Custom Grills For SHOEBOX FORDS

[flatshoebox]

need some ideas..let see 'em..

[00 MACK]

Whatever tou do make sure is in a merc shell

[flatshoebox]

whys that??

[00 MACK]

I just rally happen to dig a 49 or 50 Merc grill shell in a shoebox. They almost make any grille look good as long as the grille is mounted right.

[Curt Six]

I have always liked the bullet nose, so that's what I'm keeping in my '49...but if I wasn't, I'd buy this...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=564913&page=1&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

...because I think this looks bitchin'...

[00 MACK]

Those fake Desoto bumpers are for the birds but the grill is nice. How about the little amber lights?

[00 MACK]

One of the previous ownwers of that car had it for sale and was under some dillusion that it was a Barris car.

[daign]

Weezner's Shoe:
http://www.roguemotoring.com/hamb/images/229745-DSC01883-2%5B1%5D.jpg
One of my personal favorite shoe grill treatments:
http://www.roguemotoring.com/hamb/images/hoodlum8%5B1%5D.jpg

[Curt Six]

Agreed on the Desoto bumpers! I saw that car for sale in one of the classified magazines (Round Up?) for some insane price...I guess they took the Barris connection more seriously then just the goofy vanity plate http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Curt

[00 MACK]

Weezners car rules! Ive always thought it kicks ass .Looks like some kinda surreal Ayala Bros creation.

[Curt Six]

I also like this Chevy grille...especially with the headlight treatment.

[Curt Six]

Did they use Studebaker sheetmetal to re-work the front fenders on Weesners car? I've always liked that shoebox. It reminds me of the hardtopped one that Barris built with Stude (I think) front sheetmetal...can't think of the owner's name...
Curt

[00 MACK]

Like Barris would have lobbed the roof off or padded some 2 door sedan to make some fake convert.(thing of the 80s and beyond)Besides that,other than the grille and all those rear view mirrors, spotlights,glass bubbles,lakes pipes and so fourth Whats done?

[00 MACK]

You are reffering to Buster Littons car which I beleive was chopped by George Cerny and finished by Barris.As far as Weesners car I dont think Stude fenders were used but Who knows.

[Curt Six]

You forgot the v-butt windshield...THAT'S what makes it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Curt Six]

[ QUOTE ]
Buster Littons car

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the one.

[00 MACK]

Alot of early Barria cars had V-Butted windows but they had the beautiful stock stainless around them

[jalopy43]

Don't forget expanded metal. and drawer-knobs!!! 88 to be exact! They say my car has a lot of balls!, They are right. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Sparky

[Curt Six]

[ QUOTE ]
Alot of early Barria cars had V-Butted windows but they had the beautiful stock stainless around them

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep...and I still don't like them!
Do you have a shot handy of the Litton car?

[flatshoebox]

Ever seen a 52 or 53 ford grill in a 49? I think i saw a model car like that one time..

[00 MACK]

No shots of the Litton mobile. If I could post pics right now Id show you how I tried with my buddy Joe Castelli to acheive the same effect by rolling a peice of sheet metal around the front of the fenders under slightly extended 53 Merc headlight rings,into the sides of the 50 Merc shell. From the side it just added a hint of a forward moving profile.

[00 MACK]

The grille you are referring to in the AMT model kit was a copy of the one that the Barrises put in the Bettencourt/Zupan merc.If Im not mistaken John St Germain from Canada did the same thing in his ass kicking coral and black chopped shoebox.

[daign]

I'm also a fan of the 51 Grill Treatment:
http://www.roguemotoring.com/hamb/images/PA200014%5B1%5D.jpg

[00 MACK]

That is a very interesting car,check out the lowered wind splits over the 54 Merc taillights.Azz dragger!!

[Curt Six]

[ QUOTE ]
John St Germain from Canada did the same thing in his ass kicking coral and black chopped shoebox.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to mention one of the best chops on a coupe I've ever seen.

[Curt Six]

Sorry...couldn't find a front shot of the grille

[00 MACK]

As much as that car undoubtedly kicks ass I tend to like the coupe roofs chopped straight at the b pillars to leave a little more length in the 1/4 th windows. If you like that car and 47 Olds grilles you would have loved Donn Lowes 50 chopped brandywine coupe from the early 80s. It had the same roof as the Stgermain car but Donns had 55 Pontiac sidetrim and a perfect ox blood and white Carson style gut.

[Curt Six]

Hmmm...not familiar with that one. I'd like to see that.

[daign]

I remember that post about John St. Germains shoebox but cannot find it for the life of me. I love this car.
http://www.canadianrodder.com/Gallery/thefifties/images1/Stgermain.jpg
http://www.hopupmag.com/pictures/hopup26-8.jpg

[flatshoebox]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
John St Germain from Canada did the same thing in his ass kicking coral and black chopped shoebox.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to mention one of the best chops on a coupe I've ever seen.

