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History The Buster Litton '49 Ford

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Ryan, Jul 18, 2012.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    Before I even got to reading the bottom I thought of Weesner's shoebox and it's headlight treatment since this car always reminds me of it. Both are clear examples on how to extend your headlights I think.

    Massaging and changing every panel doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as you have the eye to put what looks best on the car's entirety. The two best things about this car are the chop (obviously) and the single side spear on the side. Had that been something a bit wilder and I think it would have been unbalanced and over the top.

    Wanna hear the other unsung here of this car? I think it's the 53 Cad caps. Every time those are used it seems to be a total knock out. Mark Morton's '54 Merc comes to mind.....
     
  3. I would love to see more photo's of the Dutch striped dash. I do not recall ever seeing this (the dash) in any magazine.
    There is NOTHING I don't like on this beautiful old Kustom!
     
  4. John Denich
    Joined: Nov 20, 2005
    Posts: 2,718

    John Denich

    From a Diehard Kustom guy.....Thanks for writing this and putting it on the HAMB!
     

  5. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
    Member

    After seeing this,my Dads '49 definitely needs a redo.That is one perfect shoebox.
     
  6. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    And ironically, one of the very few customs this normally non-custom kinda guy really likes! Weez's too. Veru yastefully done and so well finished and thought out before the torches were even lit.
     
  7. One of my most favorite kustom 49 Fords
     
  8. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,378

    sololobo
    Member

    Aye Yi Yi, less is more and fab. Flipped my wig. ~sololobo~
     
  9. Apenaut
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 111

    Apenaut
    Member

    FYI - The fender extensions look to be from the front fenders of a '50-51 Studebaker and the headlight rims are '52 Studebaker (which would fit the earlier fenders).
     
  10. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    Cool to be included in such rare company!

    Hey, I've always been stumped by the Litton car's roof- it's right on the money, but how'd they do it? The side rails of the roof don't match up to a Ford roof curve, did they use Chevy pieces on the sides? (Yes, I've cut up photos of a '50 and tried to figure out the Litton chop, I'm a pretty trainspotty about this stuff!)

    No one's done a roof like that till Andreas' car-

    I think maybe Andreas' car has fabbed-up roof sides, that's what I was told by someone (Wolf maybe?) when I was drooling over it in Sweden-
     
  11. =mike=
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 820

    =mike=
    Member

    amazing car , and looks like an amazing new version as well . . . glad to see somethings stay the same over the years .
     
  12. ToddJ
    Joined: Jul 11, 2008
    Posts: 1,408

    ToddJ
    Member
    from Marion, IA

    I love the Litton shoebox, always have...and Weez, your's definitely deserved the menton. Also among my favorites.
     
  13. injunjoes
    Joined: May 8, 2007
    Posts: 236

    injunjoes
    Member

    Good article Ryan, big fan of all the classy custom cars you mentioned in the article
     
  14. cleatus
    Joined: Mar 1, 2002
    Posts: 2,277

    cleatus
    Member
    from Sacramento

    Love, love, love that car
    A real masterpiece of redesign
     
  15. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    My favorite custom car ever. Only things I would change are in the interior.

    That pretty, thin roof and extended quarters really change the proportions of the stubby, tall shoebox. That car is on the money.
     
  16. Beachcomber
    Joined: Aug 4, 2010
    Posts: 283

    Beachcomber
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

  17. rbantique
    Joined: Jun 12, 2008
    Posts: 6,431

    rbantique
    Member
    from maine

    Very Nice Shoebox Indeed ~!!
     
  18. msalamanca
    Joined: May 25, 2011
    Posts: 526

    msalamanca
    Member

    That is by far one of my favorite shoeboxes.
     
  19. gr8ness13
    Joined: Aug 28, 2008
    Posts: 405

    gr8ness13
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That car is Timeless...
     
  20. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

  21. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    I gotta think Sam fabbed his too... I've looked and looked at roof lines and nothing, American at least, matches that curve.
     
  22. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    Here's another "thin roof pillar" shoebox chop being done on the Hamb by Stefan T, with a lot of photos of the work done. It is not for the faint of heart. :D

    My shoebox chop

    It's a little more upright than the Litton chop, but still looks great.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  23. oldandkrusty
    Joined: Oct 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,141

    oldandkrusty
    Member

    Damn Ryan, why did you have to do this to me? The Buster Litton shoebox was, and is, my all-time favorite custom. There is not one thing on this car that I would change. In fact I loved this car sooooooooooo much that I had talked to my pal Marty Pierson about doing a clone. I had a shoebox picked out, knew where there was a donor '52 Olds for the quarters and tailights and found a pair of Studebakers which would give up their front fenders and headlights. Marty was very interested in doing the job as he also really loved Buster's car. Then cancer got him and he died last year. My enthusiasm definitely went in the shitter as Marty was the only one I knew and trusted to do the job and to do it right. He was a body working genius. I miss him every day.

    Anyway Ryan, thanks for taking the time to post about this wonderful car.
     
  24. Montana32
    Joined: Feb 5, 2010
    Posts: 20

    Montana32
    Member

    That is a cool '49. I've always liked it, but did my own as a mild custom...no chop. Thanks for sharing this one.
     
  25. Jack Luther
    Joined: Oct 24, 2005
    Posts: 531

    Jack Luther
    Member

    My favorite shoebox until Royalshifter's came along.
     
  26. I would guess he probably had California Metal Shaping make up some panels like they did on a lot of their builds.
     
  27. Just another reason I love this site. The talent that we had is shown and the new talent we have today!
     
  28. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    I never understood how they did that, how do you tell somebody to make a certain shape, seems like you'd have to do a sculpture of it first!
     
  29. I wonder if they got a framework of the metal work done and then used paper patterns to get the panel shape they desired from California Metal Shaping. Maybe Rikster knows for sure and can shed some light on the subject.
     
  30. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    Superb car!
    As far as style "trends" becoming cyclically more extreme, each guy outdoes the last until it gets ridiculous. Eventually a guy returns to tastefully restrained, stylistic simplicity and the "cycle" starts again.
     

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