HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 217 This month, I want to talk about something that came up on social media in April. We posted a photo of Teddy Zgrzemski and Bill Hines, and wrote about how Bill took Teddy under his wing when he was 12 years old. Bought him lunch and breakfast as payment. Taught him the trade. That post reached almost 47,000 people on Facebook. Over a thousand reactions. But what caught my attention was...
about 2 months ago • 17 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 216 For over 200 issues, the Monthly Kustomrama Newsletter has been the place where new Kustomrama stories first appeared. You read them here before they went anywhere else. I liked that. It felt right. The people who cared the most got the stories first. This year, we changed our approach on Facebook and Instagram. Instead of using the feed to push out links and spread material, we started...
3 months ago • 17 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 215 This month’s newsletter is dedicated to one of the most hardcore hot rodders to ever walk and race the face of this earth. On February 4th, we were saddened to learn that Ed “Isky” Iskenderian passed away at the age of 104. One hundred and four years. Think about that. Ed didn’t just witness hot rodding from its earliest days; he helped build it. From racing on the Southern California...
4 months ago • 16 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 214 January is already in our rearview mirror, and we've cruised into February while watching fresh photos and videos roll in from the 76th Annual Grand National Roadster Show. What a way to kick off the year! Another amazing show we wish we could’ve attended...maybe 2027 will be our year to go back. Over the past months, our Swedish friends have been a big source of inspiration. Thanks to...
5 months ago • 13 min read
Happy New YearReader Get ready to start the new year with the January Edition of the Kustomrama Newsletter KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 213 Happy New Year, fellow Kustom enthusiasts! We’re rolling into 2026 with full tanks and big smiles. 2025 was a year of growth and transformation here at Kustomrama, and it’s all thanks to you. Your ongoing support and encouragement, whether it came through kind messages, donations, or simply sharing our stories, helped keep the wheels turning. Because of you,...
6 months ago • 11 min read
DearKustomramaFriends and Family We would like to wish you all a MERRY KRISTMAS As 2025 comes to a close, we just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for another incredible year of keeping hot rod and custom history alive with us. Whether you’ve sent in a photo, shared a story, helped us chase a lead, or simply enjoyed reading the newsletter, you’re a part of this movement, and we’re grateful. To mark the season, we’ve teamed up with legendary artist Von Franco to bring you this year’s...
6 months ago • 2 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 212 A New Way to Keep History Alive! For nearly ten years, we’ve been collecting stories. Interviews. Photos. Home movies. Audio recordings. Long phone calls. Some planned, some spontaneous. Builders, painters, club members, people who were there when hot rodding and customizing took root, evolved, and became a kulture. We weren’t always sure how we’d use it all. At first, the plan was...
7 months ago • 16 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 211 Last weekend, I was thrilled to see Ulf and Mari Kusendal’s 1950 Mercury win Scandinavia’s Finest Car at the Oslo Motor Show. Their beautifully detailed “Hysteria” took on a challenging field and won big. And not just that title. It also snagged Best Paint, Best Interior, and Best Amcar in Show. Not bad for a traditionally styled custom that’s been on the road for decades and just came...
8 months ago • 15 min read
HeyReader Below are thelatest news and updatesfrom your friends at Kustomrama KUSTOMRAMA NEWSLETTER NO. 210 From $25,000 to $1.26 Million. The Golden Sahara Rides Again! Back in May of 1955, Motor Trend magazine turned heads with its cover story on the Golden Sahara. Built by Barris Kustoms for Jim “Street” Skonzakes, the radical dream car was introduced as a $25,000 custom. A staggering number at the time, and a bold statement in the world of post-war custom car building. Fast-forward 70...
9 months ago • 12 min read