[/ QUOTE ]

NO SHIT,, Anyone have any other pic's of this chop'd coupe? or any chop'd 49-51 coupe? IS it a 2" 3" chop???Thought about chopin mine, but worried about makin the roof look to tiny..

[geemann51]

Well nowhere as spiffy as Shoeze, but heres a little number I have been working on. Chopped by the same gent who chopped =Mike='s former Merc....

As far as a grille, I have a 53 Chevy with 7 teeth, chrome boobies over the parking lights that I plan on back lighting. It'll also sport some 53 Olds rear trim (ala Shoeze) with 52 Packard trim on the front fenders.

[geemann51]

Heres a better one...

[Curt Six]

That chop looks good! The key to not making the roof look too short is not taking too much off (or using a sedan roof to open up those back 1/4 windows a bit). Kustom7777 on here has a coupe that was chopped by another HAMBer (can't remember who owned it first) that is another nice example of a well-chopped coupe.
Curt

[mikes51]

[ QUOTE ]
The grille you are referring to in the AMT model kit was a copy of the one that the Barrises put in the Bettencourt/Zupan merc.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the AMT model kit that had the canted quad front end. I believe that was based on the Goulart Ford.

[Nick32vic]

Here

[4t64rd]

my apologies in advance for shameless spam. But if you squint real hard, it kind could look like Shift's old/Bobleed's new car.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/midtowntransmission/daveshotrod/Im000464.jpg

[Wet Paint]

This is one of my favorites!!!

http://www.jchetzstudio.com/50Ford.JPG

This is actually a '50 with '51 hood trim molded in and 54 Pontiac grill molded in annnnnnd get this, '39 Ford tail lights as turn signals with amber lenses. COOOL!!!!

[Jimmy B]

Here are some from CarNut (http://carnut.com/photo/list/ford49.html)

http://autohobbypage.com/show/02/ggkc/ggkc586.jpg

This one looks the best with the chev grille http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
http://autohobbypage.com/show/01/4951/pic120.jpg


http://autohobbypage.com/show/99/merc/merc176.jpg


Does anyone know anything about this sectioned shoebox?
http://autohobbypage.com/photo/contrib/law/law125.jpg

http://autohobbypage.com/photo/contrib/law/law126.jpg
I like, I like it alot http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[shoebox72]

This is a good post. If my computer did'nt crash a few months back i'd be able to share a few pics of some of the shoeboxes I've owned.

The 54 Pontiac grille is one of my favorites if it's not used with a merc shell. 54-55 desoto in a merc shell is a good looking treatment as well.

Billy

[baytowngreaser]

Love the front end on Keith Weesner's car!
What exactly is he using for a front grill??

[shoebox72]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know anything about this sectioned shoebox?

http://autohobbypage.com/photo/contrib/law/law126.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

That looks like one that was in a mid 80's issue of Classic & Custom magazine painted candy tangerine. It may not be the same car but it sure looks like it.

Billy

[shoebox72]

[ QUOTE ]
Love the front end on Keith Weesner's car!
What exactly is he using for a front grill??

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure it's the center section of a 51 Ford grille & the top sections of the parking lights of the same car, joined together.

Billy

[murph]

A common (maybe too common?) grill swap is the '54 Pontiac. I figured someone would have posted one by now! Anyway, here's my '51:

http://home.nc.rr.com/lostwrench/grillshot.jpg

Yeap, those are '50 turn signals...

-murph

[old beet]

My Favorite...........OLDBEET

[DrDano]

Heres a few pix I've collected for ideas on my own shoebox:

Merc Grill
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/1.jpg

http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/2.jpg

Recessed floating 49/50, very cool
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/3.jpg

http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/4.jpg

Tripple floating bar
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/5.jpg

Canted Craziness
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/6.jpg

Desoto Bicuspids
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/7.jpg

Maybe an example of what not to do?
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/8.jpg

Homebuilt floater from stainless tubing?
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/9.jpg

Another of Flips grill on BlackJack. This center was tri-five chevy hood bullets with a floater bar. Pretty neat methinks.
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/10.jpg

[flatshoebox]

this is great, lets keep it coming!

[C. Montgomery]

mine- 53 chevy

[flatshoebox]

what kind of marker lights are those..

[C. Montgomery]

the whole shebang is 53 chevy....

[speedaddict]

keep the factory grille. I like the 51 grille.

[C. Montgomery]

I agree but I think it's still hard to beat the stock 49 bullet........

[CHOPMERC]

my new one... moulded 53 chevy grille shell, shortened 54 desoto grille....

[merc-o-madness]

im a fan of the meteor grills, but good luck finding one

[crush1776]

According to Tex Smith's 'How to Build Shoebox Fords' book, this car was built in the 50's and at the time of publication (1991) was owned by Dean Bordner.

[fordnutz]

I've shown this one before on a similar post. My old 51 ford coupe, now owned by my son, with 50 Meteor nose and shell and 50 merc grille bolted together without the center ornament. Really hard to find a Meteor grille surround here in Canada now. They are similar to a merc, but bolt in. Nutz

[Jimmy B]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know anything about this sectioned shoebox?

http://autohobbypage.com/photo/contrib/law/law126.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]

That looks like one that was in a mid 80's issue of Classic & Custom magazine painted candy tangerine. It may not be the same car but it sure looks like it.

