The Custom Body Era

The finest automobiles the world has ever seen were produced during the 1920s and early 1930s. For one thing, the choice of truly fine cars was much greater than at any time since. There were a dozen fine chassis being built in America, and those who wished could select from at least another dozen from abroad. The best of these were fitted with coachwork form a number of fine body builders here or in Europe. Competition led not only to improvement in design but to the development of quality to the highest standards.

There were a number of small to medium sized manufacturers of both chassis and bodies, staffed by master craftsmen, who were dedicated to the ideal of building the best rather than simply the most. Most custom car building businesses have long since been out of business, and their records have been lost or destroyed.