Customs Hoo F***ing Ray !!!! (updated)

That is a realy sharp looking ride.

 

That's turning out great!

 

Tailpipes and license plate/gas door aren't on yet. I'd prefer to show the completed deal.

It's stock '55 Customline Tudor trim, but Ford never put it on a Victoria.

Nissan Altima color called "Mystic Emerald".

Gilbert's Body & Paint in Hayward, CA.

Both frames and lenses are original '55 wagon. I was lucky to find them on eBay at a great price, but they were badly pitted and plating was very expensive.

Thanks for everybody's kind words!

 

Tony, that is soooo subtle & smooth...just like good sippin' whiskey! You are the man!

 

Does my bum look big in this?

Nice work Tony, very fraudulent.

 

s m o o t h

 

Wow, stunning! Really turning out nice.

 

Love the head light treatment, cant wait to see the rest.

 

Super smooth Tony, gotta say that I was thinking about your car the other day and as much as I think the wheels look great on it, I pictured it dressed differently with 53 Cad caps...............hold one over it - know where you could find any?

 

That IS REALLY CLEAN, Tony........NICE.

 

Bruce, I have some detailing planned for the alloy wheels and skinny whites that I'm determined to complete -- pretty confident I'm gonna like it. I have thought about preparing an alternate set of steelies to run with wide whites and full caps, but haven't done anything about it. I'm thinking '56 Lincoln caps if I can find a nice set.

I did have a perfect NOS set of '53 Cads (I think you knew that), but I sold 'em. I like them, but they're not for my car.

 

Very nice car, kool color. Looking forward to seeing it in Santa Maria..

 

I think I knew that.....might have been the thing that prompted the comment. I look forward to the finished product Tony, and I'm sure you are too.

 

Taht looks like sex on wheels! what are the headlight doors from? Oldsmobile?

 

Thanks. Yeah, they're '55 Olds. The '55-56 Ford headlight doors lean forward, but I think they're kinda clumsy. The Olds doors have a cleaner line and chrome trim, so I thought they'd be an improvement.

 

they certainly are, I agree with your clumsy comment. I'm looking for ideas for wifey's '55 ranchwagon and had considered using the olds ones (not so easy to find here tho) and after seeing yours done I'm sold !

 

What a beauty - this must be one of your best. I think you have achieved a look that the Ford designers could only wish they had done. So nice and clean. Great wheels as well, (I remember those being designed, we were trying to do a BBS look but with a one piece).
Very well done sir.
Look forward to pictures as you complete the last details.

 

you know what would go good with that color? Black Chrome process... I dig that shit. Probably not trad enough for most but still, I always thought it looked good on black, white, or shades of grey(silver) vehicles.

 

beautiful as is though, don't get me wrong

 

Car is stunning! I vote for the '56 Lincoln caps & wide whites. Is the interior done yet?

 

Of the various wiremags that have been done, these Crown Victoria ones interest me because the contours of the front surface produce shadows in the spokes suggesting a real wire wheel. On this car, I wanted the look of a Skylark wire wheel.

Big hubcaps and wide whites are plan B, to be used while I have the alloy wheels off for refinishing, and an alternate look for certain occasions. I was going for a '60s-influenced vibe on this car (as contrasted with the obviously '50s look of my shoebox), hence the skinny whites and spokes. I looked at Lee Pratt's Impala a lot.



The interior was salvaged from a '64-5 T-Bird. It's a mix of grungy old stuff and re-cover kits on the front buckets and carpet. I can't afford a complete re-upholstering yet. It'll be partially complete at Santa Maria.

Thanks again, guys.

 

I like the choice you went with.

 

So that's what a '55 Customline Victoria would have looked like if they would have made them ('cept 55 Victoria's didn't have short tops). Too bad they didn't but then I couldn't claim that my '56 was the only year they made them. Nice ride .. fer sure ..

 

Exactly. They did have the lower top in '55, of course, but they only used it for the Crown. I like doing "coulda" cars using parts together that the manufacturer could have used, but didn't.

 

It's killer! I love it! I like the wheels too...different...yet..."stock"... they work in this application.

 

Wow! How have I missed this. Looks fantastic.

 

There was still welding and spraying Thursday night, but on Friday AM, 55Fraud awoke from its 3-year nap. Thanks to Gary Minor and friends Ken and Danny, it cruised 250 miles to Santa Maria without major drama.

There are still rough edges, but the car now looks as planned and I'm very happy with it. Some pix from Santa Maria:







It was fun to park next to Bill Story's '56 wagon. Bill and I only met a year or so ago, when our two cars were half complete. The number of similarities between our two builds are remarkable, but accidental:



Here's the view of the rear end that I didn't want to show last week. Now the tailpipes and gas door/plate are on, so it's complete:



I drove home from "Paso Maria" today without major incident, although about 20 minutes from home my speedo made a bunch of duck-call noises and expired. Home safe and sound!

 

Very tasty Mr Fraud.

 

Damn, that's the best looking pair since the Linda Vaughn thread!-MIKE

 

Awesome car! Great work, I dig the hell outta that.