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KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 211

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Last weekend, I was thrilled to see Ulf and Mari Kusendal’s 1950 Mercury win Scandinavia’s Finest Car at the Oslo Motor Show. Their beautifully detailed “Hysteria” took on a challenging field and won big. And not just that title. It also snagged Best Paint, Best Interior, and Best Amcar in Show. Not bad for a traditionally styled custom that’s been on the road for decades and just came out of a 6-year rebuild.

Seeing it crowned over what looked like a stock 1986 Ford Sierra Cosworth (yes, that was the People’s Choice winner) gave me a big grin. Sometimes our kulture still gets the recognition it deserves, and that feels good.

Meanwhile, I’ve been messing around with something new. Or rather, something new to me. For the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with turning Kustomrama stories into YouTube Shorts, TikToks, and Reels. As someone who grew up reading car mags and scanning old photos, this is definitely outside my comfort zone. But if we want to reach the next generation of hot rodders and customizers, we need to meet them where they are. And that’s not on printed pages anymore.

And that brings me to one of the features in this issue, an incredible recreation of a legendary custom. Alexander Hernesten knew at age 13 which car he wanted to clone, and now, years later, he’s made it happen. It’s loud, it’s bold, and it’s done with respect. It reminds me of when my brother Olav and I decided to bring the Maze back as a Ranchero. We all have those dream cars in our heads.

So let me ask you this: if you were to bring one back, clone it, or recreate it… which one would it be?

Thanks for reading, for sharing stories, and for helping us keep history alive.
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Best regards
Sondre
Kustomrama Editor

Alexander Hernesten's 1957 Buick Century

Some customs are built to turn heads. Others are built to honor legends. Alexander Hernesten’s 1957 Buick Century does both.

Alexander had been dreaming of a 1957 Buick since he was a teenager. But it wasn’t just any Buick he wanted; it was the Jack James Buick, the one famously flamed by Larry Watson in 1957. “None of the other tributes ever quite got it right,” Alexander told us while working on this story. So, in 2015, he set out to build one that would.

Fast forward to 2025, and the result is a jaw-dropping Swedish recreation of Watson’s original flame masterpiece. Sprayed by Micke Eksrud at Mickes Garage Art in Mora, the flames stretch boldly across the body in vibrant red, orange, and yellow. Just like the original, the wheel wells are mismatched: yellow on one side, red on the other.

While the Buick resides in Stockholm, Alexander himself is based in London. Over the last ten years, he’s spent countless holidays traveling back and forth to work on the build. “Way too much time and money, but now it’s finally coming together,” he says.

With one foot in Swedish custom tradition and the other in American show car history, Alexander Hernesten’s 1957 Buick is more than a tribute; it’s a transatlantic love letter to one of the most radical flame jobs ever laid down.

Alexander has generously shared his story and photos with us, so click here to check them all out.

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Ulf and Mari Kusendal’s 1950 Mercury Wins Scandinavia’s Finest Car at the 2025 Oslo Motor Show

Swedish customizers Ulf and Mari Kusendal of Kvissleby took home top honors at the 2025 Oslo Motor Show, where their beautifully detailed 1950 Mercury Coupe “Hysteria” was crowned Scandinavia’s Finest Car. The traditionally styled Mercury also swept the Amcar Best in Show, Best Paint, and Best Interior awards.

Originally restyled in the U.S. during the 1960s and owned by the Kusendals since 2001, Hysteria recently underwent a full rebuild completed just in time for this year’s show season. Earlier this spring, it was also named Sweden’s Most Beautiful Car 2025 at the Custom Motor Show in Jönköping.

Click here for more info and photos.

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The Kustomrama YouTube Channel

Did you know that Kustomrama has had a YouTube channel for over 17 years?

Back in the day, we used it to share slideshows and movies from shows and cars we were filming for the Mad Fabricators Society. Those were the golden years, traveling, documenting, and preserving the kustom kulture we love. And while the channel has been quiet at times, we’re back behind the camera.

Earlier this year, Mats created a beautifully edited Featured Event film from the 1964 Stockholm Hot Rod Show, and lately, I've been experimenting with storytelling videos myself. It’s a whole new craft, editing, timing, narration, but I'm diving in, learning the tools, and having fun creating shorts, reels, and visual stories that bring our rich history to life in new ways.

The plan? When the time is right, I’ll be producing longer mini-documentaries to preserve and share even more stories from the golden age of rods and customs.

