Gene Winfield

Gene Winfield is one of the hobby's most prolific builders whose good taste and risk-taking work is widely respected. We'll eventually feature many of his cars, but let's start with his epochal Jade Idol. 

The Jade Idol was an icon of restrained styling in an era of largely hyperventilated customs. Crafted by the renowned Gene Winfield, the car was built from a 1956 Mercury that was sectioned, treated to '57 Chrysler rear quarter panels, a hand-formed front end, a beautifully-rendered fogged multi-hue green paint job and other great details. 

The great car, in addition to its companion piece, the Marquis (built by Bill Cushenbery), will be the subject of a forthcoming book from Championship Publishing, LLC. For now, however, please enjoy this brief photo essay derived from the photo libraries of Jerry Rehn (the restorer) and Mark S. Gustavson. 

The dramatic sweep of the rear fenders mated nicely with the modestly flared rear wheel wells. Note the green, fogged multi-hue paint job (which included some gold fogging!), the chrome trim around the rear wheel wells, the gauge-less dashboard festooned with a television and the twin roof appliques.

The front end is also a great improvement over the original car. Note the fluted headlight surrounds created by using auto transmission gears, the defined flare to the hood, the tucked front fenders, and the horizontal grille bars that match the rear grille.  

During one of its cross-country trips, while in Cushenbery's car, the car flipped and landed on its roof. The left rear quarter panel was also damaged. Note the seriously collapsed roof. Cushenbery stripped the car, welded on a new roof, fixed other body damage and repainted the car.

When reborn, the car was even better because Cushenbery toned down the paint job (which might have been too frantic the first time) and because the inexplicable roof appliques were deleted. Note the headlight detailing and the three-prong "spinners" applied over the headlights.

It's a tribute to Cushenbery's inherent good taste to see how much a large car can appear so lithe. Of particular note is how the sharp edge at the leading edge of the hood resolves itself into the crease between the stacked headlights. Cushenbery wisely avoided the crusty customizing trick of pancaking the hood.

After its show life, it fell into disrepair as it changed hands many times. Ultimately, custom car enthusiast Jerry Rehn found the car parked at an apartment in awful condition. Unlike previously reported, it was not found disassembled behind a body shop in Salinas, California. Jerry purchased the car and took it apart to repair the years of neglect and damage. In this view, it sits on a dolly behind the famed painting shop of Rod Powell.

With the frame and drive line fully restored (the corporate Y block was retained and fitted with a T-Bird twin carb set up) and plated, the body was set back on the frame for a test fitting. Here, restorer Jerry Rehn towers over the 4" sectioned car. Model builders will be interested in all of the factory firewall and adjacent shapes on the car.

After a lot of effort, and Rod Powell's magic paint gun, the car was finished and placed on the local ISCA show circuit. Note the gracefully slim body and stock roof (a good combination). The original Cushenbery paint scheme was followed, though the colors were more subdued and the gold fogging was gone. The wheels were also different (wire wheels replacing the previous reversed rims), and the puzzling roof applique was thankfully absent. In an era of overdone customs, this was a beautifully restrained effort.

In a show setting, the car is stunning. Jerry sold the car in the early Eighties to Bob Page who modified the car, improving the brakes and making a few other changes. About that time, the car was repainted (a very light pearl mint green color with subtle shading) and sold to Billy Belmont of Belmont Rod and Custom. Billy has driven the car extensively to East Coast events.