Owned by Mario and Kendra of Calleja Kustoms
Mario and Kendra spent seventeen years building their vision. Poison IVY is the embodiment of a dream to build an early ’60s show car in the classic style of Big Daddy Ross, the Alexander Brothers, and George Barris. From concept to show-stopping reality, this custom rod captures the golden era of automotive artistry.
Sporting a heavy “monster flake gangrene” paint job, Poison IVY is paired with a pearl white interior featuring hidden pleats and metal flake green accent pieces. The car sits on an 8½-inch chopped roof and is channeled 4½ inches, giving it an unmistakable low, aggressive stance. Under the hood, an early ’60s 327 Chevy small block roars to life, enhanced with a traditional mechanical Hillborn stacked fuel injection system.
Poison IVY first debuted at the 2025 Grand National Road Show in Pomona, California, before making its mark at the 2025 Motorama in Toronto, where it earned a class win. The 2025 show season concluded at the Syracuse Hot Rod Nationals in New York, where it was selected for the Signature Showcase and ranked in the Top 100 out of 8,700 cars. The car has also been featured on the cover and in a seven-page centerfold spread in an automotive magazine.
Mario and Kendra are rightly proud of this car, which perfectly balances traditional early ’60s custom styling with modern craftsmanship. Fans of show rods and classic cars alike will have a chance to see Poison IVY up close as it will be featured in the Motorama Mayhem Back Room presented by Zehr Insurance Brokers at Motorama in March 2026.
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