Shaved drip rails....why the hate??

I know there are a lot of guys that don't like the look of shaved drip rails on a custom. Besides the practical reasons...water down the back of your neck during a rainstorm...amount of work involved...why is everyone so opposed to 'em?

Some of the most famous Barris cars have shaved drip rails...

The Sam Barris Merc...thanks Jeem




Sam's Buick...



Dan Landon Chevy (although I believe the sectioned roof is what makes the shaved rails work on this car)...



And so many others...the Quesnel Merc, Buster Litton shoebox, etc. Obviously this doesn't work on every car (I'm not planning on it for my Chevy), but on many it does...to me it's one of those touches that give a custom that early look.

Just looking to generate some discussion here...along with your response, post up pics of cars that either do or don't work with this mod and why.

Bryan

 

cause it looks like ****.... generaly speaking at least. it's a "flow" thing.

 

I dont know..
sure makes for a clean look..
im sure its mostly the water issue..but who cares
its all about sacrifices...right?

 

that merc looks like **** to you?

I think it looks sweet

 

im sure he he was suggesting the drip rails on would look like **** and **** up the flow..

 

i have always been a fan of shaved drip rails. on some cars, i think it is a pre-req.

IMO, everything that can go... should go. i love the clean shaven look.

 

oh..ok i didnt read it that way...my bad

 

some cars it messes with the flow, MOST cars it just makes the roof like m***ivly bulbus unless the roofs been pancaked or sliced up in some manor

 

Depends on the car, Like it on the Merc, but no so much on the Buick, the doorline stands out too much prolly because of the window trim

 

No I think he is saying that not having them looks like ****.

 

With Merc's, the roof looks thicker when you remove the drip rail. The rail gives a line to break up the area above the window. But that is just my opinion and with seeing as many with shaved rails, not everyone will agree with me.

Neal

 

I live in the N W, we shave *****s, not Drip Rails!!!............OLDBEET

 

Agreed. I think the problem with the Buick is the two pieces of trim on the window frame and the b-pillar. There is not much that I think Sam didn't do well but I have to say I don't like that.

 

Down here....lots of shaved pussies at the tip rail!!

Bryan

 

i think the rails look great on a custom,especially 49 52 chevys, it looks more complete and detailed but then again it also looks great without em' if done right. i know im gonna get a lot of **** for sayin' it ,but i think it's just another reason to talk sh@#*!t. im personnaly keeping the rails on my 51 chevy but i know it would also look great without them. a lot of very opiniated people ,sorry to say!!

 

Some earlier models...

Barris built '41 Buick...



Bill De Carr Merc...



The Westergard stuff too...one of my favorites, the Mel Falconer '39...



All photos courtesy of Rikster's site.

Bryan

 

Opinions are fine...just looking for explanations to back 'em up.

Bryan

 

Looks OK on a really dark colored car. But with lite colors there is a jog at the "B" pilar that my eyes just don't like. The flow ain't there!...........OLDBEET

 

COPY THAT!!

 

It's a custom they should be dark colors.

 

Can you buy repro drip rails or is it a find them in the salvage yard thing? I've got a 51 Chevy truck that needs some. The ones on it are pretty much shot.

 

I don't mind the shaved drip rails.....but why go through all the trouble of shavin' a car into a SMOOTH custom, only to upset the FLOW with spots.......

 

If you look at that photo of the Bill De Car Merc above, you'll see what I'm talking about: one problem with shaved drip rails is they make the roof look FAT, but the OTHER problem is on some cars you end up with the door edges just sort of sticking out there, because there is no rear line to carry through to the end of the roof.
The Mel Falconer car doesn't really count, because that lift-off top is so thin, and the Barris '41 Buick avoids the problem by changing the shape of the door opening so much, but with straight-up door posts and a square corner and no drip rail, the door just ruins the flow. It's not as bad on Barris's '49 Mercury, but on most it just looks wrong.

And I think Barris et al got rid of them just for the sake of making the cars look different. Nowadays new cars have no drip rails, so you make your old car look more "different" by leaving them on!

 

I guess some customs look good without them,,,but the 40 Ford sedan that we replaced them on was greatly improved,,,it looked like **** before we started. HRP

 

...Bryan, i shaved mine. it just seemed like the right thing to do ya know? for me at least, on "my custom".

...i love drip rails don't get me wrong...but i would never say it was a make-or-brake touch to a custom.

-marty

 

Drip rails or the hint of the rail itself is a no-brainer for me. Sam's Merc (sorry, The Sam Barris Merc) is a rare example of a car that works w/o. BUT, would look better with. I'm not sure I can put this in words, accurately, but the drip rail, or some semblance of it frames the side gl*** and helps define the flow of the top portion of the car.

I've always put shaved drip rails right up there with flame throwers and cruiser skirts, etc....

 

i said "GENERALY SPEAKING". there are always exceptions.

JEEM "gets it". ofcourse i would expect he would being a trained design profesional wish exquisite taste.

 

OMG! Boyd? is that you?? i heard you were dead!!!

 

NO. the problem with the Buick is that the drip rails were removed...

 

even custom Gods like old Sam had to learn some way or another and i'll bet he even made a "mistake" or two along the way. he might even admit to some of them. you can ask him when you see him ...