One of the minefields in an interview with the owner of an old car is the custom side of the vehicle.

I’ve seen tens of thousands of cars and done thousands of interviews. In that time, I’ve seen things done to old iron that I would rank as excessive.

I have to remind myself that old vehicles are a very personal statement. You don’t own them because they’re practical. You own them because they reflect something from your past. A mental cue locked in your memory banks triggered a need for a particular old car, or truck, or a look, and eventually you are the proud owner of an iconic ride. That highly impractical vehicle is for you, not mainstream society – otherwise buy a Subaru.

That’s how I rationalize the “off the beaten path” cars, but this 1963 Plymouth pushed the envelope in a big way. (Read More…)