Jade Idol II

[lalessi1]

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/hot-rods-in-motown-highlights-from-the-72nd-detroit-autorama/?uemlid=160b37dc5ac8ad24ed1def1b814c5c91dd3687ab91afc3c3e122e97ba7929482&utm_content=other&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EDaily%20Recurring%202025-03-04&utm_term=eDaily%20Newsletter

Check this out, it is a '57 by Gene Winnfield!!

You gotta scroll down and find the thumbnails... it is a light green custom car pretty deep in the pictures.

[mustang6984]

Only light green I saw was in the pic with the bike in the forefront. But that isn't a '57 Ford. Did I miss it then?

[rmk57]

  It's one of the thumbnails, parked beside a mustardy coloured later 50's Dodge or Plymouth? Not to keen on it, but I'm not a big fan of customs anyways.

[mustang6984]

Oh...okay...doesn't look like a '57.
Yea...me either...eh...

[djfordmanjack]

this is Genes JI #II.


in case you didn't hear before, but our dear friend Gene passed away yesterday, 97 yo. It is really sad, but it makes me so happy to have met him and knowing firsthand what an incredible person and car guy he was !

[djfordmanjack]

When I met Gene I asked him about 57 Fords. ( I picked him up from the Hotel in my 57 Country Sedan). He loved cruising in my 57. He said that 57s don't lend themselves to customizing much, because they came from the factory pretty much perfect. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID ! HIS OWN WORDS. His spouse had a 57 Ranchero. The reason for customizing a 57 Ford into Jade Idol II was, that 56 Mercurys (like the original Jade Idol) were much more difficult to find at the time.

[djfordmanjack]

Gene sure liked 57 Fords ! 

[abe_lugo]

Cool story and you got to give him a ride also!!

[KYBlueOval]

My son and I met Gene and spoke with him for awhile at the L.A. Roadster Show, in 2008. Very nice guy. R.I.P. Gene.

[59meteor]

For several years, Gene Winfield was a feature star at the local car show in British Columbia, and most years, he, with the help of a team of volunteers, and sponsored by a local tool supply/old car parts store sponsor, would perform a top chop on an old car, performed over the 3 days of the show. I never stayed around until the end of those shows on the Sunday evening, so no idea if the chops were totally completed, or what ever became of those cars, but there was always a crowd interested show goers, watching the master at work. For several years, George Barris was also a guest star at those shows. As far as the "old school" Kustoms, personally, I always though many of the modifications were done more for the act of change, than actually making the car look better. I have seen some pretty awesome Kustoms, mainly the "Lead Sled" style 49-51 Mercurys, but as far as I am concerned, most of these old cars were so nice looking as they left the factory, that they usually looked better unaltered. Especially the 55-57 Fords, they looked about perfect, right out of the factory.