Built in the 80s rod? - Upgrade advice?

This 48 was built in the mid 80s and I think need's some updating. Do you agree or am I just nuts? ..... What is not right with this picture?


Running gear is good - 302 C4 9" Mustang II

 

Wheels....Steelies would be cool. Either chrome or color matched with caps. If your keeping the wires I'd run a 1 inch white wall. That steering wheel looks out of place, stock or more of a cl***ic banjo. My 2 cents, you asked.

 

Whitewalls and a new steering wheel... call it done!!!

 

Steering Column, Steering Wheel, Gauges, and new Wheels and Tires

 

I agree. I really like the car, but wheels don't quite match the rest of the styling. I'd go with the Color/matched caps route. And I also agree with changing the steering wheel. Some purists might want to change tohe column and the wheel, but I think just a more traditional style steering wheel would do the trick. Ultimately, you have ot be happy with it, but this is MTC,too.

 

steering columns don't need sweaters... new wheel, column, wires would work with skinny whitewalls like gecko said, painted steelies look good, but chrome steelies always goes. the car looks really good though. I didit roaster column with factory type wheel, maybe something from a 50s car.

 

Wow! Great start, at least its not aqua with pink scallops. Easy changes for sure - wheels, tires and steering wheel will make a big difference.

 

I like the spokes
dare to be different

 

I say wheels and tires. I like the steering wheel but Im a Ford Nut what do I know.

 

I think it's fine. Steel wheels with caps and rings at the most, or something like that. Gary

 

is that crushed velour? if it is, that really dates it.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the wires, but they don't offend me either. The steering wheel definitely has to go, a 40 ford wheel would look good. I would also change the valve covers to get rid of the little horsey's and maybe a different air cleaner.
Overall, I like it, I'd drive it.

 

if I purchased that car the first thing I would have done when I got home was immediatly removed the chrome blobs from the windshield posts.

not a bad looking car... column is ugly, but not worth the effort to change it. wheels aren't bad, I'd probably go with steelies and caps when the tires wore out on the spokes.

I'd probably be too busy driving around with a **** eating grin to worry much about changing things..... except the spots.

 

Loose the cloth inserts in the seats and door panels,go two tone, white or Ivory? Dave

 

I didn't notice the dummy spots. Yep, those gotta go too.

 

I'd have to agree. Those chrome zits need to go in the swapmeet box along with that but ugly steering wheel. I'm not a fan of those wires either but there might be narrow white walls on the back sides of those tires that might help there. Keep the hood closed and don't worry about that part for now. I've only been to one event that required that hoods be open in the last 40 years so keeping it closed isn't an issue.

 

Steering wheel: replace it with something from the period.
Rims: replace them with chrome reverse rims or painted steelies and baby moons.
Steering column: replace it with something from the period, and no column shifter. Add a floor shifter instead.
Air cleaner: ditch it in favor of something cooler, from the period.
Drive the **** out of it!

Great looking car, btw. Love the stance.

 

Yep.

 

59 Chevy Impala steering wheel. Red Painted steelies with caps and trim rings. Change the pleated inserts on the interior to white hyde. I'm just sayin! Oh ya White Walls.

 

take the wires off and sell them to me!

 

I say get rid of the wheels and tires, steering wheel and hide the CD player. Other than that I'd rock it!

 

Nice car!!!

chronologically,,,dummy spot lights ARE traditional, lots of early 1950's car had them.

keep em if you want,,

do some photoshopping of the car's exterior and interior berfor you do anything,,,saves time and money,,,

 

Honestly,it's a pretty nice car but if it were mine I would update sometime in the future for this style.HRP

 

Thanks Hamber's. The input is much appreciated. The seat's looks really dated to me also. The mustang column looks way out of place agreed. I'm on the fence with the tru spokes although the white wall idea may make the difference... and yea - I will just keep the hood closed so the pony's don't get out

 

Just whitewall tires will make a big difference even if you do decide to keep those wire wheels. (And if you take them off, KEEP THEM! They're starting to become collectible.) You are lucky, though: no painted chrome, no molded bumpers, and no splash graphics. It could have been much, much worse. You have a beautiful car that just needs a couple details attended to. Enjoy!

 

Remove the steering wheel and go with a 15'' ivory colored wheel from likeworks (leave the column), I'm not a fan of the wire wheels on 41-48 Fords so remove the wheels and tires and go with 15'' steel wheels painted to match your cars color or black or even ivory to match the steering wheel. Firestones White walls (black or maroon wheels) with trim rings and hubcaps or just chrome lug nuts...no caps. Hide the stereo in the glove box and call it done. Removing the wire wheels will be no 1.

 

Just be clear on one thing, If you do keep the wires, use some NARROW white walls, like 5/8" or so. It would be a dissaster with wide whites and chrome wires. On top of that, like every body else said, gauges and steering wheel. Oh ya, and loose the spots...

 

As many have said, that’s a great start. I love the backdate-the-street-rod game, too. Since I loved Back to the Future as a kid, let’s shoot for a 1955 look. A sixties look would probably be easier (especially with those Skylark-style wire wheels), but it’s not really my cup of tea on an immediate-postwar car.

I’d be either looking for the steering column and wheel from a ‘50s car with an automatic, or acquiring one of those Limeworks faux ‘40 columns along with a restored ‘47 wheel. The pedal pads from something from the ‘50s would be good too (Fordomatic-equipped ‘52 Ford?), as the trim on them currently puts them in the sixties in my mind.

The wheels could be either chromed GM steelies, or ‘47-style 16s from Wheel Vintiques. Probably with wide whitewalls either way. I will understand if you refuse bias plies, but they would look good.

The 302 wasn’t around in the ‘50s, but a set of valve cover adapters to run F O R D embossed valve covers off an FE would help, as would an oil bath aircleaner. Some would propose dressing it like a Fairlane 221, but I’ve been trying to stick with a mid-fifties theme.

If the upholstery material is really dated (somebody mentioned crushed velour), you could find a period accessory seat cover, or look into those inexpensive EZ Boys upholstery kits.

The dummy spots don’t really bug me, although real ones are definitely cooler.

-Dave

 

x 2

 

Drive the car as is until... forever unless you just can't stand having a beautiful car that 99.9% of the people in the world will say is perfect as is. And I don't like the dummy spots either.