here are a couple of pics of my 73 chevy caprice . i know its a littel new for this group but its all i got to work with right now. and the fact that this is the last my father owned when he p***ed in 2000. this is going to be my tribute to him when its done . its going to be done in a late 50's early 60's style .. hope you like it ..later leadsled73.
The car is a little new for the HAMB, but I'm not going to complain. I think this car could be really cool too, but I'm not sure about doing it in a late 50's early 60's style. I've seen the 50's treatment given to 70's cars in the past and I haven't seen one that pulled it off yet. Although depending on what your vision of an early 60's treatment is, it could be done. Shiney paint in a metallic or candy color, possibly panel painted, with a new vinyl top (maybe white) and some Supreme wheels with "pinner" whites could look really cool on this car. I hope that's the look you're after. If you were thinking about going flat black with wide whitewalls and red rims, you're gonna get flamed on here and you're probably not going to be happy with the results. Please be careful with your new project. There is potential in the car if you do it in a style that fits the car. Please keep that in mind. And please do a forum search for "bellflower" to see examples of the treatment that I think would look best on this car. Welcome to the HAMB. Where in Wisconsin are you located?
I like the car, has a lot of potential. Instead of the 50's thing, try it lowrider style. The car has some great lines to it, and if you can afford it, juiced-up with some wires would be sweet. I know that is not where most of the forum is at, but your car would be a great candidate for it. A flake and panel paint scheme would be boss. My 1 cent. Erron oh, yeah, welcome!
well i was kinda leaning toward that primer look but now that you mention it i'm liking your ideas too ... but then again i was thinking of going full custom with it too... lots of body mods so it would be hard to recognize what it really is ... got a prteaty good eye for style and such and have to give it a go on psp9 so i can see what it will look like before cutting it up and then finding out it ****s .. im in west bend wis.. about 30 min north of milwaukee.. leadsled73 .
thanks erron ... not much for the lowrider thing been done too much with these cars and feel like its been played out ... but i was thinking of som scallopps in a panel style paint scheme.. i tryed that once on it and it did look cool was also thinking of some chrome revese rims with some thin whites on it and some candy apple red paint .. we shall see where my mind takes me .. thanks for the welcome too..leadsled73
Man, I'm gonna do what I can to try and keep you from making the 1970's RatRod mistake. I have to agree with what was said before, that car would look good as a lowrider. If thats not your thing go the 70's route, cragars real jacked up in the back. just don't do the rattle can black and red wheels. some cars that looks good on, a 70 somthing land yacht is not one of them. Or do whatever make you happy, because in the end it's your can, and it shouldn't really matter what any of us think as long as you like it. Drew
I'm from Brillion, about 20 miles south of Green Bay, we're practically neighbors! I'm glad no one's gotten on here to flame you and jump down your throat yet, that happens to a lot of guys like you with newer stuff on the HAMB. Some of the OG's don't like that ****, and you'd definitely take a beating for doing it up in primer. But it sounds like you're seeing the light... Ratwagon has a good idea as well. Lowered with wire wheels and shiney paint would look good on the car too, with nice chrome and dual antennas and that kind of fun stuff. You can cut a couple coils off to make it low, and you can always add airbags or hydros in the future if you really get into it. Customizing is good, but try to do the simple, obvious stuff and don't get to carried away. Shave the door handles and some of the side trim, take the bumper guards off and clean up the bumpers, little stuff like that. Do a bit of bodywork and give it a nice clean paintjob. You can always do panels, lace, scallops and stuff like that on top of a good paintjob if you decide you want to change things up and take it to the next level. I know the primer look is hot right now and some cars really pull it off well. But take a look at all the cars that really look good in primer. Usually 30's coupes without fenders and hoods, or taildragging 40's cars with teardrop skirts and stuff like that. There's a reason why 70's cars usually don't get that treatment. It just don't look good. 70's cars look their best when done in the 70's custom style. Shiney paint, chrome wheels, sitting real low with clean body lines and some chrome to set them off. Don't be the guy that follows the trends and does primer because it's what everyone else is doing. Be the guy that shows everyone how good a car like yours can look when done properly. Other people will see it and do the same. Do your dad's old car proud.
I'd go with the Lowrider look JUST like the 78 Monte had in Training Day. That thing was freakin fun!! I'd roll it. **
if you want to make it a tribute to your late father why not just restore it to the way it was when he drove it? al sisson mosheim,tn.
I know it all boils down to personal preference and the freedom to do whatever you want with your car, but, in my opinion, that car WILL NOT look good in the style you want to do it in. Looks like you already have spots and Olds caps on it? I would restore the car and lower it. Maybe a nice base with some candy fades at the body lines, shave the handles, stock caps, skinny whites. Good luck with it.
If you are working on your car yourself, you belong here. If you are doing this car as a tribute to your late father, more power to ya'. If you paint it flatblack and put red steelies on it... you need therapy.
The Key is not to be something you aren't a 70's car will probably not look good as a 50's custom, try lowrider.
There is nothing wrong with nosing decking lowering and changing the hubcaps ,grille and interinr on any fullsize american automobile,especially one that came from the fectory with fender skirts. Lose the bolt ons. Cool car!
Better yet, research John D'Agostino, he's buildt some killer late sixties customs. Here are two examples
Kinda hard to purdy that year up, but it can be done. These aren't exactly your year, but an idea what can be tastefully done on a budget.
Wow, I'm impressed. Usually someone would have torn him a new one for postin' about a new (new to me) car. I second the restoration for a tribute. Or make it a 70's lowrider or hot rod. You know, slammed to the ground with a wicked multi colored paint job or jacked up sky high in the rear with shackles & slotted mags w/white letter tires. Don't forget to paint the rear end flat white.
