Back in the day, some had an issue distinguishing traditional '50s-'60s customs with what others had newly classified as custom rods, the latter typically being more modern performance-oriented. In other words, less kitschy custom, more muscle influence.

Back in the day has long come and gone, but the custom rod, well—if we're still going to call it that—has simply progressed. Top builders far and wide have put their signature touch to the once traditional custom material in radical and basic form, keeping the spirit of the style alive and well. Builders like Cam Miller, whose shop HS Customs in Logan, Utah, has been churning out modern performance vintage vehicles for the last 20 years.

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During HS Customs' undertaking of his 1969 Camaro, Alex Short happened upon a second-owner 1958 Thunderbird that he purchased from a local farmer. He decided to hit Miller up about doing a paintjob on his old 'Bird as part of the rebuild he was doing (along with his father and uncle) for his wife. Miller did indeed take on the job—the entire exterior/interior transformation job.

The chassis—scratch that, unibody's suspension—was for the most part left as Ford had originally intended, with the following exceptions: airbag-modified control arms, adjustable shocks, 12-inch SSBC disc brakes with ABS electronic master cylinder, and rack-and-pinion steering. The stock 9-inch was replaced (and moved back an inch) with a Moser 3.73-geared rearend, also equipped with Firestone airbags and RideTech shocks. Budnik's Tungsten-series in 18- and 20-inch diameters (with brushed soft-lip outers and accent-colored centers) wear Z-rated Pirelli rubber, filling the wheelwells nicely when the 'Bird's aired up or down.

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As for that new-for-1958 352ci FE engine that once powered the four-seater coupe, it's gone to the wayside in favor of Ford's latest modular crate offering: the 5.0L overhead cam Coyote, complete with an earlier 4R70W four-speed overdrive. Now, while the internals of the 32-valve haven't been messed with (something Alex says he now wishes were something they did in the beginning), the exterior of the Coyote is nothing like the day it came out of its crate. For starters, HS Customs fabricated an intricate inner fender/cowl ducting that incorporates the cold air intake tubes (which pull fresh air from a Spectre filter behind the engine, just forward of the firewall). The EFI intake cover, which also blends into cowling behind, is vented with a custom-made stainless screen, while smoothed Coyote coilpack covers have been custom painted using that same patterned design. And though the aforementioned ignition and induction are manufacturer-stock, the exhaust was built to suit using 3-inch stainless tube and Turbo mufflers from Stainless Works.

The body, Ford's first foray with the Thunderbird line into the four-passenger design (which earned it and the industry a brand-new classification in 1958: The Personal Luxury Car), is about as custom as they come from the factory. That said, it's never stopped anyone from further modifying the sleek design—HS Customs included. With Alex's car they shaved protruding exterior items, such as door handles, driprails, emblems, and side mirrors, as well as the quarter-panel trim and rear fin spears. The bumpers have been tucked in tighter to the body, sectioned, and rid of visible hardware, the front supporting an enlarged grille opening with a custom mesh insert—all painted satin black to complement the PPG Envirobase platinum and white paintjob with orange accent graphics by Cort Sessions.

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The interior, also done in-house at HS Customs by Bob Riggs, features a nice modern flair that doesn't distract from the T-Bird's original late-'50s styling. Black and gray leather (the latter done in diamond-patterned inserts) with orange accenting covers the stock seating and custom-built door panels. The dash and center console have been updated with custom-made inserts and now house Classic Instruments gauges, iPod dock/controller, Restomod A/C panel, and AccuAir air ride controls. A Flaming River tilt-shift column was used in place of the original, and it mounts a Budnik steering wheel matched to the exterior rollers. Troy Bushman finished things up with a RetroSound head unit powered by Kicker amps that feed same-name speakers throughout the interior and trunk.

Despite the project escalating beyond its intended state of completion, the one intention we're still curious about: who ended up with the keys—Alex or his wife, Staci?!