Norm Grabowski
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American hot rod builder Norm Grabowski is best known for creating an influential T-bucket hot rod that was used in the television show 77 Sunset Strip. The car was owned and driven in the show by the character Kookie who was played by Edd Byrnes.
Grabowski bought a hot rod after leaving military service in 1952 and made a number of modifications to the vehicle that gave it a unique stance and appearance which have been imitated many times. Among the unique features of the car was a shortened Model A pickup truck bed attached to a 1923 Model T body.
The car was featured on the cover of the October, 1955 cover of Hot Rod Magazine and later in the April 29, 1957 issue of Life Magazine.
As a consequence of the magazine exposure, Grabowski was approached about renting the car out to appear in movies and television shows. The contacts he made in this way led to an acting career for Grabowski. He appeared in many movies and television shows, including Roustabout, Girl Happy, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
Grabowski is known as a wood carver, and many hot rods and custom cars feature his unique hand-carved skull gearshift knobs.
