Osoyoos built custom car sells for $290,000

OSOYOOS – When you talk to the man who built the custom 1956 Chrysler that sold at auction in Scottsdale, Arizona for $290,000 you get referrals to articles others have written about him and his cars.

“For me to sit here and brag up all my accolades, I’m not that kind of guy,” J.F. Launier says.

Launier is a humble, internationally famous custom hot rod builder and prefers others to list his achievements, like the ’56 Chrysler named Revolution which sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction last month, or the 1964 Buick Riviera named Rivision which won the Ridler Award at the March 2014 Detroit Autorama.

JF Kustoms Automotive in Osoyoos where Launier designs and, along with his 6 employees, turns his designs into reality.

Rivision started out as a two-door 1956 Chrysler and after 11,000 hours became a station wagon, Launier says. It originally sold to a private collector in 2010, but he’s confident the new owner will take the car to shows so others can see it.

While most of the collectors don't drive their vehicles, he does.

“I drive them all. Most people who spend that kind of money do not.”

Born and raised in Osoyoos, Launier has no intentions of moving to a bigger city or the U.S.

“I like it here. The weather’s decent,” he says. “I’ve had lots of opportunities to move to California, become American and take my work and whole career up to another level but I’m happy here.”

Launier says he currently has three projects for customers on the go, a 1965 Nova, a 1967 Nova along with a 1955 Chevy truck, adding he’s taking a bit of a break from his own projects, having spent $500,000 and 22,000 hours on the Ridler Award winning Rivision project.

The next chance to get a look at some of his hot rods will be in June at the annual Cactus Jalopies car show in at Gyro Park in Osoyoos.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca or call 250-491-0331. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.