Polynesian (custom car)

The Polynesian in 2023

Polynesian is a customized 1950 Oldsmobile Holiday 88 built by Neil Emory and Clayton Jensen at Valley Custom Shop. It was built at the request of original owner Jack Stewart in 1952.[1] Inspired by Ron Dunn's sectioned '50 Ford, the car and its design were featured and described in multiple magazines over the 1950s.

## Construction

[edit]

Unlike most owners at the time, Stewart wanted the car built all at once.[2]

The car was inspired by Ron Dunn's sectioned '50 Ford, also built by Valley Custom, essentially to Stewart's original design;[3] only his desire to have the top chop was changed, under persuasion from Emory.[4]

The car was built over a period of nine months. It was sectioned 4 in (10 cm), wheelwells re-radiused, and the rear fenders bulges fitted with brake vents.[5] It was nosed and decked, and the doors converted to electrically-operated solenoids.[6] 1947 Studebaker taillights were tunnelled into the rear fenders.[7] The exhaust pipes exited through a modified rear bumper.[8]

The engine was a 303 cu in (4,970 cc) Olds from an Oldsmobile 88, with 1952 heads and 4-barrel (4-choke) Rochester carburetor.[9]

The interior was done by Wayne Tipton of Burbank at a cost of US$450,[10] It was finished in lemon yellow and eggshell white tuck-and-rolled Naugahyde.[11]

The car was finished in a shade of purple dubbed Orchid Flame, which lent the car its name.[12] The total cost was US$1800.[13]

Shortly after taking delivery, Stewart showed Polynesian at the Detroit Auto Show.[14]

Polynesian was featured in the August 1953 issues of Hot Rod[15] and Rod and Custom in September,[citation needed] and also saw 54 pages of construction details in Motor Trend Custom Car Annual in 1954.[16]

## History

[edit]

Stewart bought the car in 1950. After customizing was complete, he used it as a daily driver for several years before selling it to John Zagray.[17] Zagray made some modifications of his own.[18] Some time later, the car disappeared.

It resurfaced in 1971, when the owner of the Red Lacquer Room body and restoration shop, Gene Blackford, found the car in a barn near Robertsville, Ohio, where sixth owner Warren Wise had stored it.[19] Blackford, who had first seen the car in its original custom form at age 12, paid Wise $1000 for what was left and put it in storage for thirty-three more years.[20] In 2004, he and six friends began a complete restoration to the Valley Custom standard, a process which took nine months.[21]

The newly-restored Polynesian won the Preservation Award at the 2006 Detroit Autorama.[22]

Blackford gave the engine a rebuild in 2006, and rebuilt the transmission in 2007.[23]

Polynesian went on display at the Peterson Car Museum from 2006 to 2010.[24]

Polynesian is currently owned by Ohio car collector Myron Vernis.[25]

## Copies

[edit]

The car inspired John Ballard's 1950 Oldsmobile, Polynesian II.

## Magazine appearances

[edit]

* Hot Rod, September 1953
* Rod & Custom, September 1953
* Trend Book 109 Custom Cars 1954 Annual
* Car Craft, March 1954
* Auto Craftsman, December 1956
* Custom Rodder, June 1958
* Custom Cars, December 1958
* Custom Rodder, February 1959

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
2. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
3. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
4. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
5. ^ [1][dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
6. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
7. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
8. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
9. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
10. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
11. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]; Ohio.com (retrieved 28 July 2018)
12. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
13. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
14. ^ Hot Rod, September 1953.[page needed]
15. ^ Rod & Custom, 8/89, p.68.
16. ^ Rod & Custom, 8/89, p.68.
17. ^ Custom Cars, December 1958.[page needed]
18. ^ Custom Cars, December 1958.[page needed]
19. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
20. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
21. ^ Custom Rodder online[permanent dead link] (retrieved 28 July 2018)
22. ^ Ohio.com (retrieved 28 July 2018)
23. ^ Ohio.com (retrieved 28 July 2018)
24. ^ Ohio.com (retrieved 28 July 2018)
25. ^ "Jack Stewart's 1950 Oldsmobile - Kustomrama". kustomrama.com. Retrieved 2024-02-11.

* v
* t
* e

Kustom Kulture

Key figures|

* Kenneth Anger
* Joe Bailon
* George Barris
* Pete Chapouris
* Coop
* Bill Cushenbery
* Dick Dean
* Rick Dobbertin
* Ken Fenical (Posie)
* Chip Foose
* Sam Foose
* Blackie Gejeian
* Norm Grabowski
* Kenny Howard (Von Dutch)
* Bo Huff
* Jim "Jake" Jacobs
* Dean Jeffries
* Dick Megugorac (Magoo)
* Dean Moon
* Ed Roth
* Larry Watson
* Robert Williams (artist)
* Indian Larry

Vehicles|

* Bobber (motorcycle)
* Café racer
* Cal Look
* Chopper (motorcycle)
* Custom car
* Cutdown
* Hot rod
* JDM
* Lead sled
* Lowrider
* Rat rod
* Rat bike
* Show car
* T-bucket
* Tuner
* Volksrod
* Woodie

Culture|

* DIY ethic
* Futurism
* Greaser (subculture)
* Lowbrow art
* Midnight movies
* Pin-up girls
* Pop art
* Punk subculture
* Psychobilly
* Raggare
* Rockabilly
* Surf culture
* Surrealism

Media|

* American Graffiti
* CK Deluxe
* The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby
* Ol' Skool Rodz
* Rat Fink
* Two-Lane Blacktop

Transport portal
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template