In my typical fashion, while in the midst of one huge project, I'm distracted by another one waiting in the wings. Not only do I have a small and growing pile of parts for a late 30's/early 40's Indy inspired roadster (and a line on a Jag 4.2 ) but I have this '59 T'Bird mouldering away. 5 years ago, it was a nice looking mild custom, with an admittedly gaudy (and ill fitting for the cars style) Candy flamed paint job, that got tapped in the parking lot at work. I was tired of the paint, and started stripping it down to redo it. That's where it stopped. The car has a 5.0 HO, I'd swapped some Torino disk brake spindles on the front, and a set of new 17" Salf Flat Special wheels. It's got a beautiful steel tonneau cover I built, and the original top is removable, along with a set of '64 convert bows, also removable. The interior is done, original seats and lots machine finish aluminum panels which I really like. So, now what? I have kept the idea (inspired by a car in a show in the local Sears parking lot in the 60's) of a two place car with a severely chopped windshield in my head that would look great on this car. Frameless, about 6-8 inch high windscreen, solid color. Sort of "Bonneville-ish" speedster style. The other idea, which would be WAY more practical, is a less radical chop, keeping the option of having the stock (but now removable) hardtop and convert tops I went to alot of work to build. I thought it would work well, and be kind of fun, to sink the stock windshield into the cowl about 3". I like the compound curve at the top of the 'Birds windshield, which would make it hard to chop and keep the lines. Leaning the rear window forward to thin up the bulky rear top panels, keep the side windows, etc. Maybe bright silver, sort of accentuate the jet aircraft inspired factory lines. Either way would work well with the wheels I have on it, and result either way would be pretty cool. The windshield thing is the question. Not that I need somebody to tell me what to do, how much it's worth, nor a hue and cry about how ugly a '59 'Bird is, but a little shove in the right (or ANY ) direction to get me going on this car. It's not doing me or anybody else any good setting here. So, which way to go? Don't bother telling me 80's Gran Marquis wheels are ugly, they're long gone!
Sweet car! I love old Tbirds... I think the option of a smaller chop and keeping the tops is keen, put some skirts and pipes on it, paint it satin with wide whites and some scallops... maybe touch up the grill with some drawer pulls. Love it!
Not while I own it! Gee, that sounds kinda harsh in retrospect. It's simply that particular thing has been done. Over, and over, and over.
Having had a 62 T-bird with the top removed I vote for the more practical route especially if you plan on driving it. I found with mine I had to drive with one eye on the road and one on the sky, if it started to cloud up I either had to sprint for home or get wet. Either way it goes it will look great. Congradulations, Mike.
A little bit of telstar treatment on the tail would go a long ways to zoom those lines up, especially with the speedster cover and chopped windshield. Rest of the car is so flowing but the tail is so square & abbreviated. Whatever you do, it'll surely be *****in. Good luck
A local guy did the speedster thing on a T-bird like that a while back. It ended up flat black with red scallops. They don't look bad that way. I guess I'd suggest photoshopping it up with you changes and see how it looks.
I know it's been done, but it still looks killer! But hey, I'm all for going fresh too... how about putting a Starliner roof on it or sweeping the rear fins outwards along the lines of a 59 chevy to match the front headlight angles...
Why not turn it into a Thunchero (Ranchero) type vehicle. If not sell the hand made tonneau cover and make it into a real 2 seater.
Theres alot of ways to go on the roof but no matter wich way you go those birds are way kool . Here's some pic's of my late brother 60 windshield area that might be of some help. He used a stock uncut windshield and leaned it way back and sunk it very deep in the rear so he could eleminate the vent windows completely and still have the door gl*** seal work when rolled up . He also made a kool removable tounal cover for it. He was planing to make a removable light weight fibergl*** top.
Here's a couple more old photos of the 'Bird. Sinking the windshield seems like a viable thing to do, thanks for putting those photos up.
Oh, and I'm thinking the rear "bumperettes" with the little Dagmars ought to be chrome, but the lower pan should, and will be body color. The front bumper on mine was pretty severely twisted, and I removed the bumper guards, filled the flats spots and shaved it. Thus, there's lots of filler. That may be a good piece to experiment with the paint process that looks like chrome. The beautiful green chopped Chev. hardtop featured in this months R&C, owned by the young couple in the "Relix" car club, uses this, and the effect is stunning. Good way to save otherwise unusable (or unchromable) parts.
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