WELCOME !
ABOUT JONNIE KING
FIRST TIME VISITORS: IMPORTANT INFO !
COUNTRIES LOGGED-ONTO THE HOF LEGENDS SERIES !
HOFL SERIES SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY CD'S OFFER !
LEGENDS CD CATALOG
HOT OFF THE PRESS: THE LEGENDS IN PRINT !
THE LEGENDS VIDEO GALLERY
VISIT SOME OF OUR FRIENDS
CONTACT US
NEW YEARS EVE WITH WOLFMAN JACK !
DARRYL STARBIRD: THE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM !
DARRYL STARBIRD: A FAMILY AFFAIR & THE BUBBLE TOP BOOK !
DARRYL STARBIRD ON: HIS GIFT, OKLAHOMA, AND, THE LEGENDS !
DARRYL STARBIRD: DRIVING THE PREDICTA !
DARRYL STARBIRD: PRODUCING CAR SHOWS !
DARRYL STARBIRD/JEFF MYERS:
GEORGE BARRIS: THE BUGARIN MERC !
GEORGE  BARRIS:
GEORGE BARRIS: THE DECEMBER, 1957 SHOP FIRE
GEORGE BARRIS: THE ALA KART STORY !
GEORGE BARRIS: THE SAM BARRIS MERC !
GEORGE BARRIS: THE
GEORGE BARRIS: THE STORY OF
GEORGE BARRIS/JOHN D'AGOSTINO: OLD SCHOOL/NEW SCHOOL !
GEORGE BARRIS & JOHN D'AGOSTINO IN SWEDEN !
GEORGE BARRIS:LARRY ERNST BELAIR/SHOP FIRE !
GENE WINFIELD: LIFE IN THE FASTLANE !
GENE WINFIELD: AMT, SEMA 2011,AND, THE WINFIELD WILD ROD
GENE WINFIELD'S FAVORITE CARS !
GENE WINFIELD: FADEAWAY PAINT JOBS
GENE WINFIELD: ORIGINS/FIRST SHOP !
SPENCE MURRAY: BEGINNINGS OF A CAREER !
BLACKIE GEJEIAN: EARLY HISTORY, NASCAR, AND, THE GNRS !
BLACKIE GEJEIAN: THE
DICK
DICK
DICK MAGOO: HIS PERSONAL RIDES & THE  CHOPPED '49 MERC !
DICK
POSIE:  NEW DESIGNS & SCOTT KILLEEN PHOTOGRAPHY !
POSIE ON RODS, CUSTOMS & SAWING  A CAR IN HALF !
POSIES: TEAMWORK, TECHNOLOGY, & EARLY INFLUENCES !
POSIES
POSIES DRIVEN DIRTY TOUR: HOW IT BEGAN !
POSIES: EARLY CARS & SUPER SLIDE SPRINGS
NORM GRABOWSKI: BEGINNINGS
HEAR POSIES STORY !
NORM GRABOWSKI: THE
NORM GRABOWSKI: THE ORIGIN OF THE KOOKIE CAR !
NORM GRABOWSKI:
FRANK LIVINGSTON:
FRANK LIVINGSTON'S
JOHN D'AGOSTINO & GEORGE BARRIS: THE 1940 CADILLAC !
JOHN D'AGOSTINO BUILDS:
JOHN D'AGOSTINO: GETTING CARS FROM THE USA TO EUROPE !
JOHN D'AGOSTINO: HIS '40 CADILLAC & THE
JOHN D'AGOSTINO & GEORGE BARRIS: DESIGNING KUSTOM CARS !
JOHN D'AGOSTINO CREATES
BO HUFF CREATES THE
BO HUFF TALKS ABOUT HIS HEALTH...
BO HUFF: ON UTAH, HIS MUSEUM, AND 60'S CARS !
BO HUFF: THE SAM BARRIS CLONE !
BO HUFF: NEW PROJECTS & GENO'S '49 MERC !
STEVE STANFORD: BEGINNINGS & THE EARLY YEARS
STEVE STANFORD: NEW IDEAS & WORKING WITH THE CLIENT !
STEVE STANFORD: CREATING A STYLE, HEROES, & THE HOF !
STEVE STANFORD: DOUBLE-PLAY !
