The Marquis

The Marquis – a sectioned 1956 Ford with '59 Buick rear fenders – was a kind of companion piece to Gene Winfield's Jade Idol (a sectioned '56 Mercury with Chrysler rear quarter panels)

Deeply sectioned and heavily resculptured, the Marquis stunned the custom car world in 1962 when it debuted. Rushed to completion, Cushenbery only had time round out the rear wheel well rather than another design that would have required more time to complete (check out the 1962 Rod & Custom and Hot Rod magazines to see the impromptu liner that Cushenbery installed in side the rear wheel well sheetmetal). The slight off center hood design was the only departure from the symmetrical styling of the rest of the car.

Owner/restorer Bud Millard has generously sent a lot of information on the Marquis to the headquarters of the Custom Clinic. The Clinic expresses its appreciation to Bud for providing these photos! Please check out these 1962-era photos of when the car was originally built by the visionary Bill Cushenbery:

As with most other Sixties customs, the Marquis fell into disrepair. It was briefly owned by noted customizer Gary Minor who saved it from oblivion, and eventually was purchased and restored by Bud Millard. We are pleased to feature some photos taken by Paul Kelly, one of Australia's leading custom car designers and builders. Paul visited the United States recently and took some pictures of Cushenbery's Marquis as it was being restored.

Bud did the right thing by reshaping the rear wheel well in the way that Cushenbery had originally intended.

Paul Kelly photo.

Paul Kelly photo.

Paul Kelly photo.

Paul Kelly photo.

The car is now magnificently restored and is seen here in photos taken by Mike Good. As time permits, the staff here at Custom Clinic headquarters will excerpt the text from some of the vintage magazines in which the Marquis was featured. 

The Marquis neatly epitomizes the best of early Sixties customs. Thanks, Bill Cushenbery!