El Matador (custom car)
El Matador is a custom car built by Bill Cushenberry during 1959–1961. It was his first show car.[1]
| El Matador | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Bill Cushenberry |
| Production | 1959-61 |
Cushenberry began work on El Matador in late 1959 as a showcase for his talents and a rolling advertisement.[1] It started as a 1939 Ford,[1] chopped 4 1⁄2 in (110 mm) and sectioned 5 in (130 mm).[2] '57 Olds parking lights were used as taillights.[2] The nerf bar bumpers were adapted from upper bumper rails off a 1950 Pontiac.[2]
He scrounged parts from Seaside Auto Wreckers, operated by Vick Irvan (father of Ernie Irvan).[1] The rear window was a windshield from a 1951 Chevrolet fastback, mounted upside-down.[1]
The car featured vertically-stacked, inward-canted headlights[3] (a common customizing idea at the time), with hand-formed steel front end and chrome mesh grille.[3]
El Matador debuted in February 1961 at the Oakland Roadster Show.[1]
Cushenberry sold the car to Bob Larivee, Sr.[1]
El Matador and Exodus, which appeared the same year, drew a lot of attention to Cushenberry and a lot of custom work for his shop.[1]
Featured appearances
- Twenty Top Customs. Spotlite Book 526
- Rod & Custom, November 1961
- Customs Illustrated, March 1963
- Popular Customs, January 1966
- 1001 Custom Car Ideas. Argus Book 207.
- Custom Rodder, Summer 1993
- Custom Rooder, January 1994
- Custom Rodder, July 1994
- Kustoms Illustrated #13
Notes
- Rod & Custom, p. 83.
- Rod & Custom, p. 85.
- Rod & Custom, p. 84.
Sources
- Mauldin, Calvin. "Bill Cushenberry: Custom Creations for the Future", in Rod & Custom, December 1998, pp.83–85
Further reading
- Barris, George. 20 Top Customs. Petersen Publishing/Spotlight Books, 1962.
- Dregni, Michael. The All-American Hot Rod. Motorbooks, 2009.
- Thacker, Tony, and Southard, Andy. Custom Cars of the '50s. Motorbooks, 1994.