Bill Cushenbery's El Matador Finds Its Second Wind with Harold Murphy

Forged Identity - There’s something timeless about the way custom cars capture imagination. They aren’t just vehicles, but rolling sculptures that blend art, engineering, and personality. Among the countless customs that have left their mark on American car culture, few have carried a story as colorful and enduring as Bill Cushenbery’s El Matador. This car, born out of vision and raw craftsmanship in the early 1960s, has lived through decades of transformations, ownership changes, near destruction, and triumphant rebirth—becoming an icon that still sparks conversations today. 

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, was completely restored by Harold Murphy in 1994. (Picture from: JalopyJournal)

The foundation for El Matador was a 1940 Ford, but Cushenbery and fellow designer Don Varner saw something entirely different when they put it under the knife. Cushenbery chopped the roof by three and a half inches, sectioned the body nearly five inches, and reshaped the car in a way that was daring even for the bold era of custom culture. The front end became a showstopper with hand-formed fenders stretched forward, quad Lucas headlights set behind a mesh screen, and a unique grille built from oval tubing nested into its own custom shell.  

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, revealed a futuristic interior where a handmade dashboard gave it a space-age flair. (Picture from: Kustomrama)

Corvette nerf bars gave the nose an aggressive touch, while the sides flowed smooth after the running boards were shaved and replaced with sculpted sheet metal. At the rear, the car carried futuristic cues—twin peaks on the trunk, recessed taillights, sculpted scoops, and a dramatic rolled pan. To top it off, the windshield came from a 1950 Rambler, and the oversized rear window, flipped upside down, was lifted from a 1952 Chevrolet. 

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, was completely restored by Harold Murphy in 1994. (Picture from: JalopyJournal)

Step inside, and the car felt more like a vision of tomorrow than a Ford from the past. A handmade dashboard gave it a space-age flair, while the exterior shimmered in a translucent red paint scheme that shifted from amber to gold under the light. Beneath the hood, an Oldsmobile engine provided the power, and US Royal Masters tires anchored the stance. When it first rolled out of Cushenbery’s Monterey, California shop, it wasn’t just his debut build—it was a statement that his work was going to leave a lasting impression. 

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador,  as it sat after the fire in 1993. (Picture from: Kustomrama)

El Matador didn’t just sit still either; it toured nationally with Promotions, Inc., appeared in Ford’s Cavalcade of Customs, and even hit the pages of Hot Rod Magazine in 1963 with a $5,000 price tag. Over the years, it swapped hands many times. AMT took ownership in the 1960s, sending it across the country while Budd Anderson drove it from show to show. During their stewardship, the Oldsmobile engine was traded for a small-block Ford by Dearborn Steel Tubing, modernizing its performance. Later, collectors like Frank Koss, Carl Casper, and John McNally each left their fingerprints on the car’s story, whether through repaints, trades, or tours.

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, is pictured in front of the AMT Corporation building during the 1960s with AMT representative Budd Anderson standing beside it. (Picture from: Kustomrama)

But as often happens with cars of legend, El Matador’s journey wasn’t without heartbreak. After decades of use, repainting, and modifications, the car suffered devastating damage in a garage fire in the early 1990s. What was once a star of custom shows was left with a crushed roof, twisted panels, and missing floors. For many vehicles, that might have been the end. Yet the spirit of El Matador proved too strong to fade. 

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, while sat on display the 1962 East Orange Autorama in East Orange, New Jersey. (Picture from: HotRodsOnline)

Harold Murphy stepped in, determined to bring it back to life with his team at Murphy & The Striper. The restoration was painstaking—starting with sandblasting, reshaping the warped shell, rebuilding its bones from the floor upward, and carefully preserving as much of Cushenbery’s artistry as possible. At the same time, Murphy made updates that gave the car a second wind: a 1992 Saleen Mustang 5.0-liter V8 and driveline were fitted, blending modern muscle with vintage lines. The interior was reborn in classic white Naugahyde with rolls and pleats, while Cushenbery’s original handmade dashboard and wooden headrests were lovingly restored. By the time it reappeared in 1994 at the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona Beach, El Matador had reclaimed its place as a showpiece. 

Bill Cushenbery’s 1940 Ford custom, famously known as El Matador, is pictured in a suburban neighborhood during the 1970s, showcasing its smooth sectioned body, sculpted rear fenders, twin-peaked trunk, and recessed taillights in a shimmering custom paint finish. (Picture from: Kustomrama)

Since then, the car has resurfaced at auctions and events, including appearances at Ft. Lauderdale in 2011 and Mecum Indy in 2021, where it drew a $60,000 bid but remained unsold. Yet the true value of El Matador isn’t found in numbers—it lies in the resilience of its story. From its beginnings as Cushenbery’s first custom, to its survival through fire and rebuild, and its continued presence decades later, the car embodies what custom culture has always been about: creativity, reinvention, and passion that refuses to die. | L5qe6yfJ-yA |

Today, even in an age dominated by digital designs and electric drivetrains, El Matador stands as a reminder of what one craftsman with vision can achieve. Bill Cushenbery may no longer be here to see it, but his first masterpiece continues to live on, not just as a car, but as a legend rolling through time. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | KUSTOMRAMA | JALOPYJOURNAL | HOTRODSONLINE | MECUM | WIKIPEDIA ]

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