Technical Skirts

its an old clarkkaiser car i plan on restoring it eventually, just no room or time to do it the way I want to so im just driving it for now

 

That thing is cool! Looks great as is. Very 50's looking. There might be some things I'd change too, but still a cool car.

 

Were these pics taken in the Rotunda???

 

Yes, it was build in 53/54 and was in the rotunda 55 and these pics from the rotunda in 56, and the plan is to restore back to this version

 

Very flush.......

 

Very nice work on the wagon, I'm lookin at doin the same kinda thing on my 52 soon along with some other body work. After lowering mine 6 1/2 inches in the back, I gotta drop the rear end out to get the tires off so might as well make it look cool!

 

So how do you go about dropping the rear to change the tires? We know we have to do that with Chaz's wagon, but have not tackled it yet.

 

I used a longer rubber brake line that goes from the hard brake line to the junction block on the rear end, so I can pull the rear shackes and swing the rear end out. The cars gotta be pretty high in the air so good luck doin it on the side of the road!

 

These have always been problematic.....even in stock condition. My 54 is lowered 2" in the back with lowering blocks. I was running 15" Thunderbird wires, until I had 5 flat tires and now running steel wheels with caps. I narrowed an 8" rear end 1" on each side. I have no trouble on one side, but the other I do. In order to facilitate getting the tire off, you have to use a bumper jack to elevate the car as high as possible. Unbolt the shock to allow the rear end to extend down as far as it can go. This should word......however, if it is not enough, you can place a small bottle jack (or screw jack) between the spring and the frame and spread them apart. This should do it and it can be done along side the road without deflating the tire. If none of this works, you can do like I did on my 53 back in 59 when I was in High School. I ditched my skirts and cut the wheel well to match the front and added the flair. Oh, by-the-way, you car looks really good....!

 

Back in the day, for guys who owned hardtops like yours, after a slathering of a 'gosh and golly' multi-layered paint job, the next item to be added (along with Appletons) was a Continental kit. I know it's much, but back then 'much' was part of the 'speed-boat' look (meaning the rear is low like a speed-boat in water). Add a set of Smithy's for the sound of burbling through the chop and you've got 'The Dreamboat Special'. These were 'the' pick-up-a-chick cars of choice. "Hey Baby! Let's tool around the lake." If you know what I mean. Think '54 Pontiac grill for a floater. Looks *****in'. I do like the Olds tail-lights, too. Part of the deal to make a mild custom perfecto. Keep in mind too much for mild can be too little for wild. You made the right choice with the skirts. For a mild custom, restraint is the by-word. As for the Clark Kaiser Ford, it reminds me a Dodge of the day. Something about two grills; the one in the hood looks out of place. Or, is just me? Some customs from the Golden Age tax ones sense of aesthetics, and a lot of them got things out of whack by going too far away from making it flow. But, that's not a matter to discuss here. You are going to have a sweet ride when it's finished.

 

I like what your sayin fortynut. I like the 54 Pontiac grills on these cars. And the speedboat look. Since real appletons are close to a grand now, I'll probaly opt for some dummies, but everything else I will keep as old school as I can.