If you are old enough (say over 60) you might remember a per

Apr 14

If you are old enough (say over 60) you might remember a period in the late 60s and early 70s where painters got very creative with muscle and drag cars. I think it was the golden era for hot rod shows and fantasy cars. I saw this picture and it brought it all back to me. This car is fairly tame with just 2 colors and fancy lettering. But the cragar mags make it perfect to me. I'll try to find more advanced paint schemes from the era.

Apr 14, 2026

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Replies (27)

· Apr 14

Bill, is this what you are talking about?

· Apr 14

@alsancle Yes. Exactly! Crazy times. I'll go look for a few more examples. Especialy some of the fantasy roads like what Von Dutch did.

· Apr 14

My Uncle could do this paintwork. Check out the lettering he did on my Soapbox derby.

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· Apr 14

· Apr 15

Big Daddy Roth was the man back then!

· Apr 15

@Royale835Sedan Ed Roth was a Legend!!!!

· Apr 15

Another famous Roth creation was the "Outlaw".

· Apr 16

I can't find a picture. Darn. In HS my buddies and I did flames on the sides of my Nova. Shocking looked pretty good.

· Apr 20

Here is another one.

· Apr 22

@BillSmith great post. This style found its way onto vans (relative had one) & lowriders. Some of those guys did fantastic work.

· Apr 22

@SteveMackCT When the van starts a rockin don't come a knockin... If I showed up with a van to my girlfriends house I would not have been allowed in!

· Apr 22

@dj1970 😂

· Apr 23

@dj1970 Ha 1,000%! Seems odd today that standard, full size vans were such a rage but after the gas shortage, politicians and insurers kiilled off the hp race it kind of makes sense. In 79 one kid, an upperclassman in my HS had a brand new black Dodge van with flares, Cragars and big chrome sidepipes. He was working on a midyear vette at home as well.

Paint on your post is crazy!!

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· Apr 23

@SteveMackCT Steve, you and I graduated almost the same year but we did not have any vans. There were definitely a few around town. I like anything with cragars, even a van.

· Apr 23

@SteveMackCT This one is for you @SteveMackCT

https://app.rumbleseat.com/admin/marketplace/listing/5610770

· Apr 22

I’ve always been fond of the Gypsy Rose. I had a painter working for me a few years back who had done a lot of custom bikes and cars. He could do mind blowing things with an airbrush. He inspired me to get an airbrush setup of my own but I just don’t have the gift. The best I can manage is painting a few fishing lures with it.

· Apr 22

@Hupp31 In 1970 there was a guy in evey bodyshop that had that ability. Now there might be on in every state.

· Apr 22

@alsancle @Hupp31 back in the day -late 70s we had a guy in the neighborhood who went through 6 or so GTOs 66- 67. He could paint. One was pearl white with a "flip flop" ribbon on the side that gave the illusion of changing colors as the car moved. Neat trick for a driveway painter!

· Apr 22

@alsancle It wasn’t just a matter of talent with those old school customs, it was a lot of patience too. Hours of laying out and masking a design just to dust in one little effect, only to unmask it and retape for another layer. It took an artistic eye to visualize the finished product and then work backward with stencils and layering to create the look.

· Apr 22

@SteveMackCT Steve, I'm sure you have heard it from me a millionm times but in 1980 I had about 700 bucks saved and was on the hunt for a 66/67 GTO four speed. To this day I have never bought one. Once I had the means to do it I went off chasing other stuff but I still love looking for them.

· Apr 22

@alsancle Yes and same reply. Very cool but that might encourage bad behavior on the road.

· Apr 23

Great idea for a topic.

· Apr 25

I remembered that I have a couple old photos that fit right in with the theme of this thread. A nice Cougar, a van with the obligatory teardrop window and even a car with Cragars. Plus two custom painted bikes.

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· Apr 25

@Hupp31 The answer to the question "What is crazy than a dragster?".

· Apr 25

@alsancle You’ve got that right. Those 2-stroke bikes were widow-makers right out of the factory.

· May 9

Saw this on Facebook for sale 125k, 20 something original miles a 396/375 four speed car. Love the paint and thought it was appropriate for this topic.

· May 9

This was so cool I had to add it to the marketplace. Check out the other pictures.

https://app.rumbleseat.com/admin/marketplace/listing/9836189

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