It’s been a few years since weathered hot rods with patina have been in the hobby’s consciousness (not to mention the word “patina”), but there’s no sight that the trend is ending anytime soon. One of the most famous builders of this type is Jonathan Ward and his ICON Derelicts.
Ward once faced a conundrum that many hobbyists face: driving an old car is difficult. Things always go wrong, and if they don’t, they eventually will. To solve this issue, he built a well-used 1952 Chrysler station wagon, then replaced the chassis with one from Art Morrison, adding a modern suspension, disc brakes, and a modern 6.1L Dodge Hemi. To give it a bit more 1950s glitz, a DeSoto front end was used. Instead of putting layers and layers of paint and making it glisten like a shiny apple, Ward preserved the aged exterior. Inside, the classic layout and condition were retained, only succumbing to modernity in ways hidden from the naked eye.
And then something funny happened: Ward found himself with a new business venture. No, he already had a successful business making off-road parts for Toyota Land Cruisers as ICON, but the Derelict hot rod he built started a new direction, along with rebuilding Land Cruisers and Broncos in a similar manner: old but with new components.
This 1948 Buick is a great example of an ICON Derelict. It’s full of style, wrinkles, and horsepower − over 600 in this case.
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