First off. Thanks to my fellow Hambers for showing me the way to subscribe to this build......... I am digging the suicide door switch CadMad as it definitely gives it that European coach built bit of flair. And now from the "For what it's worth" file. While the hide-away Cord style headlights are really neat I don't feel that the front of your Caddy would lend it self to that look. Unless of course you are planning a complete front sheet metal/ grille/ hood restyling. Which given your obvious abilities would not be out of the question. The stock "snout" is just to over powering for hide - aways as has been pointed out by others. Would be some what "Concept" car-ish but you could have the headlights come out of the panel that the stock pods attach to...... Just thinking out loud here. What ever you do will be exactly as you intended it to be and will only enhance this already one of a kind build. Torchie.
I am mighty impressed so far! I can understand the urge to do the concealed lights, but... the grille has been made to work with them as already noted and apart from that, they do add to the character of the car.
This is awesome. Great work so far I can't wait for more updates. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Harley Earl used to tell his designers, "Go all the way and then come back a little". . . we'll see about the headlights. I love the originals too. Just that when you see in the metal, how clean and streamline the front becomes without them, you can see the method of my madness.
great project CadMad ! you did an exellent job so far on the rear of the car ! i can't believe such a solid beauty was going to the dump !!
Love the lines never seen one of those done. Keep up the good work. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Wonderful creative imagination. Very capable metalcraft. Got a 1941 Lincoln Zephyr 5 window coupe I plan to modify in similar fashion. Will be following your build closely. Please keep us informed and thanks for posting. Truly inspiring.
3HRS after work and the sailpanels are welded in. A little bit of a shink on the sides some more grinding and some tapping up tomorrow to look forward to. Starting to look like a car !
I WANT ONE. Totally awesome fabrication work. The entire scale of the project is perfect to my eye. Gary
For many years i couldnt understand the custom thing. Why cut up a car to make it something it wasnt? When I started to read some of Rik's posts on multiple cars I soon could "see" . So when I approached Rik to come up witb some propoals I suspected a couple of nice ideas. I was floored by the variations he came up with. Anyhow when I posted the last pics, Rik was happy but not completely happy. So to best explain it go to this CCC link.
ahh, bloody phone wont let me paste link. Can someone put up link to page 9 of my Custom Car Chronicle page please?
http://www.customcarchronicle.com/forums/topic/39-cadillac-sixty-special/page/9/ Hope that helps. Torchie.
When you look at the pics that Rik did in comparison to what you have done so far there is a difference. Perhaps bringing down the rear of roof if you extend the back of it will eliminate some of the crown issue. Carry on and don't get discouraged as what you are doing is something that most would never even attempt. Torchie.
Thanks Torchie, far from being discouraged, I am humbled that Rik, could "see" straight away. Customising is sculptural art. sometimes just fractions of an inch separate good from great. A you will see I have rechopped the top and dropped the middle just 3/4 of an inch and raked the screen an inch. The change to the proportions is dramatic. Gotlots of welding and grinding ahead but it was the right thing to do. The link explains it best.
The more I look at this design, the more I wonder why on earth somebody didn't think of doing it 65 years ago - it just looks so natural. You were wondering what the front would look like without the headlights, so I hope you don't mind a quick photoshop: Not bad?
Subscribed! I have the same thoughts/doubts about my 1940 LaSalle convertible build. Hidden headlights or not. More of a concept car vs street kustom 1948. Very impressive work on this very nice car.
Thanx for the headlight photoshop. i could live with that. Really suits the streamline look I am going for. . . and I dont think the grill looks out of place either. There is a niceflow of the hood line that naturally rolls into tge grill scallop. Now I have to play with making some mechanisms to roll the headlights. Wont do it till last though. Lots of other pressing details to play with first.
Wow this is an awesome build! You cant go wrong with input from Rik when it comes to traditional custom styling ! He helped me out on the chop on my 47 , redesigned the 1/4 windows ,sent me the file which I printed out to use as a template.....he also made me re-chop the b pillar an inch lol!
just about got the rechop in order. decided to add a bead to the perimeter of the top to carry thru with the one on the doors. I was almost gonna remove the bead from the doors but it ois a stying theme from the original design.
Glad you are back on track. That bead shows great attention to detail. The hallmark of all well built customs. Torchie.
Mr. MADCAD (can we call you mister?) you have some awesome skills here. Based on your updates you closed in the corners last Wednesday, rethought the chop with Rik's input by Saturday, and have already rebuilt the back half of this gorgeous top (adding the belt line) and are about ready to close the corners again. That would be 100 hours of work for me, and it would not look anything like the quality you produce! Do you sleep?
Thanks Fan attic. Well believe it,or,not , this my after hrs project. last week I did 70hrs on a Dodge dart replacing the full rear quarter and sundry rust repairs. Probably I work so hard and fast cos i have shit of a boss. . . me. When I am in Perth I can,work my arse off. My progress will slow cos tomorrow I fly home to Brisbane to face the onslaught of kids , bills, home dramas and a grumpy wife. Now that is hard work. Back on the 39 in just over a week.
the new top profile is gonna be great, so glad you put the headlights back on,it will look so much more like a coachworks 39 cad .I think they are one of the best features of that beautiful art deco frontend B
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