![]() By fitting the roof backwards, he could employ the Caddy's backlight as the windshield, and by fabricating new C-pillars he could use another such backlight in its intended position. Fitting the roof in the normal way would have utilized the Caddy's windshield, which would have locked the car into '50s styling, square or not, from which he wished to liberate it. In a blinding flash of design inspiration it occurred to Paul he could replace the 'Bird's square roof with one that was smooth and flowing from a '59, just by turning it backwards. The answer to Paul's styling dilemma lay just a few feet away, in a garage behind his home in the form of his son Shane's Candy Apple Red '59 Caddy coupe. It seemed that the "Square" in 'Bird stemmed from its boxy roof-thus the body type's longstanding nickname. But whatever he did, he realized the roof would have to be central to his design. And so it was at the dawn of a new century that Paul sketched a number of ideas: a targa-topped coupe, an open roadster, even a wild, bubble-topped cruiser. Even then he knew that this would never be enough-he simply had to tackle the toughest-assignment custom around. Then, after a couple of years, he reworked the car once again into a mild custom, much the same, but with a custom grille, extra chrome, and a wild candy-pink paint job topped with pink flames. ![]() At first he followed the traditional resto route, adding a low stance, some trick wheels, and wild murals over a black base. In the early '90s Paul bought a '59 Thunderbird, beginning the long journey that would eventually lead to making his own statement with the frustrating custom Squarebird.
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