We have been hiding this '42 convert from the weather for over 12 years and it is now coming out into the light of day to undergo a chop, channel, section process based on the Pete Brock '46 Ford convert from the 60's. Let the fun begin. If anyone knows of or has experience with channelling/raising the fenders on a fat ford, I would appreciate hearing about it.
HELL.........put some tires, brakes & bumpers on'er and drive it, looks great now! Patina's in ya know. HAVE FUN!! cw.
Here is a pic of the Pete Brock '46 Ford that I have admired since I was young....and is the inspiration for what I want to do to my '42.
I may be wrong but, isn't a '42 convertible a pretty collectable car? I have no problem cutting up rare, collectable cars but, I hate to cut up money.
For some reason looking at those three photos of the '42 has me thinking of the 'Greased Lightning' scenes from the movie Grease. Anybody else? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Have fun with it!
I think it is a great idea, but I'm not too sure a section & channel would be necessary. The Pete Brock car looks like they just trimmed the fat off of the car (the bubble surrounding the lower...mmm 3-4 inches I'd say). There was a "how-to" in an old Rod Action on making the "fat" thinner and the results were very noticable on the plus side. No matter the plan, this looks exciting!!
It's your car, so of course do what you'd like. BUT....a '42 is EXTREMELY rare due to the start of WWII and the end of civilian vehicle production (the rarest of the rare are those w/no chrome trim because chromium was needed for the war effort!)! You may want to get it appraised!.....
Pete Brock got rid of the fat by raising the rear fenders up to meet the deck lid edge and sectioned the upper portion of the cowl (which, in effect, raised the front fenders). His hood was sectioned a like amount. THEN, he channelled the body and lopped off the lower 4" portion of the door and quarter panels. A lot of work. That made a lot of fat go away and gave the car a sporty look. In fact, Pete Brock became well known in sports car racing circles for many years.
Right on Russ I guess this means the project is on I cant think of a better use for the car besides a build based on Brocks car the 1st time around, judging by your past projects it should be a piece of cake eh Take a million pics while you build please.
So if I find a nice 49-51 Merc I should sell it instead of building the custom of my dreams??????? Russ, looks like a great project.....do whatever you want. If you need any help, let me know...
I'm all about cuttin' shit up, but I gotta agree with some of the folks on this one, you could probably sell that off and use the money to either buy a 46-48 to cut up, and you could use the extra money to buy a much cleaner beginning to your project, or buy a 46-48 in the same condition, and use the extra money to put into some of the big-dollar work/parts for the custom. I mean, it's your car, do what you want, but if you could have the same platform to work with PLUS extra money to put into it, seems like an easy equation.
Whats up with everybody wanting to cut up the rare and hard to find cars ,find something that theres plenty of and cut away,because when you do cut it up it will just be that a cut up,not original car that has lost its value.Your car ,one of the lucky people who has one that nice.
Not at all what I said. I just don't think I would cut up a car that has historical significance to make a replica of another car that has historical significance. My thinking was along the lines don-vee spelled out. But lets assume cash flow isn't an issue and take the financial incentive out of the equation altogether. I still can't help thinking there is a '46-'48 out there somewhere that might be in better condition to start with and would not, in the process, destroy the unique history this car embodies. Now, with all that said I love the style of the car he's trying to replicate and if he continues as planned, more power to him. I'd even offer to help too, if I weren't a go-zillion miles away. I love seeing old cars get cut up and something even cooler made out of them. I have only said things I would do not what he should do. He's the only one who can decide what he should do. The car is his not mine or anybody elses.
I applaud Russ for stashing this thing away for 12 years and rolling the build over and over in his mind for that long. 2 camps, hmmm everyone has thrown down their opinions here. How many times has each one of us heard that "if it was mine".... how'd that go over? Think Russ hasn't thought about it? How many years has he owned this vert - 12 ! I get the feeling Russ has a plan, and this doesn't seem to be his very first rodeo. If he has taken that amount of time to work it over in his head, I guess I'll stand back and watch for another great custom. EVERYTHING we drive will someday be rare!
The wheel is a 16-incher....should be easy to find down your way. I'd sell it after I get the next set on the car: might be a while. Russ V.
42 Fords and other cars are rare BUT were available Sept/Oct 41 or slightly earlier through about Feb 42. Many/most of the black-out cars/trucks actually had polished stainless mouldings/trim/die-cast which was painted black to meet the "restrictions" at least in the public eye. You've got it, cut it if you wish. It isn't that big a deal.
More Barn Find Comments: 1. I drove night and day to San Jose last fall and bought a very nice '41 convert to do the Pete Brock thing with, and after I got it back to Montana, I put it in storage to contemplate what I was about to do. I sold a very nice, amazingly complete and original '32 chassis to pay for the '41. So even though I was sitting on a nice '41 Ford last fall, and not out a lot of money, I hesitated to start the surgery. 2. I have been sitting on the '42 Ford for nearly 15 years (the last 12 years inside storage)....and until a couple of months ago, it was owned by a buddy of mine who would not trade or sell it. He finally relented, and the '42 is now mine. This '42 has a totally wasted floor pan, rockers, base of cowl, running boards, etc. Stock running gear is very rusty. Most sheet metal below the mid-section has serious rust. In my opinion, a restoration is out of the question due to missing parts and terrible rust in the lower sections. In other words, the '42 is a perfect candidate to be channelled and Brock'd...it will get a new floor and the lower (wasted) portions of the doors and quarters will be eliminated. 3. So to answer a few doubters, my original plan to cut up a pretty nice '41 convert was shelved after I was able to acquire this very rough '42 model. Do not let the pics lie to you, it is damn rough. But it will make a great Pete Brock-inspired custom. And, I really have given this project a lot of thought. 4. I guess the reason for this long post is to assure everyone that I do not consider this '42 Ford as any kind of precious commodity to be preserved, and that for some of the reasons expressed, I have spared my '41 Ford from the Pete Brock-style extreme surgery. The coming months will be filled with welding, grinding, fitting, and lots of "itch 'n scratch". Here are pics of the california '41 Ford convert that I have stored and will not cut up...(at least for now).
Russ, After seeing the pics of the '41 I agree with the direction you're taking. Better to preserve something that's actually there, as opposed to a rusted out torch magnet. Good luck with the '42 & keep us posted.
I was going to say...Its a blessing in disguise...even the Ford God didnt want you to cut it up!!! LMAO Regardless, love both cars esp being verts.
now that you've explained your self russ, i think that WE will allow you to do what you want with YOUR car, hahahahaha i wish i had some rare car to make all my own, the way i would want it....... looks like a cool project and please post pics along the way...
perfect way to look at it. The man didnt just stumble across this car and get to hacking, he stewed and mulled it over for 12 years, I'm pretty sure he has a plan thats worthy.
I think its really cool that a bunch of Hot Rod/Custom hooligans have enough respect for the past to want to preserve a car that has some historical value rather than cut it up. Kinda makes us a bit more legitimate or something... As it turns out this one isn't as good as it first appeared, but still the suggestions were made to think about preserving it. Hambers looking out for Hambers...and the cars. The Brock car is nice and I look forward to seeing the updates to this thread as the convert gets its new lease on lowness. Are we getting into a new era of fat???? Seems the chubby Fords are popping up more often!
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