Yeah, I'm ditching the idea to use a Model A frame. I think building a frame to fit the body rather than the other way around will make more sense. I'll get the tub done and go from there. That'll take a while by itself. I do want to use the straight six and three speed saginaw trans I've got, along with stock wheels, skinny tires; sort of a custom/stocker, I guess. Like it'll look like some old no frills roadster, but you cant quite figure out what brand it is. Lots of good ideas, thanks for all of the encouragement.
Can I toss my 2 cents in? I like the idea of sectioning the body and keeping the reveal over the "running boards". It'll make the car look more interesting. I'd lose the stock w/s posts entirely and build (or scrounge) some aluminum posts ala a Duvall type w/s. I used an MGB posts and frame. Secondly, rather than keep the huge wheel openings, cut the entire back end of the body off right over the center of the fender opening. This'll leave about 10 or 12" of the horizontal surface of the deck lid, which would be an ideal place to have a fuel tank tucked into, and let the rear end hang out in modified style. If there's one thing I don't like about my Fordillac, it's the way the "bustle" of the trunk looks from a straight on side view. In retrospect, a slant back, or doing what I've suggested to you, would have looked much better from the side. 3/4 front, 3/4 rear views are great, but it looks clumsy when viewed straight on. The photos are of a Hotwheels car that's been setting on the computer desk ever since I started the roadster project, and should illustrate what I mean. I like your project so far, and I'll second the idea of getting a rear axle, and a wide one, under it ASAP. Get whatever front axle you're gonna use so you can mock everything up. Prop up the bits on jacks, blocks, 2x4's and cement blocks untill you get a look that you like. Doesn't hurt to have an engine/trans as well. You can't tell how and where the steering, brake cyl., and seating is gonna work out untill you have all the bits in place. Good luck, keep the photos com'n!
I looked through your Fordillac thread; beautiful job. Honestly, I think your trunk looks great but I like the modified style, too. I'll have to see when I get that far. I would have thought about keeping the reveal on the bottom but the car was absolutely gone from rust on the bottom.
I got a bunch of free unistrut from a demo job they did at my building so I bought some casters and built a body cart to get this stabilized and mobile. At least it's up off the ground so I wont have to bend over to work on it.
Interesting project. One thing that helps me a lot when I'm trying to sort things is to have everything the same color. I shoot a light coat of red oxide laquer primer over the thing to get a better view. all the differentt color breaks up the flow and makes it difficult for me to visualize what I need to change. My wife always said I was visual! My.02
I look at this and my tainted mind keeps going to the possibility of splicing in an early Valiant trunk and quarters to make use of the slanted "Cats-eye" tailights. You could have the Valiant side fins mould into the original fender opening lines in such a way to make them the continuation of the fins into a downward sweeping body line, right to the rocker panels. The wheelwell openings would then be sized and located to make the new bodyside proportions eye pleasing. Valiants had a nice big wheelwell opening that might even work as is! The dummy Continental spare on the Valiant might help too!!!! I don't have Photoshop but maybe someone who does can work the recipe... OK...I'm sick...but I'm trying and I mean well!
What about some 40 Ford passenger car rear fenders, and maybe even some fronts too! The rears could be narrowed if need be to keep the wheels tucked-in, it would be alot easier than removing the whole fender well area. Just an idea....
Lots of good ideas; i've got some stock rear fenders. I might have to try those. Great idea on getting it all one color, too. I think I'll work on getting the whole thing down to bare steel; it might help visualize it better.
Looks like a lot of fun, and I agree that those wheelwells are going to be the Pass/Fail area. That Hot Wheel may be the tip; hack off the entire rear, shorten it a ton and narrow it so it's just a taste of the original curves, tucked between the tires and not extending behind the rubber. The tires will dictate how well that can be pulled off and not look funny. You can set the body back on the ground, along with the engine and trans to get your scrublines and driveline angles, but NOTHING beats setting everything up at ride height so you can make the stance right, and stance is huge! EDIT: Can you get some straight on side shots for the Photoshop guys here? They may be able to give you some ideas.