Billy

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
According to Tex Smith's 'How to Build Shoebox Fords' book, this car was built in the 50's and at the time of publication (1991) was owned by Dean Bordner.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers for that shoebox72 & crush1776! Unchopped but sectioned Shoebox Fords, is there any better custom http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://rodandcustommagazine.com/eventcoverage/135_0410_paso_08_z.jpg

Paul Bragg's Merc and sectioned 50 Ford both have similar grilles but I couldn't find a pic of the Ford so here is a pic of his Merc instead. Both of them were in TRJ No.9.

[baytowngreaser]

Yea Billy looks like your right. Thanks for the reply.

[flatshoebox]

Any body use a stock 49 grill with 51 markers???

[mikes51]

[ QUOTE ]
this is great, lets keep it coming!

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, it's amazing how well a thread can progress if one just writes a non cryptic, clear subject description, and the subject is about cars. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[mikes51]

one more, Imperial? Note it's surrounded by Merc shells as 00Mack mentioned.

[RileyRacing]

I had a chance to pick up a 49 Ford when I was 16. It was sitting on the side of the road with a "FREE" sign on it... when I went to get my g/f's dads trailer, I came back and it was just getting cinched down onto someone elses trailer. This post makes me wish I woulda stayed with the car and had her go get the trailer herself. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cool ass cars. Wow.

Jay

[SlowandLow63]

[ QUOTE ]
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/2.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

i see this grill everywhere. WHAT THE HELL IS IT!

[SlowandLow63]

[ QUOTE ]
my new one... moulded 53 chevy grille shell, shortened 54 desoto grille....


[/ QUOTE ]

what do u mean urs like u just built/bought this

[Fifty5C-Gas]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
my new one... moulded 53 chevy grille shell, shortened 54 desoto grille....


[/ QUOTE ]

what do u mean urs like u just built/bought this

[/ QUOTE ]

yes Billy, thats Bobs new car.

[SlowandLow63]

that bastard he knows im lookin for a shoebox i better get to drive than one too how much he pick it up for

send me some more pics too

[Nads]

That sectioned Ford was for sale at Wolfman's Rod Shop near here some 15 years ago for under 10 g's, it was still wearing the tangerine paint with newer flames. I coulda bought it, but I only had 67 cents in my pocket.

I talked to Weesner at VLV, those aren't in fact Studey fender sections at all, they're completely scratch built, it's a great looking front end.

[Ham]

Anybody now the specs on how much Weesner's chop is? Was it a sedan?

[00 MACK]

Weesners car was a coupe but even though the 1/4 windows are relitivaly short,Ibelieve they used a sedan rear roof section

[Zapato]

surprised no one has posted a 51 Canadian Meteor grille, been lusting for one forever, getting closer to getting one.surely someone has shots of the 49-50 and the 51 to share. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[flatshoebox]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/2.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

i see this grill everywhere. WHAT THE HELL IS IT!

[/ QUOTE ]

[40StudeDude]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
http://hope.wrapp.net/dan/hamb/grills/2.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

i see this grill everywhere. WHAT THE HELL IS IT!

[/ QUOTE ]

DeSoto. ('51-'53 I think!) If you see them everywhere, snag them...they are worth bunches.

R-

[Big A]

Everytime I see that pink Shoebox I just see this guy...

http://www.meristation.com/img-filer/juegos/GameCube/Aventura/WallaceGromit/untitledcopia.JPG

I like the bullet myself. One of the reasons I got a '49. Might replace the windspinner with a skull or something scenester-ish.

[flatshoebox]

[ QUOTE ]
Everytime I see that pink Shoebox I just see this guy...

[/ QUOTE ]


oh i just pissed myself... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[TP]

The grill is a 55 desoto cut down. I have one already cut down. I also have found one of the canadian meteor grill surrounds that look like a merc and bolts in. TP

[fuel pump]

Not a real custom but all mine http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/fuelpump/ragtop010B.jpg

[Thirdyfivepickup]

Sorry for the crappy photoshop. I peed myself also!

[Thirdyfivepickup]

Oh my gawd... I'm crying over here.

(of course I'm drunk overhere!)

Where's that lampshade???

[laidoutford]

[ QUOTE ]
Weesners car was a coupe but even though the 1/4 windows are relitivaly short,Ibelieve they used a sedan rear roof section

[/ QUOTE ]

Weesner's car was a tudor sedan that was rechopped three times to get the right flow, according to him. Scott Guildner added the coupe quarter windows. I am not sure how far it is chopped, but the car was featured in Custom Rodder in primer about 2-3 years ago. Not sure of the date, sorry.

[laidoutford]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Everytime I see that pink Shoebox I just see this guy...

[/ QUOTE ]


oh i just pissed myself... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn, me too! There are some funny motherfuckers on the HAMB!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif