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autoevolution's Custom Builds Month

Sometimes confused with coachbuilt vehicles, custom builds are the essence of personal creativity in the quest of individuality for some people. For others, they are simply not worth it or as seen as an insult to the engineers and designers that created the original vehicle. 

No matter which side of the fence you’re on, there’s no denying that custom cars and bikes will always have a special place in the gearheads’ world.  

The consensus is that the custom culture, which was soon to be spelled ‘Kustom’ thanks to a certain George Barris, was birthed after World War II, when people started modifying stock pre-war cars to their liking.  

The first so-called ‘gow jobs’ evolved into hot rods, with four different 'gow job' cars evolved into hot rods, which then got separated into four rather disctinct lineages: street rods, street machines, restomods and the peculiar-looking rat rods.  

Over the years, the custom build movement has changed to also encompass cars that are specially made by American or European tuners, with the Japanese jumping on board as well.  

The motorcycle industry wasn’t left aside either, with a variety of aftermarket shops now specializing in creating literal works of art on wheels.  

Despite the controversy spawning from such creations, which are mostly based on mass-produced vehicles but take the styling and/or performance to new distinctive heights, there is a huge market and even larger fans base nowadays for tailored means of transportation. 

The entire month of July we’ll strive to bring you the most interesting examples of custom builds on autoevolution, whether on four or only two wheels, as we celebrate this flamboyant automotive sub-culture.

Editor's note: This special feature by autoevolution was not sponsored or supported by a third-party.
Matching Numbers 1970 Plymouth Cuda Street HEMI Is the One That Got Away
Matching Numbers 1970 Plymouth Cuda Street HEMI Is the One That Got Away

13 Jul 2020, 09:46 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / 1970 Plymouth Cuda, one of just 284 to be made with a 4-speed manual transmission and a 426ci (7.0-liter) HEMI that year fails to sell at auction

 
This 1959 Ford F-600 Rat Rod Looks Like It’s Ready for the Apocalypse
This 1959 Ford F-600 Rat Rod Looks Like It’s Ready for the Apocalypse

13 Jul 2020, 09:30 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A ’59 Ford F-600 truck has been converted into a rat rod that runs on an upgraded engine and features plenty of improvements

 
This Ford Mustang “MINI Cooper” Jaguar Edition Looks Like Street-Legal Madness
This Ford Mustang “MINI Cooper” Jaguar Edition Looks Like Street-Legal Madness

13 Jul 2020, 08:30 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A custom car that’s actually based on a totally unexpected mix of cars, including Ford, MINI, Jaguar, and Volvo, can now be yours

 
Harley-Davidson TB-1 Superbike Is a Refined Low Rider S
Harley-Davidson TB-1 Superbike Is a Refined Low Rider S

13 Jul 2020, 08:01 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / Harley-Davidson TB-1 Superbike is a Thunderbike custom build meant to make a Low Rider look more like a racer-style bike

 
Baby Blue Land Rover Defender 90 Rocks Widebody Kit and LS3 Motor
Baby Blue Land Rover Defender 90 Rocks Widebody Kit and LS3 Motor

12 Jul 2020, 20:27 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / We think this truck is worth at least $80,000, which means it's more expensive than a brand new Defender. That widebody kit makes it so worth it

 
This Custom Ford GT40 Looks Like an Angry Coyote Ready for Action
This Custom Ford GT40 Looks Like an Angry Coyote Ready for Action

12 Jul 2020, 14:21 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A ’65 Ford GT40 has received a pretty massive restomod package, including a new Ford 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine paired with a 6-speed manual transmission

 
Project TOC, the Kenworth Truck That’s the Most Modified, Beautiful in the World
Project TOC, the Kenworth Truck That’s the Most Modified, Beautiful in the World

12 Jul 2020, 06:21 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / The team at The Texas Chrome Shop worked for a year and a half to build this stunning customized rig, still one of the most modified trucks in the world

 
2009 Jeep Wrangler Gets a HEMI Engine Swap, Power Doubles to 425 HP
2009 Jeep Wrangler Gets a HEMI Engine Swap, Power Doubles to 425 HP

12 Jul 2020, 05:43 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon drops the 3.8-liter V6 in favor of a 6.1-liter HEMI V8 with more than double the power

