So I was super active on years ago and frankly most of my closest friends in my life today I either met on here or through here so like many I owe a great deal of gratitude to this space. Now with all that said like many others I haven’t exactly been active on here since I got on IG some many years ago and I miss y’all. So I started getting back on here and there in the past couple of years and noticed there’s typically not a whole lot going on in terms of build threads these days with the exception of a couple here and there. so long story short a mentor of mine Chris Pekarek started this car back in the 70’s as a late 50’s early 60’s radical build and as for so many of us life got busy and he never got to finish it. Unfortunately we lost him a while back. after his passing some folks he knew from way back purchased the car from the family, I let it be known that if the car was ever sold I’d really like to buy it. A couple years later I got the call, I purchased it but wasn’t done building my garage so I had no where to put it. The seller offered to store it and it sat mothballed for a couple more years. just recently I was able to bring it home and am excited to start picking away at it. my plan is to do a semi budget build with it and drive the damn wheels off of it just like Chris did his finished cars. so some details on the car, it started life some years ago as a 57 Buick. The roof has been shortened to have the profile of an el Camino but instead of having a bed it’s actually got 2 decklids welded together. It has a 59 Chevy dash, hand fabbed package tray to mimic the 59 dash, T bird buckets, hand fabricated tail light housings, hooded headlight lenses and a 394 olds engine and a Chevy rear now all that said I’m not a 100% what’s going to stay and go just yet but I wanted to start a build thread to not only document the car but also I miss contributing to the hamb. so hey y’all! Enjoy some of the pics of this wild ass thang.
I agree, it needs about a foot taken out of the tail to make it look more propotional. Neat looking project though!
Times 3 on the rear clip, cut it down to one porthole. When I saw the title, this is the exact car that came to mind, really glad someone is going to finish it. Thanks!
That is a mad looking thing. I'd agree about shortening it up though. You might get tired of people telling you it's a flower car otherwise. Quick photochop, with the wheelbase and the tail shortened up. (Also featuring my latest invention, the hover trailer.)
Looks like a lot of work has been done and you should just continue on with the process. Maybe make one or two heavy changes and go on to finish it up. The trunk lid looks good. Keep us posted.
I like it. I'm not sure why, it looks all wrong but yet I like it. I would finish it as-it was intended. What a great tribute to your buddy! Cool!!
You took about a foot out of it in front of the rear wheel? Anywhere else? also thanks for photoshopping it so I can see what it looks like!! Oh and that hover trailer is bound to be a big seller!!!!
the thing about the portholes are those are now exhaust portholes So where did you come across the car to begin with?
Hello, Nice and interesting project for you. So, that is where my dad’s old blue 1957 Buick Roadmaster sedan went to rest… HA! Westside of Long Beach 1957 Wow, what a custom approach to a 57 Buick sedan. The only thing needed are the 4 side holes to make it complete. But, wait, since everyone is making noises about proportion and such, why not modify the rear to end the complaints. A different approach would be to use the length to your advantage. The length of the rear area looks perfect to make a lift up lid for an El Camino pickup bed below. It would still have the length of the original Buick Roadmaster and now, you would have the only Buick El Camino in existence during these pandemic times. Lid down and it looks like the original idea of a custom radical Buick. Jnaki 1957 Roadmaster My brother and I spent plenty of times in that old Buick Roadmaster. It was our dad’s first 2 door Buick since his 1941 fastback sedan. But, for us, it was the last family vacation vehicle, as the two brothers were getting too large to sit in the back during the long road trips. But, we could have used a pickup for our tow vehicle in 1959-60 era. It is an interesting concept to start as a base.
In front of and also behind the rear wheel. This is a bit confusing to look at, but here's an overlay of the original pic. There's about a half a porthole missing..
You should either remove the deck lid and build it as a "Ute", or seriously shorten up the rear and build a "Motorama" style concept car.
I appreciate all the feed back guys! I don’t dislike the idea of it being shortened but I also love that it has the profile of an elcamino but with a super long decklid im also not opposed to doing it like an elcamino with maybe a snap on tonneau cover or something too
Looks like the tail could be longer... The body man in me thinks about the effort in will take to make the panels and body lines straight over the crazy length of the panels....
Welcome back! And thanks for posting! I like James' Photoshop. I also think 6 or 8 inches added to the roofline could balance a lot of it out. Definitely has potential.
I'm with Tman although I think that lengthening the roofline would fix most of the proportion issues. The wonky-looking door windows need help... and the extended headlights need a bit of shortening.
The Jalopy Journal
