Art & Inspiration Need inspiration for 1937 Ford build

A friend of mine have just bought a 1937 Ford five-window - it's a body on El Camino frame of unknown vintage, with some sort of Chrysler big block, no interior. He would like to turn it in to period-correct hot rod or street rod, and would need some inspiration from old builds. Pictures would be great, magazine articles even better (the car has no "title" or our equivalent of it, and to get antique plates in our country, it has to be proven it is period correct - so if you know about some old magazines (1970s and older) with similar builds in them, let me know, please - I'll try to find them on eBay or somewhere).

Here's the actual car:

 

how about a j2.....or caddilac motor....later model overdrive trans to make it more driveable..single stage paint....some 60s era mags...or keep the mopar and make it look right with valve covers intake etc.swap in straight axle for a gasser look

 

Yeah, we were thinking about something like that, but all the pictures I can found online of 1937 Fords are either traditional hot rods/moonshiner cars with plain paint and red steelies, or modern customs/rods with several shades of purple/big chrome wheels. I need some pictures of '37s from the late sixties/early seventies, as they were build at the time.

 

any pictures of period-correct 1937 Fords?

 

This should give you some inspiration. HRP

https://www.google.com/search?q=ima...Y-E9QTv3ICQAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=966&bih=464

 

Yeah, but Google finds either "traditional" stuff á la 1950s, or newfangled stuff with big chrome wheels and LSx engines.

I would like to see cars modified in 1960s/1970s.

 

Hey BobAsh,

For about 9 months, I had a '37 2 door sedan. It was a '70's build that had a driveline refresh, back in the late '90's. If you are interested, I have a bunch of stuff posted about it here http://streetrodder.net/?cat=8

Put about 11,000 miles on it, after liberating it from it's captivity. I hope the guy that bought it from me has continued putting miles on it.

bc

 

here's a period correct 60's style from Australia.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

mine;

 

Search for Orv Elgie's '37 Delivery for traditional 1968.

 

Ha! I recall Rick Stees ("The ol' Possum") bought Orv Elgie's '37 Sedan Delivery in 1980. Beautiful workmanship. Rick brought it to my shop for a brake problem. (chrome master cyl had some pits in the bore...I had it stainless-sleeved)

Truly a great build. Orv was an innovator:

 

Congrats on the score! Looks like a nice project. Was that car ever a four door sedan? Interesting lead work on the quarters and looks like there is some across the roof.

If the floor wasn't hacked all to pieces making the El Camino frame fit, I'd be looking for a stock frame to go under it.

Keep us posted.

JH

 

Wow, good eye! I didn't see it at first, but it is pretty clear now. But if it was converted, whoever did it performed a decent job. The car looks solid with potential.

 

I love the car! I'll show it to my friend, I think this is what he needs, although he's leaning towards something more kandy-kolored and metal-flaked... which would be more of late seventies, I guess?

Interesting note! Now when I look at it, I see strange angle in the roof... maybe it really was converted. Anyway, I'll look in the possibility of importing the original frame - but I'm afraid it will be a royal pain to do. Are '37 frames expensive?

 

I'm new to this forum so I hope i'm doing this right. Here's a few pictures of mine. It has had extensive steel work including using tudor sedan doors which are 6" longer than the coupe door. That's why the "B" posts are tipped forward which give the car quite a different look. Good luck with your build, I was always a '37 fan.