Yankee Custom Parts

Early draft probably painted by Göran Silfors.

Advertisement for Yankee Custom Parts from Start & Speed No. 1 1966, billing the shop as “Scandinavia’s largest and most active custom and hot rod firm.” The ad promotes Rader wheels (250 kr each), complete tube front axles for hot rods and dragsters with the spring mounted behind the axle (550 kr; spring not included), YCP decals in five colors (2.50 kr each), high-quality fiberglass bodies including a T-23 bucket with pickup bed (950–1,200 kr), Metalflake paint and upholstery touted as first-prize winners at Swedish and American shows, and the 1966 Hot Rod catalog (4 kr). Address and order phone are listed as Flensvägen 27, Älvsjö, and 08/99 59 33.

An ad for Yankee Custom Parts printed in Start & Speed No. 2-1966

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Älvesjö in Stockholm, Sweden. This version of Bo's first Thunderbird was completed in 1962.

Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible of Huddinge in Stockholm, Sweden as it appeared in the early 1960s. Bo Sandberg and his girlfriend Morris gave the car a flame paint job in 1962.

Order from: Sweden - Norway - Rest of the world

The Surfin Bird version of Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Älvesjö in Stockholm, Sweden was completed in 1964.

Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible of Stockholm, Sweden. Sven's Sunliner was completed in 1964, featuring a Burgundy Mist paint job Bo.

Bo Sandberg's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster, Purple Passion, of Stockholm, Sweden. The build was completed around 1965.

Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window coupe of Stockholm, Sweden. Sven started the build, known as the Glowing Coupe, in 1961. The first version was shown in 1965, featuring a paint job by Bo.

Göran Silfors' 1936 Ford Sedan of Sweden as it appeared in 1965, featuring a flame paint job by Bo.

Freddy Heinefors' 1956 Plymouth Convertible of Stockholm, Sweden, was an early Swedish custom built on Reimersholme during the formative years of the country’s 1960s custom car scene. Purchased in 1963, the Plymouth underwent extensive rust repairs before being transformed into a full custom in a cold garage once used by a malt factory. Inspired by American magazines, Freddy reshaped the front with a 1963 Plymouth Valiant grille, 1964 Mercedes 220SE headlights, and a 1956 Pontiac bumper. The rear fins were sharpened, copper-tube taillights were recessed beneath the deck, and the car was finished in Blue Royal Metalflake sourced from Bosse Sandberg at Yankee Custom Parts. Named “Charlotte,” the car debuted at the first Hot Rod Show at Marmorhallarna in April 1965. After a memorable European road trip that same summer, the Plymouth was sold in 1967 and later wrecked and scrapped—leaving behind the memory.

Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird of Stockholm, Sweden. Named The Wild Bird, Bo's Thunderbird was completed and made its debut in 1966. Bo ran a customs, paint, and parts shop in Älvsjö, Sweden, called Yankee Customs.

Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat. The Cool Cat was a customized Jaguar E-Type built by Bo Sandberg of of Yanke Customs in Älvesjö, Stockholm, Sweden. The build was completed in 1967, featuring a a red and pink Metalflake paint job.

The Surfin Bird as it sat when it was featured in Colorod Nr.2 1971. This version was owned by Kjell Arne Pettersson of Sollentuna, Sweden, and it featured a Cadillac Capri Aqua Metallic paint job by Yankee Customs.

Yankee Custom Parts was a Swedish custom-car shop located at Flensvägen 27 in Älvsjö, Sweden. Founded by Bo "Gamen" Sandberg with help from friends, such as Göran Silfors, the shop served Swedish custom enthusiasts with design, construction, and paint work. An advertisement printed in Start & Speed No. 2–1966 stated that Yankee Custom Parts “experimented and tested their parts thoroughly before they stocked them.”

Sandberg initially wanted to call the business “Yankee Junk,” but because the name did not sound good in the States, he changed it to Yankee Custom Parts. From its Älvsjö base, the shop offered a full range of services, including paint techniques such as Metalflake, Candy, Pearls, flames, scallops, paneling, and more. Two well-known shop projects were the Purple Passion and the Wild Bird.

Cars Built, Restyled or Painted by Yankee Custom Parts

Bo Sandberg's 1923 Ford Model T Roadster - Purple Passion
Sven Sandberg's 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe - The Glowing Coupe
Göran Silfors' 1936 Ford Sedan
Hasse Broberg and Kjelle Gustad's 1938 Chevrolet Convertible
Sven Sandberg's 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible
Bo Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird - Surfin Bird
Bo "Gamen" Sandberg's 1959 Ford Thunderbird - Wild Bird
Bo Sandberg's Cool Cat