Click here to check out our latest uploads and subscribe to the Kustomrama YouTube Channel to follow along as this new chapter unfolds.

And don’t be shy, drop a comment and let us know how we’re doing!

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An Early Custom Gem from the Jerry Fassett Collection

This month's photo comes from the Jerry Fassett Photo Collection, showing one of the earliest stages in the evolution of a true custom icon: Harold “Buddy” Ohanesian’s 1940 Mercury Convertible Sedan.

A member of Sacramento’s legendary Thunderbolts Capitol Auto Club, Buddy bought the Mercury shortly after returning home from military service in 1945. Wanting to create something unique, he brought it to Harry Westergard and Less Crane, who chopped the top, cut down the decklid, extended the hood, and reshaped a 1946 Chevrolet grille into the Merc’s nose.

This rare snapshot shows the car mid-transformation, wearing primer, skirts, and an early padded top that, according to Dick Bertolucci, was built by Hall Top in San Leandro. It’s one of the earliest glimpses we have of what would become one of California’s most beautifully proportioned customs.

Over the next few years, the car evolved again under Bertolucci’s torch and hammer. By 1950, Buddy’s Mercury featured a hand-built, removable steel top, molded fenders, a maroon finish mixed with gold powder, a shade later known as Sacramento Maroon, and Cadillac Sombreros. The car was a rolling example of the Thunderbolts’ craftsmanship, innovation, and friendship, a reminder that some of the best customs in history began life as club projects in small Sacramento garages.

Click for more great photos and stories from the Jerry Fassett Collection on Kustomrama.

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As the days get shorter and the nights a little cooler, the Kustomrama November 2025 playlist brings the heat with a smooth and smoky ride through heartbreak, groove, and good times. The Desperados kick things off with a taste of ‘Forbidden Love,’ before The Wailers come in heavy with ‘I Shot the Sheriff.’ Freddie King gets deep and dirty with ‘Going Down,’ while Al Green closes it out sweet and tender with ‘I Want To Hold You.’ It’s the kind of mix that feels like a warm jacket on a cold cruise, so light a candle, fire up the turntable, and click here to let it spin!

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The Mystery of Herborn’s Body Works

This great mystery comes to us from Karen Jackson, who shared this vintage business card listing Dick Jackson at Herborn’s Body Works in Compton, California. The card features classic mid-century typography and phone numbers from the era, placing it sometime in the 1950s, likely around the same time Dick was working in the Compton area before, or after, opening Dick’s Paint and Body Studio. Dick's 1957 Ford Thunderbird is also promoted on the card.

We don’t yet know much about Herborn’s or Dick’s connection to the shop, but we’d love to learn more.

If you have any information, memories, or photos related to Herborn’s Body Works in Compton, please get in touch and help us fill in this piece of custom history.

Thank you to Karen Jackson for sharing this gem with us!

Click here for more photos and business cards from the Dick Jackson Collection on Kustomrama.

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Rick Regier’s 1951 Chevrolet Pickup – A Dream in Lime Green

We love it when stories like this land in our inbox. Big thanks to Don Regier for reaching out and sharing photos and memories of his late brother Rick’s stunning 1951 Chevrolet Pickup, a longtime dream project sparked by a chopped five-window they saw cruising the Cascades back in 1956.

That moment lit a fire in young Rick, who went on to become a backyard customizer with big ideas and a deep love for traditional styling. After retiring in Oregon, he finally began building his dream pickup. Chopped 6 inches, louvered hood, reversed deep-dish rims, and an inline-six with dual carbs and a Saginaw 4-speed. Rick passed away before it was finished, but the truck was nearly complete when it was last seen in Pratt, Kansas.

Do you recognize this lime green custom? Know where it ended up? We’d love to help Don reconnect with it. Drop us a line at [email protected] and help us keep Rick’s legacy alive.

Click here for more info and photos on Kustomrama.

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Forgotten but Not Lost – The Buddy Alcorn Merc in the Early 1990s

A few weeks ago, we shared a rare snapshot of the famous Buddy Alcorn Merc from the Bob Stephenson Collection. Not long after, Barry Mazza reached out with a memory, and a photo, that gave us a haunting look at the car during one of its darkest chapters.

Barry had gone to see the Mercury in the early 1990s, nearly a decade before Kurt McCormick stepped in to save it. At the time, the historic custom was tucked away in the woods, covered in tarps and rust, its once-flawless bodywork damaged and forgotten. “He wanted to sell it at that time,” Barry told us “It was in bad shape. The left quarter had been crushed and badly damaged.”

