Nadean: A Spotlight on a Unique Custom Car

Much like other avant-garde custom cars of the early 1990s, Nadean was heavily influenced by the groundbreaking CadZZilla™. Pat Hurley, the owner, and Jim Bailie, the bodywork expert, both from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, teamed up with Larry Erickson, the designer of CadZZilla™, to create Nadean, a striking custom car based on a 1953 Buick.

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Guided by Erickson's design concepts, Jim and Pat began transforming Pat's 1953 Buick, purchased for $200, in 1992. After nearly two years of meticulous work, the original Buick was almost unrecognizable. The roof from a 1965 Chevy Impala two-door hardtop, complete with its windshield and rear window, was seamlessly integrated into the Buick's body, positioned lower for a sleeker profile.

The body underwent extensive modifications, with 18-gauge steel panels meticulously handcrafted to match the car's new silhouette. The Buick's doors were shortened by three inches, and the distinctive ice cream cone-shaped rearview mirrors were custom-made.

At the front, the fenders were lengthened by four inches, and the wheel openings were redesigned and enlarged. The headlights were seamlessly integrated into custom teardrop-shaped coves, reflecting the original Buick headlight bezel style. A sleek grille bar, fashioned from a 1968 Mustang front bumper, was fitted into a handcrafted grille opening.

Jim also crafted a sharply defined rolled pan featuring an inset channel that seamlessly blends into custom turn signal lenses. The front-hinged hood was a fusion of components from a '49 Mercury and a '53 Buick.

The rear fenders were extended by five inches, and the wheel openings were repositioned lower. The rear fascia was hand-shaped to incorporate stainless steel exhaust outlets and a recessed license plate well. The plate folds down for easy access to the gas tank filler. Full-length vertical taillights were custom-made to resemble the stylish design of early '90s Cadillac lenses, fitting since Larry Erickson, Nadean's designer, was a Cadillac designer at the time.

The redesigned body was mounted on a frame and an altered floorpan from a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado, shortened by six inches and raised five inches at the back. Certain Eldorado chassis parts, such as the front-wheel drive transaxle and four-wheel disc brakes, were retained. The original 500-cid Cadillac engine was enhanced with a custom flip-forward air cleaner and valve covers painted to match the body, featuring hand-painted "Nadean" lettering.

A complete hydraulic system was discreetly installed at the front of the trunk, accessible through a removable panel. When the suspension is in the lowered position, Nadean stands at just 46 inches tall. Unique 16-inch billet aluminum wheels, designed by Erickson and crafted by Budnik, showcase a contemporary take on the Buick tri-bar shield design.

Once the extensive body modifications were finished, Todd Hillman applied a subtle silver-lavender metallic paint to Nadean's elegant curves. John Wilke took charge of the upholstery, using a tweed-like mauve fabric to cover the power front seats from the 1976 Eldorado, along with the rest of the interior.

The 1965 Chevy dashboard was reduced in width by four inches and outfitted with a custom billet-aluminum panel housing VDO gauges. Modern amenities include a Vintage Air heating and cooling system and an Alpine six-speaker CD stereo.

Nadean was first unveiled at the 1994 Detroit Autorama, marking the pinnacle of the innovative, high-tech, billet-aluminum era in custom car history. Over the years, custom car trends shifted back toward more classic styles, with fewer radical alterations to vintage car designs. Nadean stands as a bold and visionary restyling project, representing a near-complete redesign that retains only subtle hints of the original vehicle while delivering a strikingly modern aesthetic.

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