Tag Archives: Mimbolove1950s
1956 GMC truck in NW Austin, Texas, modified with Napco’s 4×4 Power-Pak system, installed to new trucks by the dealer in about three hours. It wasn’t until 1960 that Chevrolet/GMC offered their own 4×4 system.
I think this is the same truck at auction with a good history.
Steve Wertheimer is a central figure in Austin’s blues venues and custom car scene. Long-time owner of the venerable Continental Club and C-Boy’s Heart & Soul club, both on historic S. Congress Ave. Steve is also behind one of the country’s best custom car shows, the Lonestar Round Up. His gorgeous Caddy is a mild custom: nosed and decked (emblems removed from the hood and trunk), shaved (door handles removed), lowered, and perhaps a lot more. I photographed it at a Lonestar Round Up show. Look for this car in an earlier post to see it before customization.
Controversially, the 1957 Cadillac introduced a tubular X-frame without side rails to get a lower body and increased torsional strength. Some thought it was unsafe and that “perimeter” frames were safer.