 
Harley-Davidson GP-Style Is the Radical Way to Make a Breakout
Harley-Davidson GP-Style Is the Radical Way to Make a Breakout

12 Jul 2020, 05:20 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / Harley-Davidson GP-Style is a Thunderbike bulid that used to be a Breakout, got "disassembled; frames and attachments scanned and were taken as a base"

 
Ford 6x6 Raptor Van and Focus Speedster Exist in Russia
Ford 6x6 Raptor Van and Focus Speedster Exist in Russia

11 Jul 2020, 20:35 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / The two both wear the Ford badge but are complete opposites. One is bigger and bolder than stock while the other looks much lighter and smaller

 
This Custom 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Once Belonged to a NASCAR Team Owner
This Custom 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Once Belonged to a NASCAR Team Owner

11 Jul 2020, 16:09 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A custom ’55 Bel Air that previously belonged to James Finch, a former owner of NASCAR team Phoenix Racing, is now for sale on eBay

 
RWD Mk3 Golf Drift Car With BMW V8 Engine Gets Custom Widebody Kit
RWD Mk3 Golf Drift Car With BMW V8 Engine Gets Custom Widebody Kit

11 Jul 2020, 15:33 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / The custom RWD uses a BMW six-speed manual transmission, custom two-piece driveshaft, and Ford Explorer 8.8-inch rear end

 
Racing Red Harley-Davidson Grand Prix Pushes the Outerlimit to the Extreme
Racing Red Harley-Davidson Grand Prix Pushes the Outerlimit to the Extreme

11 Jul 2020, 10:24 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / Harley-Davidson Grand Prix is a built made by German shop Thunderbike, is based on a custom frame, and uses a Harley-Davidson engine

 
1972 Chevrolet C10 "Inferno" Show Truck Packs 425 HP for $45k
1972 Chevrolet C10 "Inferno" Show Truck Packs 425 HP for $45k

10 Jul 2020, 20:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A custom truck through and through, the C10 "Inferno" offered by Volo Cars is one of most head-turning builds we've seen lately

 
Dodge Charger Hellcat "Big Daddy" Looks Bad to The Bone
Dodge Charger Hellcat "Big Daddy" Looks Bad to The Bone

10 Jul 2020, 16:02 UTC · By: Andrei Tutu / This Dodge Charger Hellcat would easily turn heads in its home country, but, since it's being driven on European roads, the effect is amplified

 
2019 Chevrolet Silverado "Sleeper Sam" Has a Procharger for Days, Sounds Nasty
2019 Chevrolet Silverado "Sleeper Sam" Has a Procharger for Days, Sounds Nasty

10 Jul 2020, 14:18 UTC · By: Andrei Tutu / According to Late Model Racecraft, the developer behind the build, this is the first time somebody has taken a 2019 Silverado this far

 
For 2020, Concours d’Lemons Will Assault Your Eyeballs Over the Internet
For 2020, Concours d’Lemons Will Assault Your Eyeballs Over the Internet

10 Jul 2020, 13:01 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / The “odd, mundane and truly awful of the automotive world” goes virtual for the first time, because someone’s gotta lower the standards of virtual car shows

 
Enter World of Tanks Battle Ready With This Euro-Custom Off-Road Nissan GT-R
Enter World of Tanks Battle Ready With This Euro-Custom Off-Road Nissan GT-R

10 Jul 2020, 11:13 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Nicknamed by its creators "Godzilla 2.0", this Nissan GT-R one-off is eager to show its newly found off-road prowess for just €95,000

 
The Medusa Chopper Is Made of Gold, Remains One of the Most Expensive Ever
The Medusa Chopper Is Made of Gold, Remains One of the Most Expensive Ever

10 Jul 2020, 10:26 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / Tarhan Telli of TT Custom Choppers delivered this custom bike in 2013, with hopes it would make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. It never did

 
Harley-Davidson Vancy Has Both Thunderbike and Roland Sands in It
Harley-Davidson Vancy Has Both Thunderbike and Roland Sands in It

10 Jul 2020, 09:58 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / Harley-Davidson Vancy is a custom build from German shop Thunderbike that incorporates a design by American Roland Sands