Hey guys I just bought a 59 chevy bel air to use as my family cruiser. I was wondering if you guys could give me some ideas on styling. I am going for a early 60's mild custom style. Wide whites or skinny white? Spider caps? Bellflower tips? Lakepipes? Im not really sure of that time frames style. Any help would be great. Thanks, TJ
Early '60's would be narrow whites,chrome wheels and baby moons. No mags in my area. Long lake pipes on the sides. A lot had the fake spotlights and also the back was lowered with straps across some coils. Flat tail lights was big. This quickly changed to the down in front and up in back look. The long scavenger pipes were then used and lake plugs behind the front wheels.
Your approach seems awkward. Why pick an era if you don't know what it's going to look like? Thus shouldn't you pick a look that appeals first? Then try to figure out what era matches up to the look you want, so that the smaller details on the car match the major details that you like best. Maybe I misunderstood what you're asking.
Just use good taste. It does not have to be 100% period correct. but we get back to good taste. like don't run lake pipes, with 18" and 20" wheels.Build it theway you like.
The style of the car itself appeals to me. I was just wondering what the style was in that time period. Sorry maybe I did not phrase my question properly.
My first car was a 59 belair 2 door post. 283,glide,a/c that didn't work. I wish I had it back. That was in 1968. It was painted a light brown metallic from the factory with a white top. I painted the inside what we used to call rootbeer brown and had a mexico interior from Acuna Mexico. I had chrome reverse with baby moons on small whites. I was cool! I even rode around with the windows up so everybody thought my a/c worked. go to www.carnut.com should be a ton of pictures. TP
I'd get as many 1960 custom car magazines as I could find and that will show you just how they did it then and YOU take it from there. '59 Chevy's are great looking cars and make nice mild kustoms.
My suggestion is to go with Astro Supreme style wheels and skinny whites, along with some suspension lowering. Here is my old 60 El Camino with Astros and lowered more than you probably are looking to do, but to show the wheels.
Thanks for all the help guys. Whats the best way to go about lowering it. I was gonna just cut the coils but im not sure it will be low enough.
got any pics of your car? that would help. and yes you can get those cars real low with cut coils. and they ride just fine on a budget.
I agree, pick up some magazines at your next swap meet. You'll find that things changed quickly in those days. Everyone was trying to make changes to stay fresh for the next car show and trends came and went. Finally with that said, '59-60 were some of the best 'factory customs' and only need a little to go a long way. But, then again I'm a little bias.
those pretty much all coulda been being used in the early 60s. skinny whites were coming into popularity but some folks were hangin on to the wide white fad aswell. i'm just goin by what i've read and seen in the old mags and books i've had occasion to look through. my parents were still babies in the early 60s. LOL
we cut the coils on my buddies 59 more door Chebbie and it was PLENTY low. about as low as you'd want it without some way to raise it back up. i THINK we cut 2 rings out of each spring. i'd start with one and go from there. measure it before you start so you know how much that one coil got ya so you have at least some idea of how much another whole ring will get ya or if you should go with half a ring. coils are pretty easy to take out and REAL easy to put back in once they have been cut. especialy the rears. take your time cause if you cut too much you'll be left with a car that won't get outa the driveway and you'll be buyin new springs. ...shameless plug. if ya decide to bag it let me know. i can sell you a kit at a great price.
haha, bet that ****ed in the summer. i'm getting a 59 biscayne in a few days, gonna go with a factory paint scheme and 65 impala hubcaps with pinner whites. TJR, lots of good pics on carnut...
My '60 has a coil and a half cut on all four corners. Sits about right ( in my opinion) and rides pretty decent, too. Although it will bottom out on really bad roads.
for you?? $850. you can see it here: http://www.easystreetair.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=384
'59-'60 Chevs are easy.....either WWW or narrow whites....BOTH look good, depending on the paint.... I dig WWW on chrome reverses myself, with the centers painted, with the car on a slight rake......gotta have tuck 'n rolls..... If ya 'flake it.....narrow whites......
Hey man, just finished my 59 and it makes a great family ride. The paint is JD black with copper rims and scallops.
Hey man you gotta put skinny whitewalls with chrome reverse wheels bellflower tips tuck n roll an some whiteAngle hair!!
I know its not a 59 but i was trying to decide the same thing with my 63. Because its a 4dr 6cyl I just had fun with it, Wide whites, steel wheels, air ride, and i practice my pin striping on it. Also threw some seat belts in the back for the kiddos. It has some spider caps on it now.
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