Joe Wilhelm

Joe Wilhelm was once of the greatest custom car builders. Though he has now passed on, his work continues to garner well-earned respect. The Custom Clinic is pleased to present these photos of the Mark One Mist which was one of Joe's earliest efforts. We have learned that the car has been acquired and will be fully restored. More on the restoration in the future. For now, check out these photos: please note that the silvery version was the first one, with the pearl white one to follow.

Magazine Article here...

Too little appreciated for his superb craftsmanship, Joe built a number of notable cars principal among which was the Mark I Mist (a sectioned '36 Ford coupe featured above) and the legendary Wild Dream pictured below. 

The frame and body were entirely scratch built, as were many of the interior details and the wild interior. In 1968, after being mildly restyled by Fernandez and repainted a bold metalflake gold, the Wild Dream was awarded the Oakland Show's America's Most Beautiful Roadster. 

The photo featured here appeared on a large-scale postcard. Mark S. Gustavson Photo Archives.

This kit has an interesting history. Originally, MPC issued a solo kit featuring only the Wild Dream. Later, mysteriously, AMT got access to the tooling and issued this combined kit. Both kit versions are highly prized.  

MPC made an excellent kit of Wilhelm's car. Go here for a review of the kit:

http://www.bonediggers.com/11/boxart/boxart.html

Bibliography

Here are the references we at the Custom Clinic have found to these great cars. If you know of other references, please let us know via email.

Wild Dream
Car Craft	December	1963	p. 32
Popular Customs	Winter	1963	p. 70
Popular Hot Rodding	December	1963	p.50
Rod & Custom	January	1964	p. 24, cover
Customs Illustrated	March	1964	p. 37
Car Craft	May	1964	p. 27
Hot Rod Yearbook	#4	1964	pgs. 152-153
Customs Pictorial		1965	p. 62
Popular Hot Rodding	May	1965	p. 79
Popular Hot Rodding	May	1968	p. 24
Hot Rods & Customs of the Sixties (book)	1997	p. 59

Mark I Mist
First Version
Car Craft	October	1960	pgs. 14-17
Car Craft	February	1961	p. 20
Popular Customs	Summer	1965	p. 9-10
Second Version
Rod & Custom	June	1965	pgs. 32-35
Custom Cars of the Fifties	(book)	1993	pg. 101
Custom Rodder	September	1996	p. 53 (revised hood)
Hot Rods & Customs of the Sixties	(book)	1997	p. 25