Need some opinions on what chrome to keep

So I'm starting to contemplate what emblems and chrome to keep or ditch on my '58 Cadillac. I want the coupe to be a mild custom, nothing radical, but clean. I think I will keep the trunk crest and V, but get rid of the hood crest, and peak it. However I can decide if the hood birds should go? I think the "Cadillac" letters on the fins should go, but I'm not sure about the Coupe Deville emblems on the side. Cadillac really wanted everyone to know it was a Cadillac and put emblems everywhere. Some of them have to go. What do you think? The eventual plan for the car is to be bagged, get some fender skirts, no chop, maybe some bellflower exhaust...maybe lake pipes. A lot is up in the air.

 

Thats a tough question it looks good with it.....

 

Personally, I'd leave most of it, it's a Cadillac after all. I think when you strip them clean, they look kind of stark. I might lose the doodad on the front fender, and the spear on top the fenders,but that's about all. I might even keep the hood emblem, it's kinda cl***y.
I love that car btw. Now go do a proper introduction.

 

I´d keep it all. Esp. the hood "V". That´s what makes it a CADILLAC. It´s a pretty cl***y car just the way it sits. No offense, but that "peaked hood", skirts and "hellflowers" sound anything but.
Just look at it, the flowing lines it has and the grace of momentum they project. Do You want that or by addition of all that JC Whitn-ish junk make it look like it´s welded on to the ground in the back end?
It´s beautiful just the way it sits, a 2dr ´58 Caddy in a perfectly unmolested original shape, All it needs is a set of cool wheels (Caddy wires or chrome reverses) with or without ´bags. Add a nice, shiny, light-colored metallic paint and I guarantee You´ll be the only one in the next show with anything like it.

 

I have to agree with everyone leave most of it. A true mild custom would be Nosed, Decked and possibly frenched. Maybe shaved doors but that would be it. Lowered of course but no lake pipes. Nice set of "Real" caddy hubcaps and 1inch whites.

 

I want to leave most of the chrome pieces and just cut back on a few pieces. It's hard because I do love the crests. I have stock steelies and caps for it, and I'm ordering 3.25" WWW for it, and they will be radials. I don't want to get caught it an afternoon snow storm that comes in unexpectedly with bias plys. I think I'm shaving the handles, antenna (it's gone and it was power, I don't feel like messing with that). It's hard because there are so many options

 

This is my first project, so I'm still learning a lot about all of it. I thought about doing what they did in '56 and running the exhaust through the rear bumper...good or bad idea?

 

I'd keep it all too and go with the bias plies. Just me though.

 

I'd keep it all too and go with the bias plies. Just me though.

 

Being a fendered car, I feel like radials would be ok, and I want to drive her a decent amount, and I have heard, and driven cars with bias that wander, and I want to keep it to a minimum if I can.

 

What about t******* down some of the trim and replacing others with thinner but similar stuff, If done right most people wont notice or appreciate it, but it could give it just that little something to make it look so right. Mabey even make some of the outragious stuff either bigger or smaller, like 1/2" + or - on the fins. It falls in the same catigory as 1/2 chops

 

id love to have a 58 2 door caddy ....... if i were you and shaved anything off of it (which i wouldnt) it would be only the quarterpanel hash marks and the 2 emblems on top of the hood EVERY thing else would stay

 

That actually is a good idea. I may have to go ponder this over a few beers in the garage, and see what I can come up with.

 

If it were mine.... I would keep the V's only on the trunk and the hood. get rid of the spears on the tops of the the front fenders, all emblems on the sides, keep the big side spears, ditch the hatch marks on the rear quarters, and the handles and..... get ready for it...... ditch the trim on the tops of the fins . Bold move I know, but I think it will pay off in the long run !

oh and bagged with NO LAKE PIPES!

 

I'd keep most of it like others said, looks great with it...but it defiantly needs to be bagged!

 

Oh it's getting bagged for sure...when I have the $, and once it's driving sound. I'm still torn about what to do for the exhaust. I don't know if I should do bellflowers, typical dual, or try to run it out of the rear bumper. I've seen a 58 that had the trim off of the top of the fin. Wish I could remember where I saw it now. It was a cool coupe, had a purple to orange fade paint job. Anyone know it?

 

What ever you do, don't put skirts on that car. It has some of the prettiest wheel openings of any car. I'd run Caddy wires and the WWWs you've chosen. Try dropping it a couple of inches and see how you like it. Do a search on Larry Watson. Take inspiration from his Cadillacs.

And, for God's sake, don't run straight pipes. It's a luxury car, not a jalopy...

 

i removed the chrome fins from the top of the hood and the badges from the sides of the front fenders, and i painted the bumpers black, everything else i kept.
you'll regret getting rid of the letters on the tailfins, they are cool. if you do decide to remove stuff you will be able to sell it and pay for your build, caddy trim is expensive, i was looking for a blister bead molding for my 58, have fun finding one for less than $1k in perfect shape, even the bent up and dented ones sell for $300 plus.