STEVE STANFOR CREATES THE NEW AMC !
STEVE STANFORD: BILLY GIBBONS'
CHUCK MILLLER:
CHUCK MILLER'S CARS: THE FUTURE & THE PAST !
CHUCK MILLER CREATES THE HURST OLDS !
CHUCK MILLER: MODEL KITS & HOF INDUCTION !
STEVE FRISBIE MEETS
CHUCK MILLER: THE LINDA VAUGHAN STORY !
CHUCK MILLER: FAVORITES !
STEVE FRISBIE: RESTORATIONS & NEW CUSTOMERS !
STEVE FRISBIE: BUILDING THE
STEVE FRISBIE: FROM THE EARLY YEARS TO SUPER RODS !
JIMMIE VAUGHAN ON: HIS '63 RIVIERA & WINNING GRAMMIES !
JIMMIE VAUGHAN: ON NORWAY, GARY HOWARD &  HIS '51 CHEVY !
JIMMIE VAUGHAN: ON GARY HOWARD & HIS '61 CADDY !
GARY HOWARD: MIKE YOUNG'S IMPALA & CARS WITH SOUL !
GARY HOWARD: BUILDING THE HOT ROD CADDY !
GARY HOWARD: BUILDING JIMMIE VAUGHAN'S '54 VICKIE !
LEE PRATT: THE LONG, LONG LeSABRE !
LEE PRATT'S FABULOUS '41 BUICK !
M. K. JOHN: PUBLISHED ART & MOTORCYCLES !
M.K. JOHN: BEGINNINGS/MAG.FEATURES !
ELDEN TITUS: THE ROCKET CAR !
ELDEN TITUS:
MARK MORIARITY & THE CAR CRAFT
MARK MORIARITY: SAVING SAVELESKY'S '55 BEL AIR !
MARK MORIARITY: EARLY DAYS/ROTAR !
MARK MORIARITY: BUILDING BUBBLE TOPS !
JOHN KOUW: BUILDING DRIVERS/THE FUTURE IS NOW !
LOU CALASIBETTA: KKOA HALL OF FAME INDUCTION, 2010 !
LOU CALASIBETTA: THE A BROTHERS & THE GOLDEN INDIAN !
LOU CALASIBETTA: THE EARLY YEARS, AND THAT HISTORIC GARAGE !
LOU CALASIBETTA: THE
DENNIS McPHAIL: THE EARLY YEARS
DENNIS McPHAIL: DOING DESIGNS FOR ED
JEFF MYERS:  THE BEATNIKS CLUB & ITS MEMBERS !
JEFF MYERS: THE SUPER SEVILLE !
VOODOO LARRY:
VOODOO LARRY:
VOODOO LARRY: FROM THE BEGINNING...
DINO & THUNDERFLITE !
BRAD MASTERSON ON BILL HINES & SLINGIN' LEAD !
BRAD MASTERSON: CKD RIVIERA PROJECT CAR !
BRAD MASTERSON: HIS SHOP AT A  LEGENDARY ADDRESS !
BRAD MASTERSON: THE BARRIS-HINES CONNECTION
FRITZ SCHENCK: EARLY YEARS, EARLY CARS !
FRITZ SCHENCK'S COOL CARS !
JERRY TITUS: FAMILY VALUES & KUSTOMS !
JERRY WEESNER/JONNIE KING: CRUSIN' !
WEESNER  & THE MOVIE STAR !
JERRY WEESNER & NORM GRABOWSKI: CRUSIN' HOLLYWOOD, 1957 !
JERRY WEESNER'S PHOTO-OP TIPS !
ALAN MAYES:
ALAN MAYES & BO HUFF: THE
ALAN MAYES: PUBLISHING CKD/OSR
PAUL LeMAT: VIETNAM, BOXING, AND SWEDEN !
PAUL LeMat: NEW MOVIE-NEW BOOK !
PAUL LeMAT: HIS FAVORITE FILMS !
FROM
ROCK & ROLL RADIO HISTORY: THE DAY ELVIS DIED...
ROCK & ROLL RADIO HISTORY: THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED
THE RICK NELSON TRIBUTE PAGE
THE RICK NELSON INTERVIEW: Pt. 2
THE MANUEL ARTECHE TRIBUTE PAGE