Holmes your off to a good start....I agree w/everyone else on this one...I almost had one of those a couple weeks ago but it was a drop top....My plans were to do like an 70's lolo w/it...drop the *** down a lil bit and get a set either 14 0r 15/6 cragars (mags or spokes...) w/skinny whites....You wont go wrong on that car...I can see that car w/a satin finish and crazy glossy flames but thats me...For some inspiration check the cars at www.gotpaint.com Maybe that will help you with your decision a lil bit.... You can still do lil custom treatments like putting a straight bar grill & etc...The sky is the limit and you have to have the vision wich it sounds like you have...But just not on that car....Keep us posted...
Have you been to www.chevytalk.com ? They have message boards for just about every year, make, model of chevy's. There will be guys on there that'll help you out and give you ideas for your car. I'll add don't go the 50's look route with that car. If you don't like the lowrider look, do a sleeper. Leave the body as is and put money in the drive train. Build up a monster that'll stomp anything. I got a buddy with a 64 (I think) 4-door caprice with a 454, talk about a sleeper that thing is bad ***.
Another .02 from a fellow Wisconsinite...I'd go resto/lowrider combo, not too flashy but low, loud, mild custom paint. Being from Racine, which you may or may not know is a slightly more, um, "urban" area I see a lot of these cars ****ed up beyond belief with the gigantic rims, gaudy paint, etc...just keep it simple, you'll be happier with the result and like the other guys have said, stay the hell away from the rat rod stuff...
Back here in Ohio, we painted the rear ends and wheelwells orange... I second the motion of jacking up the *** end, maybe throwing some Cragars or slots at it with white letter tires. Off-top to the HAMB or not, these '70s rides are good budget build-up material. They're cheap, the mechanics are still relatively simple and are old enought to score Historic tags in many areas. I've got a '79 T-Bird that I've owned for 10 years that'll be getting a few 'touches' eventually, like shaved door handles, a dechroming and a couple of inch drop. Nothing excessive, as these 'Birds came from the factory with a Kustom look. Jan
I think that the fact that you want to keep this car around because it was yer dads is admirable. I'm not gonna try to tell ya what to do with it, because it is yer car, but I am gonna try to support the opinion that makin' it a "traditional" themed car is something that will you not easily live down. With that said, I'll gladly offer up what I think works great for these early '70's boats, especially Impalas, the "gentlemans cruiser" approach. Restored stock body, nice dark paint job, drop it down halfway to the ground but with a slight rake (a little higher in the rear, not much!), and some 14" Cragar S/S's on skinny whites. Shave it as much as you want, but loose the bolt-on gadgets, and aside from a tube grill and maybe some different taillights leave the basic body shape like it is. A subtle way to add a little flair to it you might be able to get away with might be to replace the top material with some black snake skin type material, but nothing that you'd really notice until you got up on it. Or the short version...less is more on these rides, but it can definately be cool. Just take the time to study up on what can be done to these things and keep your hands off the primer can. Olson
Did you not get along with your father? Do you have something against his last car? You could just as easily make that Bronco into a 50's-60's style car. It would look just as silly, with that plan. I have always loved those big Chevy's - but they are not a 50's-60's car. They can look great, when you focus on what they are. Look at the lines, that back gl***. There is cool stuff going on. That cool stuff will start to look like **** - real fast. Don't try to make that car something it is not. Stop bolting JC Whitney **** on it. Don't imagine that it will ever look good as some Old Skool Rodz inspired "trad" car.
Great idea Aaron.......that is what that car would look best as.....black walls, small dog dish caps, exhaust tucked up under the car, sittin' just a tad high, and a radical motor with a lotta gear and actually some rather calm paint sceme would add to the "sleeper look". But remember man.....opinions are like ***holes....we all got em'. Whatever you do with the car will make your dad proud, cause whether you know it or not he is watchin you.
Well, I gotta agree with the majority here, and just for some info about me, I have a '74!! (but don't let too many people here know that) along with several other 60's impalas, you gotta be carefull how you pull of a '70s something ride. my '74 has a full jar of flake, shaved handles and trunk, NON-tinted gl***,13X7 wires(sorry no matter how kool people think they look, traditional lowriders DO NOT have 17-24 inch rims) and a phantom top. and I like it, but when I was doing the body work and had it in it's back primer and steelies prepping for paint, it just did NOT look right to me! and yes I do have a couple of traditionals too, in primer which I DO like, a '30 and '49 chev. But thats just my opinion, and you know what they are like (opinions)....Ken
Dingle balls, rabbit ear antenna, etched gl***, and a mural of some Aztec dudeholding a chick. All you need hermano!
Dude, please don't take this the wrong way because I would say the same thing to my best friend (verbatim) if he were about to make the same mistake. I'm not trying to be a ****. Please don't bring another late 50's / early 60's style custom 70's / 80's model vehicle into the world. There were too many of them the minute the first one hit the road. It's a cool car just the way it it. I've owned four 60's model Impalas in my life and I dig the **** out of them. The best tribute would be to keep it how it is, keep it in good condition, drive it forever, and give it to your son someday. Turning it into some kind of doo-wop rockabilly abomination is a tribute to nothing but stupidity and poor taste. Every time I see someone driving some 70's/80's car in black suede with red wheels I just want to shake them until their pea brain falls out. If you want a late 50's / early 60's style custom, save your pennies and buy the appropriate car to do it with. In the end you'll be glad you took the high road.
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