Custom Car – September 2019

M

entionthewordsSmoke
CityWheelerstoanyone
inBritishhotrodding
andthey’lleitherrecoil
inhorrororsmile,recallingtheclub’s
infamouschoppedRoutemasterbus,quite
reasonablyconsideredthegreatestsingle
actofcustomisingeverundertaken.
AndthatverysamebunchofMerry
Prankstersareindirectly,anddirectly,
responsibleforthis 1937 Plymouthpick-up
youseehere.
Yousee,whenLukeBriggswasabout
111555 ooorrr 111666 hhheeewwweeennnttttttooottthhheeeSSSuuupppeeerrrnnnaaatttssswwwiiittthhh
afriendandsawAlMarsh’sDodgetruck

• youknow,thetwo-tonegreen,Pro
  Streetpick-up–anddecidedthat’swhat
  hewanteeed.Whatheendedupwithwasa
  FordPoppp.Close,butnocigar.

ButthatPoptookhimtothenearby

EnfieldPPPageantwhenhewas 19 and

that’swhhherehemettheWheelers.It

wasalldddownhillfromthere.Oruphill,

dddeeepppeeennndddiiinnnngggooonnnyyyooouuurrrvvviiieeewwwpppoooiiinnnttt.

“Ihadafewwrong’unsalongthe

way,thatneverhittheroad,”recalls

Luke,“andIbuilta 100 Efffortheother

’arf.”That’sTeresaJames,,,currentNSRA

secretarybytheway.ButAl’sDodge

continuedtohaunthim.“““Itwasoneof

thosedrunkennightsatAAAvonPark.Isaid

toGary[Layton]thatI’dooonlyhaveoneif

hewouldtubit.I’vealwayslikedatubbed

cccaaarrraaannndddGGGaaarrryyy’sssttthhheeemmmaaasssttteeerrr.Iwouldn’ttrust

anyoneelsetodoit.”

Theethosallalongwastobuild

anicedrivingtruck

■Words:MikePyePics:MattRichardson

Attheageof15,LukeBriggsset

hisheartona1930’sDodgepick-up.He’sa

bitolderthan thatnow,andit’snotaDodge,

butboyisheeverhappy

44 CUSTOMCARAUGUST 2019