This snapshot, taken on that trip, captures the car as Barry found it, parked in the shadows of the past, surrounded by trees, trailers, and time. For anyone who’s ever wondered what happened to these icons in the years between magazine spreads and restorations, this is your answer.

Thank you, Barry, for reaching out and sharing this important piece of history.

Click here to see more photos showing the evolution of the Buddy Alcorn Merc, from Ayala Brothers masterpiece to Barris refinement, to barn find, and finally, to its full resurrection under Kurt McCormick.

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Flying the Kustomrama Flag on the Strip!

We love it when readers take Kustomrama with them on the road, or in this case, down the track! Big thanks to Dan Lavely for sending in these shots of his race car proudly sporting the Kustomrama logo.

Dan runs with the TDRA, Texas Drag Racing Association, a group that keeps the old-school spirit alive with three nostalgia-style classes: NE3 (5.50 index), NE2 (5.00 index), and the wild 4.60 outlaw class. No electronics allowed in the NE classes, just foot on the pedal, hand on the shifter, and nerves of steel. Trans brakes are allowed, but the shifting’s all manual, just like back in the day.

Thanks for repping Kustomrama out there, Dan. We appreciate the support!

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The BSA Behind the Monster

After we posted this photo of a Dean Jeffries flame-painted BSA motorcycle, we were thrilled to hear from Aaron Kahan, who reached out to share some firsthand insight: “This is Jeffries' personal bike. When I interviewed him, he said he finished it in July of ’56. Even though he was grouchy about Von Dutch later in life, he admitted to me that he watched what Dutch was doing when he was younger and used to ride this bike to go visit with Dutch—then drive home drunk on it. The wrench he used for reference on the toolbox monster sat on his desk in the 1990s. I tried to buy it, but he wouldn’t sell. I shot a lot of great photos of him holding the wrench, but I shot them with my first digital camera and the drive I had them stored on went bad.” According to The Harpoon, Jeffries would show the bike alongside his Mercury convertible, before the Barris shop fire.

Thanks for keeping history alive with us, guys!

Click here for more on Dean Jeffries’ wild builds and stories on Kustomrama.

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How much is our automotive heritage worth to you Reader?

At Kustomrama, we're driven by passion, not paywalls. As a volunteer-run Encyclopedia, we're dedicated to keeping the history and legacy of traditional hot rods and custom cars free and accessible to everyone, everywhere. From server costs to content collection, every aspect of our mission needs fuel. Whether it's $5, $20, $50, or any amount you choose, your donation keeps the engine of history running.

Click here to tip today and be a part of preserving this unique legacy for future generations.

I appreciate your support!

Best regards
Sondre / Kustomrama Founder / Keeping History Alive

What is Kustomrama?

Kustomrama is a comprehensive online encyclopedia passionately dedicated to the preservation and sharing of traditional hot rod and custom car history. With a mission to keep this vibrant history alive for generations to come, Kustomrama offers an extensive repository of knowledge, featuring over 11,716 pages filled with information and more than 30,000 photos showcasing hot rods and custom cars from around the globe. Our goal is not only to document but also to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the hot rod and custom car community, ensuring that the stories and innovations of yesteryear enthusiasts are accessible to everyone.

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Our community platform welcomes contributors and supporters to share their insights, offer feedback, and contribute to the evolving narratives of the hot rod and custom car culture. Whether you're looking to provide additional information, share a personal anecdote related to a story, or simply express your enthusiasm for a piece, your voice is invaluable to us.

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I have some stories or photos that I want to share with you. What do I do?

We're always on the lookout for fresh stories and photos to enrich the Kustomrama Encyclopedia and share with our community. If you have material related to traditional hot rods, custom cars, or any piece of history you believe deserves a spotlight, we'd love to hear from you!

Getting in touch is easy. You can simply hit the 'reply' button on this email to start a conversation directly with us. Prefer a different method? No problem! Email us at [email protected] with your stories, photos, or any inquiries. Alternatively, if you're a member of our vibrant community, you're welcome to submit your material directly to our Member's Community platform.

Your contributions play a crucial role in keeping the spirit and history of hot rodding and custom cars alive. Whether it's a personal anecdote, a piece of automotive history, or a series of photographs, your shared materials help us all to celebrate and preserve the rich tapestry of this culture for future generations.

Thanks for helping us keeping history alive

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