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VOODOO SPIDER BRINGS CUSTOMIZING TO EVERY AGE GROUP

Elden Titus'latest creation is a creature that's been on the drawing board for over 40 years!

In 1962 Jerry Titus, Elden's older brother and founder/president of the Kustom Kemps of America (KKOA), was 22 years old, and had just finished building a radically customized 1961 Ford Thunderbird model car. Yes, a 1/25th scale little-Bird. Little did he know that the Voodoo Spider or The Model, as it was referred to until recently, would be in the Titus family for many years to come. Elden had just turned 14, and like his older brother was crazy over custom cars. Since he couldn't drive yet, on weekends his parents would take him to stay with big brother, who was married. Together they would work on Jerry's custom '59 Olds, or on model cars. But Elden's favorite was The Model, and he vowed someday he would build it to reality, so everyone could share his lifelong dream.

The years cruised by. After building many customs cars they were fortunate enough to receive worldwide publicity. The Titus brothers and their custom creations were featured in national publications, such as Custom Rodder, Hot Rod, Street Rodder, Classic Trucks, Rod & Custom, and many more. They have also been see on TV, and have been inducted into two Hall of Fames. The Titus brothers now felt it was time to build The Model.

The Voodoo Spider is exactly like The Model. Throughout the building process, The Model has its place, under glass, on a shelf in the workshop. As a body panel is designed, it is measured on The Model and then transferred to the real car, Elden, the bodyman, comes from the old school of customizing. He likes being tagged a "backyardkustomizer:' even though he creates his customs in a nice two-bay garage. The bodyman builds his cars to be driven, but most of all he builds them to drive people! While under construction he invites people to see the rough edges it takes to build a custom. "I don't believe in a smoke and mirrors project, I want people to look and learn, like I did." Elden explained.

An out-flowing of help from fellow hot rodders are coming forward to build the Voodoo Spider toward its completion date by late 2003. As the enclosed photos taken in January 2002 exhibit it's well on its way.

The car is so innovative, and unique, Elden was asked by Darryl Starbird if he would display the car, at the point of construction, in his 45^th Annual Rod & Custom Car Show, in Wichita. Elden , graciously accepted the invitation. During the show they received a tremendous response from the thousands of spectators who stopped and stared in disbelief.

Amazingly a wide range of age groups openly expressed their feelings about the car. "II looks so free spirited!" commented a teenage girl. "What a beautiful design in metal! It almost looks like a sculpture," remarked a woman. "It's a bad boy. I would like to drive it through the night," expressed a teenage boy. "I'm glad I got to see it like this, before it becomes a legend," commented another to Elden. That made the show worth the effort. Finally, "I would like to sit in it, and see how it feels," stated a senior rodder. To which Elden responded by allowing him to do just that.

Is it a custom, or a rod? Elden says it's both! Its a "CustomRod." In reality, it's a hand built, metal body, rapped around hard rod, sitting on a Jaguar platform, with a totally hand built and designed cockpit, powered by a 327 Chevy engine. So, even though The Model is a '61 Thunderbird and the Voodoo Spider is a creature like no other, the same blood that created one built the other. Both, many feel, are destined to go down in the annals of hot rodding history.