The ‘60s were rife with wacky customized hot rods that flowed from the pens of designers like Dean Jeffries and the self-proclaimed King of Kustomizers, George Barris. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe VW-Based T is like a page ripped from that era, but is its price also far out man?
It seems that, for 84% of you — or the visionaries as I like to refer to you — yesterday's wacky Drill, Baby Drill Jeep was far and away a Nice Price winner. That just proves that most of you obviously know the drill.
Think about a house - any house really - and then consider what room in that house you might consider your favorite. I'm betting that more than a few of you are thinking about the den, that wood-paneled sanctuary from the frenzy of modern life, where you most likely take in sports on the TV or the comfort of a good book. Today's custom, one of a kind VW-based Hot Rod is as both as warm and inviting as that home womb, and looks straight from the ‘60s, the era in which dens really took off.
I'm going to go on record here and state that I really like this car. There's so much going on - traditional Mercedes grille in front, porch lights in back, and inside, more tuck and roll than a Bug's Life marathon - but it all just seems to work. Of course, YMMV. In addition to the aforementioned features, there's the cartoonish angle of the padded roof, opera windows in the front, and an overall appearance lacking in halfassery.
The ad claims this not to be constructed out of a kit, and that may explain the generous use of lumber on the inside and the photo finish covering of the same on the outside. All that wood and fiberglass sits on what appears to be a purpose-built platform rather than the typical shortened VW frame, as it uses a Mustang II (nee Pinto) front end, as does many a Shelby Faux-bra. Out back the 1,776-cc VW mill is claimed to have been refreshed just three years past, and to offer up the kind of rumbly tumbly sounds that may make the car's likely lack of speed amenable.
Inside the car there's a pair of 914 seats and tons of headroom afforded by the tall roof angled to a mail slot like windshield. Those seats must be out of a later 914 as if I remember correctly the passenger seat on the early ones was molded into the firewall. Between them is a handsome piece of former teak tree housing a T-handle shifter for the 4-speed and dual cup holders. Above that is a flat dash panel hosting a set of gauges that are a mix of VW and Pep Boys. Overall there's nothing that seems out of sorts here, hell there's even a pair of fuzzy dice.
Neither does there appear to be any red flags on the exterior, although that's surprising as it features just about every other visual accoutrement. Still, as I noted earlier it all seems to work together cohesively with the notable exception of the bullet mirrors awkwardly clinging to the sides like foul limpets. To the recyclery with them! And also yes, I am not making mention of the creepy time-out doll in the lede picture as it is my expectation that it would not be included in the car's sale, likely remaining behind to murder its hated masters in their sleep. God, how I despise those things.
While the ad claims this to be a Bucket T, the non-removable roof invalidates that descriptor, saddling the car with the less memorable Model T Hot Rod moniker. Regardless, it's obviously not an option intended for one-car families or - considering its lack of side glass or windscreen wipers - anyone outside of a predictably dry climate. Still, for cruise night, heading down to the pharmacy for a Grape Nehi, or just that all American of reasons - for shits and giggles - this should make for a real crowd pleaser.
If your goal in life is making people happy then buying this custom job will set you back somewhere around $9,500, the seller's starting point. He's seemingly more interested in trading it and notes a litany of apparent scams supposed purchasers pull that he's on to as a likely reason. But we're not here for Nice Trade or Pimp Paid, I know, I just checked. As that's the case, what do you think about this crazy custom for $9,500? Is that a price that make this one of a kind your kind of one? Or, does that make this simply George Em-Barris-ing?
You decide!
Jacksonville Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Shane L for the hookup!
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