THE JOHN BUTTERA TRIBUTE PAGE
BOYD CODDINGTON TRIBUTE PAGE
THE DON FERRARA TRIBUTE PAGE
THE DICK DEAN TRIBUTE PAGE
THE ELDEN TITUS TRIBUTE PAGE
THE LARRY WATSON TRIBUTE PAGE
THE BETTIE PAGE TRIBUTE
ORIGINS: THE KUSTOM KEMPS OF AMERICA
THE ORIGIN OF ROD & CUSTOM MAGAZINE
MURPHY'S
MURPHY'S
ORIGINS: BUILDING THE R & C DREAM TRUCK !
THE ROD & CUSTOM DREAM TRUCK SAGA, Pt.1 !
THE ROD & CUSTOM DREAM TRUCK SAGA, PT.2
SPECIAL:
SPECIAL:
SPECIAL: THE BATMOBILE !
SPECIAL:
SPECIAL: THE HIROHATA MERC !
SPECIAL: GENE AUTRY'S '57 SEVILLE !
THE LEGENDARY CKD
HEAR OUR EXCLUSIVE DEMO !
CORPORATE AIR TRAVEL
PHOTO/IMAGE INFO


                                     

World Famous Designer/Owner JOHN D'AGOSTINO tells Jonnie the complete history of how he acquired the Legendary "Singing Cowboy" GENE AUTRY'S '57 Caddy Seville !

You've undoubtedly seen this beautiful machine many times in Custom Rodder, Rod & Custom, and many, many other magazines, but in this exclusive Interview, John gives the documented story of this famous Seville's long history of ownership through the years.

Then, shortly after he purchased it, John had Master Craftsman "Hall of Famer" BILL HINES turn it into the chopped, molded, shaved, spectacularly-painted with crushed diamonds mixed into the Candy Apple Red lacquer paint, award-winning: "STARFIRE" !!

[In one of the most unusual places I've ever done an Interview:  John & I did the Interview in the back seat of a Chrysler 300, with the air-conditioning cranked up, during a 104 degree day in July at the Kustom Kemps Of America  26th Annual Lead Sled Spectacular in Salina, Kansas !  JK]

   

(Above left: John's '57 Seville "The Starfire"; Above right: the brand new, stock,  1957 Cadillac Eldorado Seville)

  

(Above left & Right:  An original brochure for the 1957 Cadillac showing the Eldorado Seville &  Biarritz)

NOTE:  Only 2,100 Seville Hardtops, and 1,800 Biarritz Convertibles were produced in 1957.  

                                                     

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PERSONAL NOTE:  In 1960 I had my first ride in a '57 Seville.  Greg Ferro was a good friend of mine and his Dad, unbeknownst to me, had purchased one. Greg called me up one Summer night  back in 1960 when he was home on leave from the Paratrooper's and asked me if I was up for some Crusin'  'cause he had a surprise to show me.  I had never seen the car till that night...didn't even know it existed and I was literally blown away by it !!

Those cars came LOADED with everything:  PS, PB, PW, Power Seats, Air,  Power Antenna, Automatic Headlight Dimming Control (Autronic Eye) etc., etc.  Best of all, for a Radio Guy like myself, the Wonderbar Foot-Button Operated Radio Station Selector:  Just tap your foot on the button and you can change from Elvis, to the Drifters, to Bobby Vee, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent , Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, or anyone you want.  How cool was that when these cars were produced in '57 !  (Although GM made it an option on many Cads & Buicks in those days, it was Standard on the Seville.)

And, yes, we DID Cruise that nite... covering all of the local St. Louis "Crusin'  Spots":  Chuck-A-Burger, Steak n' Shake, we hit 'em all !   And in that beautiful Metallic Blue Seville with a White-Grained Top , necks snapped all over the place when we pulled in, as well as at every Stop Sign we were at. 

Since that night, I have always wanted a '57 Seville.  It's always been on my list of  "one day" cars, as in:  One day I really have to get one of those !  JK

                                   

(Above: This is it !  A '57 Seville exactly like the one that I rode in on that fateful night back in 1960 !  I really do have to get me one of these !! )

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     For a look at some of John's other fantastic cars, check-out his WebSite: www.johndagostinokustomkars.com  

    The Legenday Gene Autry was born in Texas in 1907,  raised in Texas and Oklahoma, and started on the Radio at KVOO in Tulsa.  Gene was 91 when he passed away October 2, 1998. To find out more about Gene and his remarkable career, visit his WebSite: www.geneautry.com