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Shoebox Fords- "Continental Kit"

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by fordstandard, Jul 12, 2010.

  1. no, nada, nope zilch,zero,negatory, neva, NEVER EVER on a shoebox

    and about 99.99% of all the other cars
     
  2. dan c
    Joined: Jan 30, 2012
    Posts: 2,520

    dan c
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    you want superfly? get a 76 caddy and paint it purple!
     
  3. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    There were way more cars in the early to mid 50's with continental kits, than there were guys, and especially girls with tattoos. I never owned a car lowered in the back.....I probably had the 2nd car in town that was lowered in the front only, as that was the "latest fad" after I bought my first car.
     
  4. Nailhead Brooklyn
    Joined: Jul 31, 2012
    Posts: 567

    Nailhead Brooklyn
    Member

    This thread hurt my eyes! :(
     
  5. froghawk
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 857

    froghawk
    Member

    Combined with skirts and swept-back dual rear antennas any car can look like a tuna boat.

    Worst connie kit I ever saw was on a '63 Galaxie ragtop. The faceplate had chrome eagle wings with a '54 Ford hood emblem in the middle. Stainless skirts, dual antennas with raccoon tails and the optional wire wheels covers on the front completed the look.
     
  6. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    To the OP.... This Coachcraft Shoe was a magazine cover car in the early fifties. (Photos courtesy Rikster.)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Nailhead Brooklyn
    Joined: Jul 31, 2012
    Posts: 567

    Nailhead Brooklyn
    Member

    I know it's an East Coast thing, and I'm born and raised in Brooklyn NYC but I just have NOOO love for the connie kits...at all...
     
  8. U-235
    Joined: Dec 18, 2010
    Posts: 452

    U-235
    Member

    "Which leads me to my #1 kustom faux pas: Van trim rings on passenger car continental kits. Absolutely awful. On par with mung, genocide, and stabbing babies with a pitchfork. Don't do it. The correct ring is narrow and has a constant radius. The van rings are wide, and flat across the middle. They are immediately recognizable, and let everyone know you're a cheap fuck that couldn't get the right shit. Atrocious."


    Finally somebody has pointed out the gross error of these reproduction continental kits...the van cover...! totally wrong Thanks Joe.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
     
  9. 40StudeDude
    Joined: Sep 19, 2002
    Posts: 9,536

    40StudeDude
    Member


    AND, 2 years too late to the party:

    FWIW, obviously, the "van ring" connie kit cover didn't make any difference to the "new" owner...FWIW, this '57 Ford Retractable fetched $72,000 at Barrett-Jackson's Florida auction back in the spring. "Cheap fuck" indeed...!!! Go tell it to the guy that bought it...!!!

    R-
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2012
  10. cfnutcase
    Joined: Nov 29, 2008
    Posts: 1,032

    cfnutcase
    Member
    from Branson mo


    This is a beautiful car! I dont see how you could improve on this one! Jim
     
  11. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    Haha, hey man, never said the car wasn't beautiful, just that the trim ring is faux pas. For a mere $200 (adjusted for 2 years of inflation) the car could be totally fixed! Speaking from personal experience, the van ring is a necessity if you're going to haul a radial back there. Personally, I'd rather have the right trim ring and keep a bias ply as a spare than drive 99.9% of the time with a weird trim ring. So my move was to totally remove the kit, which I think was a good idea.

    The "cheap fuck" comment was more directed to the very common practice I've seen of cobbling together kits from spare parts, different makes, or scrap metal. The nice, correct repro kits from Continental Enterprises and the like are VERY expensive, so especially on the East Coast, we see people try to take the inexpensive path. It doesn't work.

    If someone coughed up $72K for that ride, that's a good deal for them. You couldn't pay someone to build it for that much.
     
  12. Brians53vicky
    Joined: Oct 29, 2012
    Posts: 300

    Brians53vicky
    Member
    from Monroe, MI

    I'm looking for a Coronado kit for our 53 Victoria. If anyone has one available please let me know.

    thanks-
    Brian
    Monroe, MI

    [email protected]
     
  13. notrod13
    Joined: Dec 13, 2005
    Posts: 1,020

    notrod13
    Member
    from long beach

  14. RICK R 44
    Joined: Dec 13, 2009
    Posts: 474

    RICK R 44
    Member

    If you have a shoebox coupe you gotta have a conny. Try continental enterprises, kelowna b. C. Canada phone250 763 7727
     
  15. cfnutcase
    Joined: Nov 29, 2008
    Posts: 1,032

    cfnutcase
    Member
    from Branson mo


    I agree, they have the best kits in the country, I have used a few of theirs, on 56 fords, 56 merc, and recently on a 58 bonneville convertible, all fit and looked perfect! I would highly recommend them to anyone! Jim
     
  16. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    Back in the 50's there were way more continental kits on customs than there were chopped tops.............way more. Not my favorite, but that's the way things were, in the midwest anyway.
     
  17. BeatnikPirate
    Joined: May 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,416

    BeatnikPirate
    Member
    from Media, Pa.

    They were fairly common around here "back in day", especially on taildragging shoeboxes, with loud rapping mufflers and asphalt-scraping club plates. Often they were adorned with devils, flames, skulls, pinstriping decals, or the car's name, like "Dreamboat", "Peggy Sue", or something. We thought they were cool. We liked the fake Caddy fins, quad headlites, and grills made out of cheesy cabinet knobs too. You could get all the kustom stuff you wanted at Almquist back in 1962.
     

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  18. plywude
    Joined: Nov 3, 2008
    Posts: 699

    plywude
    Member Emeritus
    from manteca ca

    I just took off the kit that I had on my 51 Shoebox, if any one is interested pm me, its black laquer with a chrome outer cover and front and back black laquer tire cover and all hardware CHEAP>>>>>>>>>>>>
    I can't down load pictures but can email them.
     
  19. Shoeboxs are to flat sided to carry off the long back end ...in my opinion...
     
  20. I don't mind them sometimes. Depends on the build
     
  21. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    I know this is an old thread, but I have reason to look into the availability of a '52-'54 Continental kit.
    Any info out there?
     
  22. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    Look here for continental kits:
     
  23. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    They were first seen in the mid fifties and were offered as a dealer installed accessory by most car companies. Certain cars like Packard Carribean and Lincoln Continental came with them stock. Could also be bought as an aftermarket accessory.

    From a functional standpoint there was not much to be said for them. Gave you a little more trunk room which you usually didn't need but at high speed, was like towing a parachute behind the car.

    If you had a nose heavy car with a huge engine up front the connie kit could help restore some balance.

    Some like them some hate them but there is no doubt they were part of the car scene in the fifties, and a lot of guys at that time thought they were cool.
     

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