Of all the custom bodywork performed on a car in the 1950s, sectioning had to be the most radical and difficult treatment out there. Slicing a 'section' out of the entire body made it look skinny and sleek (if not a bit squashed when the top was usua... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Ive never seen that one, thanks for sharing. It definitely takes on a completely different look with that oval grill and hood treatment.
I love the look of Peterson's car, especially from the rear, it's so clean. It'd be great to see it replicated with the aforementioned mild chop!
Is it just me or is the shoebox ford the most sectioned car ever? I know there have been many cars sectioned over the years, but it seems like the number of shoebox's that had that treatment outnumber anything else by a whole freakin' bunch!
I know I'll get flamed but I think sectioning a shubox is pure blesphamy. I love those cars, have had about 6-8 of them and have never seen a sectioned ford I liked. It's like sectioning a 33-34 ford 3 window to me. The shubox profile looks dead-on correct as it was delivered from the factory except for some extraneous trim and too-tall ride height....in my eyes.
In my opinion nobody should get flamed for expressing view on their tastes...we can all disagree but taste is a personal thing....I can take them either way, agree that they did look good stock, but Valley Custom in particular created some really nice sectioned shoeboxes, because the overall design worked with not only the sectioning, but the wheel radiusing, the simple grilles, etc.
I agree, just a minimal chop would have killed it. Call me crazy, but I might have rounded the top of the windows.
I just never got real crazy over sectioned cars. I have seen a few that I think are sexy and boy do I really appreciate the amount of craftsmanship and determination it takes to really pull one off. I still just dont flip out when I see one but that orange one is real cool!!!
I'm with Rocky and Slamit, I can certainly appreciate the amazing amount of work and workmanship in a sectioned shoebox, but I just think they look better without sectioning. The proportions of glass to body seem off to me. Ron Cash in the Atlanta area has a beautiful one (I don't have a photo on this computer), probably the nicest sectioned shoebox I've seen. You have to look at it for a minute to even realize it's been sectioned. I talked to him about it a few years ago and he said he just took out all the straight metal (about 2.5-3"), didn't want to get into the compound curves. A lot of work for a very subtle change.
I always loved any custom wild or mild shoebox, but I thought the section made them look like Corvairs, not that that was bad either, but chopped and dropped was what I dreamed of when I had my '50 in High School and now have my '51 and would love to have it chopped someday.
Sectioning, the holy grail of body mods, is really limited to select vehicles. The shoebox being the top of the heap, but 53-4 Chevys wer always a favorite of mine followed by AD trucks. Even some Ford PUs look really good sectioned 'just enuff' to change it up. There was a 58-60 Ford PU done out west that looked really good, nice proportions. I guess like every other traditional practice you can go too far but I always thought the shoebox Fords carried it well and brought that early sportscar thinking to the party too. I recall someone on here sectioned a 55-6 Ford almost over a weekend (?) and that one was on it's way to greatness from what I can remember. Again, like anything else, just enuff is just perfect.
49-51's always looked better to me sectioned but the 46-48 also take a better stance with a section job. I wish I had some shots but dont but I am sure someone on the Hamb has a few shots of the 46-48 thats sectioned and choped.
ive always been a 49-51 shoebox fan but i always liked the sectioned ones. it takes a certain car to make it look right, the shoeboxes i feel fit the bill, but i like my nomad the best !!!! i guess im partial to it.
I love a sectioned shoe box! Here's a thread I started with lots of pics and build pics of my '49 that I'm sectioning 4". This one is mine, it was built in the late 50's early 60's best I can tell, 6" section! Copper Head, awesome car, not sectioned.
HHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMM imagine that ! ! My current project : Tonight will actually be the first night in months where I will start the Welding. I have a dilema, Removeable Convertable -or- hardtop ! ? ! ?
Well I have a 49 & 50 that are next in line when I finish my 55 Ford . I wanted to build a Aussie UTI but seems to be more work than anything . Now I could take a couple feet from behind the front door and shorten it up some like that and then I would have a 2 seater or build one like a business coupe . Now the wheels are starting to turn in my little head ! A Shoebox Business Coupe ! I think that would look pretty good too ! Any thoughts on that idea ? Retro Jim
this is my favorite chopped & sectioned shoebox I've seen but can never find anymore picts of it anywhere
I remember way back when, a shoebox Ford made into a shop truck( I actually believe that there was more than one) that was sectioned and had some other tasteful mods. I have always thought that it was pretty neat! Does that jog any memories? I sure would enjoy some pics of one of these,sectioned or not. Thanks,Cat
There was a sectioned 49/51 sitting in a driveway in North Seattle for decades, rusting into the pavement. Everyone asked about it, but it was never for sale. We all thought it would end up in the scap pile eventually, but I hear we are wrong-the guy is finally working on it again and it's in the garage. I hope it's out soon.
one day ill get to finishing mine, i dont think it was really as hard as they made it out to be. JEFF