10 of the world’s most incredible custom cars | CNN (2024)

Blastolene B702 by Randy Grubb for Blastolene —

How does this the Blastolene B702 manage to look both classically traditional and undeniably futuristic? The hand-shaped aluminum body, blue glass grill, and maroon leather interiors were all designed by Randy Grubb, a favorite of celebrity car buff Jay Leno.

And don't be fooled: The car isn't black, but a deep midnight blue.

The Reactor by Gene Winfield —

Gene Winfield's hand-built aluminum Reactor, based on a classic Citroën DS, was something of a small screen celebrity in the 60s. It made guest appearances on "Bewitched," "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible" and "Batman," in which Eartha Kitt (as Catwoman) once picked up a cackling Joker, played by Cesar Romero.

Orbitron by Ed Roth —

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's 1964 Orbitron was meant to look like a futuristic drag racer. The body is topped with a plastic bubble top, there's a (now long obsolete) TV in the dash, and the three lights at the front (red, green, and blue) were meant to combine to project a beam of while light.

But one of Orbitron's design features was considerably more dated: the interior is completely lined with baby blue faux fur.

Dodge Deora by the Alexander Brothers —

The Dodge Deora, the 1965 front-loading pickup truck customized by Mike and Larry Alexander, is widely considered the most famous custom car in history.

In fact, the Deora was so famous and revered when it was first introduced that in 1968, Hot Wheels immortalized it as part of its first line of toy cars.

The Galaxian by Paradise Road —

Would you believe that there's a 1928 Ford Model T at the heart of this custom job? Japanese autos shop Paradise Road has completely transformed the classic car by distorting the original shape, showcasing the inner tubing, and finishing it off with a sleek multicolored paint job.

And now it could be yours -- for a cool $1 million.

Cadillac Coupe "Sophia" by John D'Agostino —

With this custom Cadillac, named for screen siren Sophia Loren, the devil is in the details. The white and mint palette extends from the exterior to the leather interiors, the steering wheel is made of Mother of Pearl plastic, and the entire body has been molded for a clean finish.

Ice Cream Truck by Mister Cartoon —

Tattoo artist to the stars Mister Cartoon, whose clients include Lewis Hamilton, Kobe Bryant and Beyoncé, spray-painted this 1963 ice cream truck.

"It's like my own version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory meets the 'hood," he said in an interview with Dub magazine.

Old Crow Bellytank by Old Crow Speed Shop —

This hot rod -- made from the underbody fuel cell of a WWII Lockheed fighter jet (yes, that's the original paint job), 18-inch milk truck wheels, and a Ford engine from 1932 -- is a testament to creative recycling.

Speedster by Eagle —

British company Eagle has been customizing and revamping Jaguar E-Types for the last 30 years.

Their curvy Speedster, originally designed for an American client in search of something "a bit special," took Eagle head Paul Brace and his team almost 4,000 hours to construct.

Dodge Charger "Tantrum" by SpeedKore Performance Group —

The frame of this Dodge Charger is incredibly light, thanks to a carbon fiber exterior, but a powerful boat engine -- designed by Mercury Marine -- gives it extra power. In fact, it likely gives more power than the car could ever need, if you ask lead builder David Salvaggio.

"The load of an engine from extreme throttling in and out of the water with a boat... is more abuse than any car could ever put on the engine," he says.