Hot Rods What's the appeal of a Shoebox Ford?

Before and after

 

^^^ I wish mine was as smooth as your before picture. Nice car!

 

Somehow I got rooked into Shoeboxes because my great grandfather bought one new and it was their only car up until he and his kids p***ed away then my dad got it. I’ve owned a few of them mostly hot rodded and or customs then I acquired several from my dad when he moved to the big shop in the sky. He loved his woodie and had one of each body style at one time or another. Right now I have the woodie, my great grandfathers Tudor, and a 50 convertible that my dad and I was going through again before he died.

 

I had a moderate appeal to Shoeboxes from an early age. I was probably 7 years old in 1984 when I saw Thunder Road for the first time, as was the same time my dad ***embled a very low mileage 50 Meteor 2-door and took me on a few rips up and down the road in it.

As I got older, and I ended up with that 50, it needed to be built, as it was never finished, and began my planning process. Being spoiled with my 56 Ford Fairlanes, I soon began annoyed with things on the 50 that I didn't like; the kingpin suspension, master cylinder under the floorboard, hood hinges, and the smaller transmission tunnel that required enlarging for an automatic transmission. Minor I suppose, but add to that around here, every time I turned around there was a shoebox being built, or at a car show/cruise, I decided to move on and p*** it onto someone who would appreciate it and build it properly.

They can be very beautiful and built to perfection, as seen by the examples in this thread. Finding one in the shape that the OP originally posted, is a major project and you just have to be dedicated to the cause. For myself, if it was a 56 Ford, yep I'd do it. A shoebox, well, next please....

 

Mebbe I want one so I can pretend to be Robert mitchum? Lol

 

I am confused how they are shoe boxes, I have never seen a shoe box with round corners!









My father refers to 55/56 Chevys, and the early Chevy II/Nova as shoe boxes which I can see.

 

What's the appeal?....

 

I do get your point....and yet I get fired up whenever something OTHER than a 49-51 Ford or Meteor gets called a shoebox!

 

It was the whole slab sided thing, instead of fat fenders and running boards it looked like a shoebox

 

Look at the fat fenders before them, shoebox was flat sided compared to them. First of its kind and Chevy people are jealous copycats because they want the appeal of having a shoebox and cant

49-51 Ford The ORIGINAL shoebox!

 

One of the ugliest cars ever produced. The challenge of a Kustom shoebox is making it look good. That’s the only appeal, fixing Ford’s styling…

 

OUCH!!!

 

To each his own. I personally don't find them appealing. But whatever floats your boat.

But I can't find the picture now but back in the 1950's my father was stationed at Edwards AF Base. And we had an old 52 Ford, with a three on tree. Get in, no start. One of my oldest memories was my mother at the wheel, clutch pushed in, and my father and a couple of other servicemen pushing the car, until it got rolling and mama could let up the clutch and hopefully start it. Sometimes it took 2 or 3 tries. The guys at the base could never figure it way it wouldn't start sometimes. My father would curse all things Ford. Never again he said. Got himself a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere with a poly engine. That's another story. The old days, when was the last time you saw some guys push starting a car?

 

Pic in post #217 is making a ford look good?

 

Which part is factory shoebox? If you drastically change them, they can be kool.
The ***le asks a question does it not?
The man is looking for opinions.
I didn’t set out to hurt feelings but after a few beers I’m more truthful.

 

Well have another beer

 

Both seminal cars - the end of the Flathead era and the dawn of the Overhead era.

 

Too bad they demanded you be handcuffed for the photo...............

 

And I've never seen one with running boards.

 

I think he volunteered as he looks to be smiling?