Here is a quick run down of my 49′ Ford in progress build. A few details first. 49′ Ford Full Custom Target build date of 56′ updated to a 57-58′ circuit look. HUGE shout out to @shoeboxdoc at Shoebox Central. Without him this car wouldn’t be what it is. (Whatever that is haha) Ive done the vast majority of the work myself. I’ve farmed out a few things. Luckily my friend has a sand blasting co and let me co-opt a corner of the shop to come in and work on the Ford in my spare time. I’ve lost quite a few build photos over the years (computer crash) so this is glossing over the whole thing. \/ the Ugly period (what she looked like about the time I bought her) I drove it for a month to have some fun and well…it wasn’t fun. Time to sell what Im not gonna use and slap her back together with some halfway decent parts. Maybe grind a few miles of weld along the way.
Well let’s get her naked and see what she’s hiding Crusty gross frame. Not too abnormal. I’ve got some permanent physical, mental and emotional scars getting her broken down this far. Meh not horrible I guess…..for an East Coast car. Holy cow! The other side was actually worse though. I could put my fist through the Dr side Quarter Panel without punching metal. What am I getting myself into? Look at those tires hitting the lip. Sooo gnarly…
“this car is gonna kick me in the nuts repeatedly for a few years” I know what you must be thinking right about now. I thought the same thing for awhile. Gonna leave you with a teaser picture of me daydreaming a few years later.
Cleaned up the frame first. Lowered it 3″ blocks, 4″ de arched springs in the back. Plus I used 51′ shackles for a total of 8″ static drop. Had to modify the shock mounts. I cut the curved lip off to make them straight. I then Flipped them side to side and upside down. To avoid any scrub line issue. [/URL] I also rebuilt a 9″ out of a 58″ Wagon with a 3.63 trac-loc and Daytona pinion support. It’s overkill for a flathead but whatever. Large “police” drum brakes round out the rear axle. Some detail painting and I pinstriped the sides of the frame. Matched it on the passenger side. \/ before I modified my shock mounting plates to allow for correct safe scrub lines. I could tell I would have scrub line issues at this point.
Then the entire bottom 6″ of this car got replaced. Horizontally and vertically. From the floor braces to the floor pans (Paul Bradley), to the lower Cowl, inner fender supports, quarter panels, inner and outer rocker panels etc. the boring stuff haha On to the fun stuff. I’ll start here. I don’t have a gas tank at this point so why do I need a gas filler neck hole? You can see the QP replacement. Por-15 the Inside of the wheel well and B pillar where dirt likes to hide. Used a wand to coat the closed off inside rocker panel area with por-15 after that area got replaced. Shaved the firewall too! (Except the choke cable, main wiring loom and e brake hole) I spent a good deal of time smoothing the Trans tunnel lip on the firewall as well. Getting everything all blendy and smooth.
Like I said I lost a lot of photos. I smoothed all the seams and cussed at it a lot. After that the Car got a squirt of primer. After many nights of wishing I would wake to to this car finishing itself I started doing stuff like this. Now you eagle eyes will notice the huge hood gap. I messed with all the front sheet metal and got it all square but recall it’s a 49′. That means the hinges suck. So I replaced them with hinges from a 50′ and pie cut the length of the fender to set my hood side gap. I did both sides. I also molded the bottom of the fender to the rocker panel and rounded those corners.
Making the headlights bug eyed for that Herbie the Love bug kinda 60s look. Then I decided that was too far after my build cut off date and decided to make fender extensions down onto the headlight rings.
already probably noticed that I’m using a 51′ pan. There’s a reason for that but that’s getting ahead of myself so ignore that for now. So instead You can see the in progress shots of the grille I made using a 51′ Accessory Mercury bumper guard and over rider. Sorry that photo sucks. Here’s another view. when I made the grille I left the original mounting tab in the uprights which later I used for the mounting tab to float this thing. I trimmed down and re bent a front bumper bracket and ran it off a lug on my radiator support to get it floating. Here it is loosely mocked up in my grille cavity. It sits flush with the forward nose of my grille shell. I warped an area so I Cut that section out. I need to repair and metal finish it before it goes to the plater. Here’s an older loose mock up for the heck of it (it’s noteven bolted in on this shot)
Yeah yeah tack welds everywhere. What’s that all about anyway? Well it’s because of this. And this… Which lead to this. And this. And then it looked like this for awhile That corner was really bad. I suck at life.
In between bouts of severe love/hate aspects of my working relationship with my car I’d do things like paint this or chrome that or cable lace that cloth covered wiring. (Updated earlier style remember) [/URL] Or detail paint trim. Or drive myself insane finding that one year make/model only gold faced speedo and matching clock.
