Customs When is Ugly, To ugly?

not bad looking from the front!

 

Always mused about having a truck with soft, luxurious car comforts...low, modern lines...Almost made one.
Then somebody had to sneak in that blasted Ranchero!

 

Kind of a newer version of the car/truck I just got.

 

Thinking the same thing myself. It looks most awkward in side profile. Not sure about the whitewalls now, but hey, who cares?

 

I used to see quite a few of those car\truck conversions in rural Florida when I was a kid,most not that well done.I like it! Clean it up and drive it.

 

Did anyone else notice the original car was a 50 Dodge coupe? The coupe has longer doors, resulting in a roomier cab. I like the style of the slanted posts. What is wrong with the wooden bulkhead? I like that you decided to clean it up and drive it.

 

....the rarely seen El Dodgaro!

 

Could have been worse; I've seen this done on two different '55 Chevys. First back in the late '60s in West Paducah, KY - a light blue four-door sedan that was cut off behind the doors and converted to a flatbed, the cab closed off with plywood. Second was in the late '80s at the Monrovia, CA Pick-A-Part - a light blue two-door hardtop that must have once been a kustom - roof cut behind the doors again but this was more of an El Camino style with a rather crude metal bed and back window, with '57 Lincoln fins and taillights added for good measure, and remnants of white tuck and roll inside.

 

Is it ugly, YUP. does it look better cleaned up and the stock rack gone YES! Now if you could just slide the rear axle back to center it in the fender well I think you'd be onto something. Its growing on me.

 

She sure looks GOOD cleaned up!!!Bruce.

 

This is not a bad looking Ford hiding behind that tree, right?

But what's with that wheel?

 

Eeek!

 

That thing Rulez! Ford bodied M-37 im think'n..

 

Close. It was a '42 Dodge WC53 Carryall. The bolt-on wheel rims were WWII . The wheelbase determines it was a carryall and not a command car or weapons carrier. It would have looked like the truck below.

I think the Ford was a convertible. The rear quarters are '53 Oldsmobile.

 

Ugly is too ugly when even your dog won't lick your face.

 

I like it. Centre the rear axle, replace the cab back with metal and run it.

 

I actually think the front half looks pretty good....from about the door handle forward...kind of lost the appeal back though....sorta ''lost the flow'' to the front half.... Maybe some 'rounded' fenders to match the front end would have been awesome. Interesting just the same!!!

 

WC53 Dodgford convertible armored hardtop ice cream truck.

 

It was built with a camper on the back, but that part did not survive.

 

That's a '39-'46 Dodge/Plymouth bed&fenders. The trucks were actually built with the axle in that position!

 

Hollywood East, that is a big improvement, just cleaned up and with the stake sides removed. I think it will make a very unique shop truck.

 

To finish off the cab on the Dodge Ute, take a look at the rear corners of a Task Force Chevy '55-'59 truck cab.
The corners stick out past the back of the cab a little. If you wanted to make the substantial effort to replace the wood, Chevy inspiration might get you around the corner while still keeping the back of the cab in front of that bed without moving it back.
The overhang was not a bad way to finish the roof. The upper part of the cab back could be all glass. Think '64 Mercury breezeway.

 

You could also look at some flower cars for ideas.

 

portholes optional

 

The 55 is exactly what I was thinking! I have one here at the shop..Good call..

 

If you have to tie bones to it before dogs will chase it, that is ugly lol.

 

Hey, if nothing else that steering column and wheel are very worthwhile. Being a little goofy, and having a couple Plymouths of that vintage, we'd take it in a heartbeat. (the steeringwheel that is)

 

You might also draw some inspiration from Powell pickups. Your rig is already more attractive, but Powell came to mind because their pickup was based on recycled MOPAR chassis.

 

Do it like the photoshop that Raymay posted and you'll convince people it was like that from the factory. If you ever saw a late '40s Hudson pickup, that was pretty much what Hudson did--cut a 4 door sedan off at the B pillar, put a back wall on the cab, and put a bed on it. The Hudson pickups looked like a well executed backyard job.

 

Well, Someone wanted the el Dodgero more than I needed it... It ended up going to Syracuse to a fellow that had a collection of funky Kool iron, plans on getting it ready for the Syracuse nationals this year .. A good home indeed )