The Starliner's grin may look...        read full caption The Starliner's grin may look familiar, but it has substantial, yet subtle, changes. The grille is a custom piece from Glory Grills, and gives the headlights a slightly frenched appearance. All trim around the grille opening was removed, and the hood's leading edge was rolled for a refined, finished look.

Inside, Dynamat was laid down...        read full caption Inside, Dynamat was laid down to hold out the heat and noise before Stitchcraft covered the Wise Guys buckets and stock rear bench in bisque-colored vinyl. Skip Fitch at StreetNoyz built the custom console and outfitted the car with a MB Quart head unit, Rockford Fosgate amps, Eclipse subwoofers, and Focal speakers.

Conventional wisdom tells us that it's generally more cost effective to buy a finished or almost-finished custom car than it is to build one from the ground up. The hard truth is that most customs cost more to construct than they're worth when complete. That's especially true if you need outside professional assistance in crafting your dream machine.

That's the line of reasoning Kevin Grani used when he bought his '60 Ford Starliner a couple years ago. Purchased as a finished cruiser--a mild custom with shaved handles, emblems, and backup lights, plus 2003 BMW Bright Red and Titanium Silver paint--the Ford seemed to Kevin like the perfect platform for transitioning from the late-model Mustang performance scene to the custom rod realm. All things considered, it was a pretty reasonable plan.

There was just one problem: Like any good custom enthusiast, Kevin immediately thought of a few additional modifications to perform--you know, just to make the car his. Naturally, his wish list grew with every passing show he attended or magazine he read. Things just kind of snowballed from there. The tipping point came when he saw Jim Rydelius' subtly chopped Starliner on Custom Rodder's Setptember 2003 cover. That's when he knew he had to pinch the roof on his hardtop.

Kevin's a bright guy, so he figured who better to cut the lid than the person who built the Rydelius Ford--Andre Carey of Andre's Customs and Rods. The slice on Kevin's Ford was even subtler, with less than 2 inches taken out of the A-pillars and the windshield leaned back only about 5 degrees. The windshield was trimmed with a belt sander to fit the new opening, while a strip of metal above the rear glass was removed to allow the roof to slide back the necessary amount.

While they were at it, the crew at Andre's smoothed the Ford's dashboard and installed Vintage Air controls and vents. They also finessed the hood's leading edge and the grille opening (removing moldings and rolling the edges) and custom-fit the Glory Grills grille to give the headlights a frenched appearance. The good news for Kevin was that all this work could be done without repainting the entire car. Andre just re-sprayed the roof, dash, and the red above the beltline trim.

Beyond bodywork, the Ford got a complete chassis makeover, with an Air Ride Technologies four-link and ShockWave setup in back, and Fatman dropped spindles with Air Ride air springs up front. Kevin also had Andre's shop install Wurth-It rack-and-pinion steering and an ididit column, and outfit each corner with 13-inch disc brakes from Baer. Fresh rolling stock came in the form of 18x8- and 20x8.5-inch Stilleto wheels from Billet Specialties, wrapped inside G-Force T/A radials (245/40R18 and 255/35R20) from BFGoodrich.

Lest Kevin forget his own comfort, the Starliner's cabin was lined with Dynamat before Stitchcraft covered the Wise Guys buckets and stock rear bench in bisque-colored vinyl. Meanwhile, Skip Fitch at StreetNoyz built the custom console and plugged in an audio system consisting of an MB Quart head unit, Rockford Fosgate amps, Eclipse subwoofers, and Focal speakers. Skip also wired up the Centech fuse panel.

About the only things Kevin didn't touch on the Ford were the 352ci FE engine and Cruise-O-Matic transmission. Those will get the heave-ho soon enough, Kevin says, but first he has to determine the proper replacement--a high-tech 4.6L mod motor or a 514ci Ford crate big block. Tough decision.

We all know there are exceptions to every rule, and Kevin's Starliner flies in the face of the "buying a finished car is cheaper and easier" adage. Not that he's complaining. Kevin is focused on getting the ride he wants, not necessarily what's easy or cheap. Isn't that what personalizing a car is all about?

The 352ci FE engine is stock...        read full caption The 352ci FE engine is stock with an assortment of brightwork. A more potent mill is slated for the near future.

The staff at Andre's smoothed...        read full caption The staff at Andre's smoothed the Ford's dashboard, modifying it to accept an ididit steering column and Vintage Air controls and vents.

Baer 13-inch disc brakes peek...        read full caption Baer 13-inch disc brakes peek from behind the Stilleto wheels from Billet Specialties, wrapped inside G-Force T/A radials from BFGoodrich.