This is how we (used to) roll...

[mechmike0034]

I had the Hot Wheels version (http://hotwheels.wikia.com/wiki/Deora) as a kid - and would love to be able to own the real thing (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/05/unique-1965-dodge-deora-concept-going-up-for-auction/)...

Reno knows of the builders - Detroit's famous Alexander Bros (http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Alexander_Brothers).

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/rw09_r184_lead.jpg

[renovation]

i know the area were there shop had to be.
In 1957 Mike and Larry opened up the Alexander Brothers Custom Shop on Northwestern Highway near Evergreen Road in Detroit. that was 3 miles north of were i grow up. i lived at 7 mile rd and evergreen. but i never know these guys or heard of them till you made this post .but i also was born in 1956 a year before they open there shop. so they may of moved or closed it by the time i came of age. i will say i did see a lot of very custom cars as a teen driving around my area .but never know of a local shop making them. except for a couple custom paint shop .that did fancy painting that were local . one specialized in gold leaf painting on cars or bike helmets using 24K gold leaf.
now a friend /neighbor rented a building with some friends that had a bunch of custom cars (street and race )stored in it.
i remember seeing a couple of funny car drag racers in it. the color me gone dodge see picture -http://image.moparmusclemagazine.com/f/9439100+w750+st0/mopp_0808_museum_02_z+walter_p_chrysler_museum+color_me_gone_drag_car.jpg is just one that was in there . but i was around the age of 14 it was good times for me just seeing and being around these cars. i seen cars i wish i had pictures of like corvettes that looked like a station wagon. also a firebird gm concept that was a station wagon that was so sweet. but gm can the idea of a trans-am fire bird station wagon. hell they canned a firebird station wagon that they made as a concept car. but anyway i also was around a lot of formula ford race cars back then .i was a gofer on a neighbor race team. and had my first ride in a race car on a road rally track (waterford hills ) learned quick it was not for me .i about lost my cookies in a Porsche 924 spider that day. the turns got me good as i sat in the passenger seat with a five point harness on and helmet.

anyway thanks mechmike for making me remember my childhood :)

[mechmike0034]

Geez, I thought I was old...

When I was working in and around Warren and Sterling Heights years ago I used to like to go to the cruise-in at Pampas (http://www.pampalanes.net/history.htm). Met some good folks there, including Dan Mancini of the original Ramchargers (http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:1qRA0F6d5hMJ:www.sae.org/servlets/bookstore/downloadMyItem.do%3Fmethod%3DdownloadMyItem%26prodCd%3DR-384%26pubType%3Dapub%26fm%3D1%26bm%3D0+dan+mancini+ramchargers&hl=en&gl=us) and Top Hat John (http://www.tophatjohn.com/).

Speedboat rides on Lake St. Clair and swimming and drinking beer in the cove behind Edsel Ford's house (http://www.fordhouse.org/) was pretty cool, too.

I enjoyed the times I've spent in metro DTW over the years - if it just didn't get so damned cold...

[johnnymk]

The Alexander Brothers created some of the best designed modified cars of that era. Others were Gene Winfield and Darryl Starbird. Every year during the late fifties and the sixties, magazines such as Rod and Custom would show the world these fabulous customs.

Although George Barris was probably the most successful because he created many Hollywood cars, the Alexander Brothers created the most beautiful ones. Like Chip Foose, they just had an eye for what looks right.