It's a lot of contemplating, for sure. Getting the wheelwells and rear right is going to be the backbone. I've narrowed it 7" and it looks about right; I've got a trunklid I'm going to narrow and tack in place to try and get a better view of the rear with some steel on it. Getting rid of the C pillars and rear window area and getting that smooth is going to be the hard part on this. If I can get a smooth transition from the trunk up through the rear edge of the passenger compartment I think the rest will come together.
I narrowed the decklid and started tacking it into place to try and get a better visual. About halfway up the decklid it starts to rise in the middle toward the rear window; I think if I can get rid of that and keep the curve of the lower half of the decklid going, it'll transition smooth enough to remove the c pillars and the rear shelf. I want a nice smooth curve going right up to the area behind the passenger compartment. Here's another thought; I was looking at the center section of the front doors laid together. It measures pretty close to the width behind where the seat will be. If I cut that section out of the doors, I might be able to do something with it. I dont know, just thinking out loud right now.
I like the trunk a lot. The space above it will be a problem, but you knew that going in. You going to have a top?
For me, this is the kind of build that makes my heart go pitter-pat! The 'normal stuff' that you can see at just about any car show, anywhere, just doesn't interest me anymore. Show me the weird or the whacky ideas that the truely disturbed come up with, now that's doing somthin'! It doesn't always come out the way you'd like to see it the first time. So what, you made it you can change it, when the right idea comes along. In the mean-time, drive it and enjoy the confusion and consternation you will cause wherever you go! ha! Congradulations on venturing outside! Dan Stevens dba, Steelsmith
Keep up the good work and keep us posted. I'm another one thats going to keep an eye on this build. Good luck.
I like your car! I'm pretty much a traditionalist (sp?), but some of these Thom Taylor style cars intrigue me. Have fun. Some of us get so involved in what others think about our builds we loose track of what WE want.
I've got to tell you I love this but the hardest part about a project like this is Finishing it. Its so much work you run the risk of spending a lot of time on this and then getting burned out. What your doing now is the fun stuff, the creation of something new. To be honest this is the easy stuff! If you can stick out all the grunt work after the shell is created I will applaud you. I don't want to be a buzz kill but unless your in for the really long haul just enjoy the practice. GOOD LUCK hope I don't sound like a Ass
It's funny how this started as some old junk I was going to pitch; I'm trying to keep an open mind that there's always a possibility that it may not work in the end. So for now I'm just having fun and hoping for the best. You guys are right; it's the weird and bizzare that seems to be the most enjoyable. I've got a 48 Plymouth coupe I'm doing at the same time so if this gets frustrating I can take a break and still keep wrenching. Thanks for tuning in and the kiind words.
I think doing something like this is great fun and really challenges your ability to create a coherent theme through out the entire project. By that I mean, are some of the joints rounded and some squared off?! Or are they all the same style, and look like they belong. The 'Face' (grille end of the car), needs to be truely distinctive without being over-blown in relation to the rest of the modifications done on this project. I've seen several radical roadsters that have a great 'Face' with the rest of the car being rather bland. Balance in the project is key to the overall look. If the entire projet is over the top, that's OK. So is a more sedate look, just make sure that theme is carried out through the whole build or the feeling that 'something is wrong/missing or incomplete', can be a nagging feeling in the back of your mind. Dan Stevens dba, Steelsmith
Very true; I dont want it to look like some amature piece of crap that I'd be embarrased to admit I built. I'd much rather have be simple and look good than be a bad attempt at something that's way out of my skill level. This is my first shot at something like this so I think I shouldn't try to be Daryl Starbird on the first try. I'm sure Daryl's available tools are better than mine, anyway.
For sale on Ebay; I hate to give up but the economy has forced me to take on more paid work and downsize to one only project car. Hopefully someone will be able to finish it.
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