Ive never really posted on here before... I tried my hand at turning my truck into a late 50’s style mild custom truck. I’ve had the truck for about 7 years and last year I decided to make a custom grill. My friend was tossing away a rotten 54 Chevy car grill so I took it. That snowballed from there. Here’s what I ended up with. I’ll post a few pics from the build as well. I made lots of mistakes and paint is not perfect but it’s mine, and I made it at home and I’m gonna drive it. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I started with a rotten 54 chev grill my buddy was tossing out. I welded it between stock headlight buckets. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I saw pics of your ride posted on one of the kustom threads here on the H.A.M.B. and immediately fell in love with it! The use of the Stude taillights is an unexpected treat. I'm curious: Did you used two '54 Chevy grille bars, or is the top bar is from a different source?
Then I decided to cut the hood and pull it forward to match the peak of the grill. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The truck already had a custom lower valence. I think this truck use to be cool once up a time but was pretty cheesy when I got it. There’s some strange things changed on it. Like the body lines on the front of the fenders fade away. I just didn’t like the look of it it was arched kinda looked like a roll pan on the back of a late model truck. So I just flattened the bottom out. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Then I scored some Plymouth bumpers at a flea market. They were rough, corners were rotten through. But I was going to use chrome paint just because of the stuff I was working with. I put the two corners from the Plymouth rear on the front and the center is from a front bumper. I put the Plymouth rear on the back of the truck. I cut the bumper every couple inches to change the shape. Welded in wedges.after I had that shaped the way I wanted it I went to finish welding it and didn’t reclamp it. By the time I was done I realized I was back to the original shape. That was a frustrating night. Got to do it all over again and learned a lesson.. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Wow!! Thank you for posting your build pics. Your truck is one of my favorite kustoms that I have seen this year. Posting build pics are important, because you might influence someone else to start building a kustom. Cut it up, its only metal..
I wanted some license plate frames but I wasn’t sure what to do. I had two Plymouth bumperettes so I decide try something. I thought I could make two frames with two bumperettes if I split them. So I cut one in half and made a box to go between the two halves. I liked how it worked out so I made another one. I sectioned the front one but left the rear one so I could fit lights in.. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Wow thanks!!! I’m pretty flattered, I’ve gotten a lot of positive comments so far. I had some good friends that pushed me and guided me in the right direction and taught me a lot. I really had a good time doing this project. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The next big problem I had was turn signals. I was stuck here for a while, my friend Chris nudged me in the right direction. Told me to use my stump and make some pods to go under the buckets. The lenses are just cut out of a cheap led dome light, heated up and shaped to fit. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
For taillights I didn’t know what to do except I knew I did not want to use 50 merc lights. I was at a fleamarket and a friend found an really old magazine and there was a tech article showing that 48/49 studebaker taillights fit ford truck fenders pretty well. So I got my hands on some. The bezels are chrome painted as well. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
My tailgate was pretty ugly, must have had some kind panel at one point and had that dry area in middle so I decided to paint it. It was pretty warped and stretched outward. I tried my hand at shrinking with the torch. It worked pretty good. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Next I had to start learning body work and paint. I really found sanding frustrating. I sanded off and swept up prob 5x more product than should have ever been used. My friend started teaching me how to spray primer in his driveway and I continued on my own at home. Then he came over and we painted in my garage. 749a60fa9dbdf22690366aafe2576617.jpg[/IMG]My paint is not perfect. It has blemishes. But whatever. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Layout my out the scallops was tough. I found that the moved as you walk around the truck. I had to basically just choose the angle where I thought they’d look best and viewed from most often. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The tonneau cover is just plywood coated in resin. I cut out the diamond and got it sewn up in gold metal flake vinyl in same style stitch as my seats. And then I covered the rest in black vinyl. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Damn, brother! You've got an amazing eye for true, old-school kustomizing! I really hope to see you try out some more builds---even if you just sell them to fund the next one!
The truck sure turned out great Nick, I’m so happy that you had fun through to the end. Have a great weekend at Motorama in Toronto this weekend... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks!! I had friends that guided me though and tried to educate me. Spent a lot of time online looking at stuff too. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Even here in salt-coated Wisconsin, I never saw a '49 Plymouth bumper that rotten. My hat's off to you for fixing it. Great save there.
I love the license plate surrounds from the bumperettes. Man, what a great idea! what is this chrome paint you speak of and what is the process?
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