Had to fab my fuel lines. In fact all my lines are hand bent stainless. A/N fittings are traditional. Like it or not. So are wire hose clamps.
I wanted to take a minute and lay out the plan somewhat. We can all agree the Bettancourt Merc is one (if not THE) best Merc out there. I personally feel that pre 54′ was really the golden age of customs. Pre 54′ style is the best! The transformation of the Bettancourt Merc from the Ayala Brothers, to the Barris version and then to the Zupan version is amazing. I love the Ayala Brothers, they are the best but my Influences on this build are more Zupan, Goulart, Conway, Watson if that makes sense. This will make several of you cringe but I love the Zupan version. The 56′ show car circuit wasn’t as gaudy as the later 58′ era. It retained enough of the pre 54′ styling but added two tone paint and pinstripes. THAT is really what I’m going after with this build. A 55-56′ circuit era that’s been updated to the 56-57′ era. A few eagle eyed people can already see a few nods to famous pre 56′ builders already if you look close enough. Why I said 58′ earlier its due to the interior I have. It’s slightly too later for the 56′ (in fact it’s modeled after the 63′ circuit) but I fee it can be pulled off for the 57′ look as well. When I had the chance to make a deal for the interior out of a well known West Coast custom that has some historical provenance I couldn’t pass it up. More on the interior later.
So I did literally a year of overtime at my job a few years ago and I bought 2 things. An engagement ring for my wife and this motor. H&H built 276. Baron Heads, Navarro intake, 94s, real Fenton headers (not China Bill knock offs), chrome fan, Thickstun parts. Painted to match my dash. Blue streak coil You can see my stainless brake lines I ran. Also a Trans adapter I had made. All that grade 8 bolts got replaced with original Ford hardware Cable laced all the cloth wiring.
Chromed all my Garnish moldings. Also my door latches and door hinges, door check arms etc. Finally sent my Accessory 49′ steering wheel and NOS button off to Quality Restorations to get re cast.
And came up with a taillight idea. 52′ Ford rings and 50′ Olds 98 bezels and lenses. You can see my doors gaps there as well
Most of my photos are during the mock up phase, which is why you see a lot of bolts not tightened down or wires hanging etc. I am running Caddy Sombrero hubcaps with a special center medallion. Rob Radcliffe zipped them up for me. I’m grateful for his help. At that time I replaced the whees with ones from a 53′ Mercury. They have a slightly deeper offset so the Caddy hubcap sits flush with the wheel lip. I also tossed a set of new Goodyear Super Cushions on there. Around this time a deal was made for what was left of the Interior from the Dave Chavez Masterson built Penny Loafer.
I am extremely honored and lucky to be able to let a part of that famous custom live on in my custom. The name I chose Lucky Penny” is an homage to that and to all Customizers really. The Interior was modeled (with permission) after the Bill Hines Buddha Buggy from 63′. I feel it can pass as 57′-58’style. Settled on side trim. Here it is taped up crooked on my car
Excellent work. I can relate to all you have done and the frustration of "Am I ever going to get the project done?" I spent the better part of four years doing mine but, in the end it was well worth it. I did everything but the paint. The most satisfaction is knowing you did it all and by yourself. If someone asks you how you did this or that , you can tell them how to do it. How many custom cars have you seen and the owner doesn't know anything about it or how it was done? You can be very proud of your accomplishment.
Fantastic work it's easy to see that passion is what is driving this build. I'm looking forward to seeing this one come together. Where are you having your Chrome work done?
That's not such a stretch. As you probably know, by 1959 Eddie Martinez (who did the interior of the Buddah Buggy) had already done the sculpted, narrow pleated interior of Ed Roth's "Outlaw". I love it! So glad it lives on!
Fabric had gotten picked out Paint colors picked and Inspiration had been found in this old Watson painted Shoebox. I’ve manganged to do a lot of small behind the scenes type details. Upholstery will happen this spring, paint will be bought as well. Actual spraying will happen at some point. My goal is to be ready for Race of Gentlemen later this year. even though I won’t make the pre 52′ style cut off. I rode up last year with some friends. 1,000 miles there and back in some old Customs (That’s me in the back) (photo by Tim Sutton) thank you for taking the time to read my thread. Huge thank you to Chris Whittington at https://shoebox-central.com/Default.aspxwithout him this car would not be what it is. To Rob Radcliffe for all the help and advice. Also Dave Chavez for the chance to carry on the torch.
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