That first pic that Rodncustomdreams posted is a perfect example of the ones I'm talking about. Take a look at that beautifully restored engine compartment, those clamps look right at home on there. And I get what Roddinron is saying but this thread seems to be the go-to place to discuss these types of builds and the details it'll take to get them right.
i'm enjoying the tire discustion. i've always been one that didn't care about the tires and wanted radials for thier benifits. over the last couple of years i've slowly been changing my mind about that. the look of the tires have a great deal to do with the finished look of a kustom car. does anyone know what size/brand of tires where used on the hirohata , barris or any of the other original mercurys? the early cars were next to new, so, did they just use the factory tires? or was there a certain brand/size that was cool to own? jeff, post up some pics of your car. i've never seen it i guess. looks great from the front.
Its nothing special just a simple plain Jain custom by todays standards.Has a lot of stock Merc parts on it.Very Simple Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Many thanks R n c dreams and Squablow. I have seen the split band type clamp before but don't have any at present. I shall dig some up. God help me now if I post a pic of my car with the wrong ones on now aye!! I'l have a look at the wiki page too. Thanks again guys
Yeah, I know the tires sux. That picture was taken the day after I bought the car. This winter I hope for 4" whitewalls but I am not sure if I'll go bias yet. I agree the look is sweet but my Lincoln is made for cruise-in the interstate at 75 mph and the damn road grooves in SW Michigan sux with plys. I thought someone was making radials that looked just like the bias plys, pie-crusts and all?
Why read or understand what a thread is about just post shit up! Would have been more traditional if Mr Miyagi was in the picture though.
Yeah Jeff your car is pretty boring. I think it needs a visor, flames, pinstriping, a swamp cooler, checker fiesta hubcaps, and jack up the rear. Those bias plies arent driveable, better get some raised white letter radials. THEN you'll have a real kustom. Not to mention get rid of what I'm sure is a boring interior, rob a 79 Caddy for its whole interior, that will be much better.
jeff, thats a great car. very much a true early kustom. if your serious about the hose clamps, you can get the spring clamps at any tri-five vendor. but, do your self a favor and buy the pliers for them. they hurt like hell when one gets lose on you.
I didn't mean to come off that way .I just meant like it is pretty plain and simple as far as like stock sidetrim,bumpers etc.Honest....thats the way it was meant.It is special to me since there is a lot of subtle things done to it.For a mercury though.....it's pretty simple,ya I guess that is the way I should of worded it.
I've collected a few vintage hose clamps over the years. I think most of these would have been used back then but Im not positive about all of them.
thats an unusual clamp centre top in each of your pics Sledge....any idea what make and model it was from? the sprung wire one I posted was (as I recall) in a box of 57 Chev stuff when I bought my car.Which would fit with what 50mercfan posted
Kevan and Fleet: I think the centre top clamp is a Ford from 60´-70´s, maby 50´s? wasn´t they on some Mustangs?...... I once have a 70´s German Granada and they where mounted on it! Anyway, the house clamps is a important detail and so are the Wire-harness I even have a collection of old exhaust clamps
I have a question.....what happened different in '53 that the cut off for this style is '52???? I understand that later in the 50's show cars started to get out of control with scoops and wierd mods for the sake of points at the shows. Than the crazy show cars that Roth and even Barris built, than of course muscle cars changed everything. A '54 Ford or Chevy isn't that different from the '52's.....so it must not be because of the cars but the builders? The shoebox Fords and Mercs weren't fat fendered cars, but are still part of this era. Please tell me what I'm missing.......
^same reason the hamb cuts off at 65 when there were already muscle cars in production before then Chrome 'n' Flake