Bobby Bosco
Staten Island, New York
1951 Mercury Full custom
Bobby Bosco has been building hot rods and customs for over 50 years, starting with a '32 three-window he bought for $25 in 1960.
Within a year the coupe was chopped and channeled, and ran a triple 97 and aluminum head-equipped Flathead backed by a LaSalle trans. Check out the picture of it with the flat firewall where Bobby has just installed the motor. This was followed by a '40 coupe, which Bobby chopped, channeled, and sectioned. A chopped 'n' dropped '50 Ford convertible followed that, fitted with a small-block Chevy. That went down the road and was replaced with a '58 Impala convertible, which received a top chop, pancaked and louvered hood, a '54 Chevy grille in a molded front end, and '50 Buick rear bumpers molded to the body. The '60 Pontiac taillights went in the rear before Bobby painted the Chevy Pearl Green with Candy Green scallops. This car made the cover of Custom Rodder in 1963.
Bobby's prolific car building career continued with more than 20 custom show cars before he tackled the '51 Merc shown here, which went on to win Lead East and 25 other Best of Show awards. Riding on a '76 Chevelle frame, the Merc was channeled, then chopped 6 inches in front and 7 1/2 inches in the rear. All corners were rounded before Bobby added his trademark touch: raised sculpture work on the trunk, roof, and front fenders. The story doesn't stop there though, as he's built another eight cars that have placed in the Top 10 at Lead East and is still building at 70 years old. As he says, "It's true love!"
Fredrik Aldenhov
Sweden
1934 Ford Tudor/1933 coupe
Fred is a Swedish subscriber to R&C, and the proud owner of a '34 Tudor and '33 coupe. He's the fourth owner of the sedan, which apart from a repaint in cream very early on, a few "necessary' accessories, and those chubby wide whites on 16-inch wires, is stock. It's lived in the same region since new, runs like a dream, and has taken Fred and his family to rod runs for several years, towing a teardrop trailer he made himself, with an aluminum skin over wood based on a old trailer chassis. How many of us wouldn't want the sedan with its great patina?
Fred swapped a nearly new Mustang GT for the '33 coupe as a semi-finished project with no engine. His intention was to create a rod that would be nice to drive, but with rough edges, hence the small dents and imperfections were left before the semigloss black paint was applied, followed by red pinstriping. A small-block Chevy and Tremec T56 six-speed were dropped into the chassis, complete with independent front suspension and a 9-inch on a four-link. With a 3-inch exhaust system ensuring the package sounds good, Fred assures us the handling is great and he has somewhat of a "road racer in disguise".
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