis , pushed the styling envelope further than they ever had . They began to bank more on assembly than repurposed parts from American cars , and , in some case , bodies were altogether fabricated . The resulting custom cars owed short to Detroit styling .
Custom Car Image verandah
Bill Cushenbery was a Wichita , Kansas native who had move to Monterey , California , in the later 1950s to be close to the custom scene . Cushenbery quick established himself in California with the El Matador , a extremely modified 1940Ford .
Cushenbery created his next major show railway car for Monterey - aboriginal Gene Boucher . Cushenbery dubbed the automobile the Marquis , and use radical customizing techniques to create a usance car whose descent were most unrecognizable .
Starting with a1956 Ford Victoriahardtop , Cushenbery sectioned the trunk six in and replaced the rear quarter panels and trunklid with 1959Buickunits . The Buick quarters were modified to fit , give flared wheel openings , and topped with small double " V " fins at their trailing edge .
Cushenbery completely fabricated the rear fascia . In it , he range canted 1959 Pontiac taillights and a grille assembly consisting of matted stripe place in metal mesh topology backup .
The front oddment was alter drastically . Cushenbery pancaked the hood and give it a sculpted asymetrical height that carry on into the hired man - formed grille chess opening . The fenders were reworked to accept quadriceps femoris canted Lucas headlights and bullet to play as bumperettes .
A roll front pan was influence in , and the grille was made from horizontally climb flat stripe set in alloy mesh . In lieu of chrome side trimness , Cushenbery sculpted top out , arching character line for the front fenders and door .
indoors , Cushenbery installed hand-crafted seats and a full - length center console . The atomic number 79 and white fabric and Naugahyde upholstery was done by Manger ’s Auto Trim in Castroville , California .
Don Mathews , also of Monterey , apply the Candy Pagan Gold paint , which was offset by a blank leatherette padded top , also done by Manger ’s .
Two and a half years in the works , the Marquis made its debut in 1962 . It claim numerous prize , and was featured in several publications , includingCar Craftmagazine and Petersen’s20 Top CustomsSpotlite book .
Boucher stopped exhibit the Marquis after about a year , and it remained in his service department for the next 13 years until Cushenbery fan Bud Millard , of Millbrae , California , purchased it .
Bud kept the tradition gondola in storage until the mid 1990s , then began a inning - off restoration . Work drag one’s heels and the Marquis sat for a while , but in 2000 , Bud at last notice the right people to complete the restoration .
Bud had some changes made along the way . He had thesuspensionairbagged and modern luxuries added . Power dooropeners , a billetsteeringwheel , digital gauges , and a contemporary sound system replaced the original element .
Cushenbery had once confided in Bud that he did n’t like the flared rearward fender . So , Bud had the flares bump off and the radius of the rearward wheel openings reduced . Bill Reasoner practice the new Candy Pagan Gold metalflake blusher , Jerry Sahagon refinished the interior , and John Aiello of Acme Builders in Antioch , California , completed the work .
Unfortunately , Bill Cushenbery go in 1998 and was ineffectual to see his creation doctor . The Marquis returned to the show circumference in 2000 , once again winning awarding .
It then spend time at both the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and The Harrah Collection ’s National Automobile Museum in Reno , Nevada , where it appeared as a testimonial to one of customizing ’s most originative builders .
