The Mild Custom Legacy

For many hot rodders, the word “custom” conjures up images of chopped, channeled, molded and frenched cars with wild metalflake paint jobs. Such radical customs no doubt helped define the custom movement of the 1950s, along with such phrases as “if it don’t go, chrome it,” but in virtually every town in the USA there was a contingency of mild customs providing their owners with daily transportation, an occasional trip down the dragstrip, and a starring role in the local armory car show a couple of weekends a year. No, most of these cars didn’t hold the local track record, nor did they make it to the ISCA Grand Finale, but they were good examples of shade-tree customizing and hot rodding. Known mostly as a “mild custom,” a term that no doubt originated from car show classes, this style of car was extremely popular.

Even today, a good mild custom will turn heads and gain nods of approval as it motors into a cruise night. The mild custom also remains practical and a car that can be driven and enjoyed on a daily basis if desired.

Building a Timeless ’57 Ford

When Gary Williams decided he wanted a mild custom, he brought a good, solid ’57 Ford Fairlane 500 to Wade’s Rod & Custom in Wylie, Texas. The theme would be strictly ’50s, with the idea to build a car much like many of us drove to high school in the early 1960s. The 292ci Y-block engine was rebuilt by Peter Leddy, and the stock automatic transmission received the rebuild treatment as well. Dress-up items are limited to a set of ’57 Thunderbird valve covers and a chromed air breather. The engine remains virtually stock inside, and HPC-coated exhaust manifolds connect to a pair of glass-pack mufflers for that great Y-block sound.

Chassis and Stance

The chassis was completely rebuilt by Kurt Janish, and the car was lowered 3 inches in the front for a proper hot rod rake. While the ’57 carries a traditional look, it is interesting to note that the car rolls on 17-inch polished American Torq-Thrusts. The tires are Nitto 255/40-17s on all corners, and they look perfect under this mild custom.

Subtle Bodywork and Deep Black Finish

On the outside, modifications were kept to a minimum. Wade’s Rod & Custom handled the bodywork. The car was nosed and decked and the side emblems were shaved. The modification that really changed the overall look of the car is simple, yet effective. By eliminating the top fender spear and associated gold-anodized side trim insert, this Fairlane 500 immediately took on a clean, flowing look. The car was then blocked to perfection and covered in mile-deep black urethane by Wade’s. Custom taillight lenses continue the mild custom look, and the remaining Fairlane 500 side trim was polished to perfection prior to installation. All rubber pieces were replaced during reassembly, and we can report this hardtop is a very tight, great-driving car.

Traditional Interior Craftsmanship

On the inside, the simple approach continues. Night Prowlers’ acrylic dash knobs in black and white grace the dash, which is painted in a matching black and white theme, with a very nice rolled-and-pleated dash cover completing the control area. The steering wheel is from Mooneyes, and reproduction sill plates from Dennis Carpenter keep the car looking new. The Fairlane was then brought to Murphy, Texas, so Shawn Cook could do a traditional 4-inch rolled-and-pleated interior in the car. The seating area is done in black with white side panels, making for a very attractive and practical package (those of us who have ever tried to keep a white rolled-and-pleated seat clean appreciate the black seating area).

A Revival of the ’57 Ford

The black and white theme works well with the sweeping lines of the ’57 Ford. It’s interesting that over the years, the ’57 Chevrolet has been in the limelight of hot rodding, but in the past five years a huge resurgence in interest has been bestowed upon the ’57 Ford, and for good reason. These cars have gorgeous lines, they accept modern powerplants on a bolt-in basis and are perfect for road use. In comparing the two cars, we added up just the two-door cars’ production totals (all two-doors except station wagons, Thunderbirds and Corvettes) manufactured by both companies. It seems Chevrolet out-produced Ford in the two-door market by 92,509 units. However, both manufacturers produced about a half million two-door vehicles in 1957 (Ford, 417,807, and Chevrolet, 510,316). With numbers such as these, we would like to think there is still an ample supply of these old cars as building material for hot rods and mild customs. Remember hardtops, sedans, club sedans or business coupes; all the two-door models of 1957 make great hot rods.

Legacy and Family Tribute

It took Wade’s Rod & Custom only about six months to complete this ’57 Ford. Unfortunately, just before the car was completed, Williams lost his battle with cancer. Williams left instructions never to sell the car, but to keep it in the family, and that’s just what has happened to the car. Dianne Williams uses the car on occasional weekends, along with her daughter, and even Wade of Wade’s Rod & Custom will take the car to a local cruise night. It’s a timeless mild custom that will forever be in style because of its simple and clean approach.