Caddy backed RPUs?????

I have the rear of a 58 Caddy (Thanks JimA) sitting in my shed and want to start a RPU project for next summer that's a little different. I recall seeing some RPU's with car rear sections - Im not talking the same sort of league as Plowboys, just something different and fun. I have a T roadster cowl, doors and rear panel that looks like it would be a good fit. Any suggestions on how best to approach this. Part of me wants to say if you dont want to contibute meaningfully to this topic just keep you hands off the keyboard - but that would take 1/2 the fun out of it.

 

I'd narrow the whole thing so the rear wheels were still open. The fins would have that F15 look to them!

 

Actually thats the plan, section the trunk lid, run it REALLY low and highboy style.

 

I was just watching - and missed - a '60 Impala 2 door that'd been stripped and had no floors in it on Ebay with this same idea. I figured I would possibly make a vertical cut at the door jamb, then narrow it to mate with an A cowl or something along that line. The natural curvature of the rear window deck area would make an excellent seat location. The door skins would then be mated to match the lines of the body, while I would try to skin the inside door frames with the matching inner door structure of the Impala doors to keep the interior 'flowing' from the front of the A roadster doors into the Impala body.

Can you tell I thought about it alot? However, I need to get my Dubble A on the road... and my RPU... and find Momma Gozt a '69-73 Mustang... and get my 15 y/o daughter's '79 T/A running... etc... etc...

 

In the late 60's, I remember seeing a stock car body made from a truck cab (early 50's chevy?) with a "trunk" made from about a 55 or 56 chevy car. It was all blended together quite well, and it took a bit of looking and head scratching to figure out just what it was. It looked pretty good with it's fins, open wheels and all. So you maybe on to something with a caddy. Go for it!

 

Im heading over to my workshop shortly and will try and do a rough mock up. I have seen others done but cant find any pics.

 

Get a few pics of the caddy rear from all angles and post them. Make a few preliminary sketches. Then ask our artists to brainstorm a little. Might be cool. Might be that the design won't work. Sounds like a great idea in theory, but you'll need to have the sketches to ensure that it will be good in reality.

(I'm kind of partial to taking the rear end of a mid 80s Coupe DeVille, flipping it upside down and doing something similar to a T-Bucket -- but then, I'm all talk and have fun brainstorming and I'm a clumsy hack at fabricating)

 

Well had a bit of mock up in the shed today instead of doing what I was suppose to Im not overly convinced at this stage but am open to opinions etc. The rear of the caddy is actually a pretty good fit and approx the same length of the RPU body that came with the rest of it. Perhaps the track nose doesnt help, making it all a little too long.

 

Not so low on the nose. It ends up looking broken where the cowl transitions to the hood. Other than that...DANG, I like it.

 

I like it! Just yesterday, I was staring at an old Desoto, thinking the same thing!

What if you made it look more like a rocket? Those fins are the perfect size.

Perhaps put the seat in the trunk, move the rear wheel back, and extended the nose?

 

Your front wheels are too close to the cowl. Put them further out in front.

 

Chuck the doors, move the cowl back, longer hood. Keep the nose, just raise it a bit and move it back half as much as the cowl.
That bump along the side could be a fairing for the split radius rods, look like they belong there then.

 

Hmph. Just reread wsdad's post, sez the same thing. Great minds think alike!

 

I think that's awesome, especially if you moved the cowl back.

 

I really like that. Someday I want to build something along that line.

 

I don't like it....at all. Quit wasting your time and get to work on that '32 3W body behind it!

 

I am considering using the tail from a '62 Olds for a bed(and the rocket motor) on The Ugly Truck.
This may give you some ideas(Russco's truck):

 

your shed ****s
i wish i had some of your storage items
tk

 

I was thinking today it looked a bit like a rocket and agree with the comments so far. Oh and the 3 window will be started soon but is a LONG term project as Im still short a door and other parts I need. I do like the idea of moving the cowl back though, hadn't thought of that - viva la HAMB. Plenty of room then for something funky under the hood like a straight 8.

As for the shed - I have just started a small business - Pete's Tin Mine.


Thanks guys.

 

I like it, except for the track nose. Personal preference on that, have never liked them.

 

You should definitely build this! Except lose the track nose. Go for an Atomic Punk style show rod look. Like this maybe....

 

Needs a longer door Richard.
I'm trying to work out the trunk detail in my head. Awkward transition.
Still, I like it.

 

WOW I really like that that!!!!

 

Thanks Chad. Its just so off the wall, I had to draw it up.

 

Thanks James - now thats food for thought.

 

Is it anything like what you had in mind?

 

I love that yellow rendering. That is perfect, and I'd love to build something like that sometime down the road.

 

Yep that nose treatment is great

 

Wow! That' s nice! You have some creative talent and drawing skills! What did you use to draw this?

 

Thanks! Its done in Adobe Illustrator. Traced over one of the mock up photos to try and make it accurate.

Totally wild cartoon style concept sketches are kind of a pet hate of mine. You can make anything look half good that way, but if you can´t build it, then whats the point? (Aside from some nice artwork).