When the running boards are removed, you see the side of the frame rail. Make a "rocker panel" or filler panel to cover that and fill the gap. I don't have a photo, but I've seen this done and it really looks nice. Please don't go with fadaways, that old Buford has great lines. A litte off the top is always good tho...! Brian
Now that's what I'm talking about... Nailed it.... I think I'll steal this pic for some motivation...
I´ll work on the chop later. Does your car not have the side mount spare wheels? Was it an option or something?
No fadeaways here, not a fan, but you lost me with the Buford comment. There will no Ford parts used in the making of this Buick...
Scott, It'd be some work, but how 'bout stretching the doors 6-8 inches and slicking over the quarter windows? The Black one above is sharp, but I think the rear of the Biuck isn't big enough to get that low. A little lower on the front and a little higher in the rear would be sa-weet!
It'll be staying a 5 window, I actually like the 5 window over the 3... Sorry, the Buick grill will be staying, I want it to be obviously Buick.
Sometimes us old guys call old Buicks "Bufords" . Not hinting or encouraging you to put any old Ford parts in there!
Well all the older guys I know do it when there is a Buick motor in a Ford, or a Ford motor in a Buick or some combination there of. Otherwise it's just silly and most of us Buick guys take offense.
my 39 has "stream boards" which are a very narrow running board. Look super on the car and allows me to cross the creek when I use the Buick to chase cows.
Nice car man,I had a 38 Buick special,sold it and regretted it ever since.If you drop the headlights it makes the nose look too tall in my opinion . Skirts with wide whites YES that looks great. Four link with Air ride rear works great ,I have that on my custom.
Ive never seen a 38 that looked better with any different headlights or arrangements, the beauty in the car is its original look. They make there own statement just pulling into a driveway. They look good with some tires,rake, and a set of dual pipes. They were an upscale powerful car in thier day and just owning one was statement enough. Install discs in front is the first and best mod to start. A taller rear gear [later dynaflow torq tube style] makes it a good runner with the straight 8. Find a later 50,s 263 strt 8 and work on it while your driving your buick [its a good upgrade]nailheads will bolt up, with buick parts but them parts arent easy to find. go open drive with big naihead an turbo 400 switch pitch.You wont find many other Buicks like it at the cruise nite. I used to look for them fords bakintheday with my Century.
Actually gonna take it home from the shop this week. Put it in the garage at the house so I can work on it on the down low. Gonna trip it and epoxy it. Bag it. Put the open drive rear in. The Nailhead. Some discs up front if I can find a decent kit. But this way I can go out in the evenings and work on it at my leisure. The shop has to much stuff going on in the way...
Within the last 5 years buick has been using a really pale cream color with an intense amount of pearl. Would be super smooth. Black is good. So's the green that ford is wearing.
I have not forgotten this baby. Been getting parts together for her. Some skirts showed up today. Not the ones I wanted but they will work and weren't an arm and a leg.
Yeah that photoshop that JamesD did is where I think I am headed... I looked for that style skirt but they kept going for to much. I found these for a good deal and can make them flush mount which should be pretty cool.
Not to intrude, but If I may throw something in here. That car would be freaking BITCHIN if you lay down the rear window then cut the b pillars and slid the whole thing forward. Three window? Here's a very crappy Paint rendering, you really have to squint to picture it...
Gotta think if it was mine it would be on 5-spokes with a bit of a rake and a little clean-up and not much else changed. I don't care for the wires on it, but the red wheels with small caps work. 37-38 Buicks I always thought the boys at the factory got pretty well right, out of the box. The 39 is kind of homely, then they got the 40 and 41 pretty well right, too.
lol, when I was looking for a 35-38 Buick I passed over the 3 windows, I specifically wanted a 5 window... It'll have steelies and WWW. The era I am going for the 5 spokes just would look out of place. JamesD nailed where I am trying to go.
That PINK concept isn't quite right yet but it sure would be a stunner! What it reminded me of was the Henry Gregor Felson's book with Bud as the hero who finally builds his custom rod 38 Ford coupe using his girlfriend's color scheme, pink and copper I seem to remember, and takes it all at the debut show but whose teenage hormones bring him to a bad end on the way home from the show, and as his car sinks into the river, his rival roars by on the bridge above racing to catch him. I always wanted to see a well done motion picture done of that book with its simple American themes and the Bud car done by the description by someone.
That's going to be hard to beat. Molding the rear fenders would really set the nail. (Link to photo of "Gable", just for inspiration): http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...tom_cars/oz-kustoms/1941-packard-gable/6.html
How do you change the rear tires? This thing will get driven way to much, I think flush mount skirts will have to do. I'd hate to have a flat on my way to the HAMB Drags and have to change it with them molded in.
yeah a big lol, after looking at other pics the skirts aren't molded in, they just look that good. I doubt I'll mold the fenders in though.
ZMAN, HERE IS A PHOTOSHOP RIKSTER DID OF MY 38 LASALLE-BASICALLY SAME BODY STYLE AS YOURS. MINE WILL HAVE ALL THE HOOD SIDE TRIM AND STUFF, BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE FADEAWAY FENDERS. FOR DISCS, SCAREBIRD HERE ON THE BOARD, OR www.braketechsolutions.com
It's not a '38 but I think the customizing can work just as well with your car. The first 3 photos are what the car looked like when it was first 'finished'. The 4th is a build photo moving the rear window forward and closing up the side windows, nice move in my opinion. The last is how the car looks now. I totally dig the flush mount skirts.
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