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History The Buster Litton '49 Ford

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

  1. Best chop ever, exudes elegance. Buster would have got plenty of tail with such an eye catching panty dropper.

    I know the Barris shop used California Metal Shaping but to me at least it looks like Sam may have cut the top section of the rear 1/4 windows out (arrows) before chopping the top then once the desired roof profile was attained he swapped the pieces side to side as the back part has a nicer flow. That is my theory at least, add it to the hundred other theories. :D

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  2. daddio211
    Joined: Aug 26, 2008
    Posts: 6,012

    daddio211
    Member

    Nice write up boss. The boxes you mentioned are my favorites, and I have a long list of cars following these. Tyler Durben's build here is also worth mention.
     
  3. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    I see what you mean, you might be right! Even if that's not what he did, someone should try that! The curve accelerates toward the top and would make sense reversed on a chopped hardtop-
     
  4. Definetly my favorite shoebox of all time.
     
  5. Stefan T
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 2,165

    Stefan T
    Member
    from Sweden


    Yes my chop of my shoebox is inspired of Buster Liton s shoebox

    And even Andreas (Swedesshoebox) car
    But it's a copy of Buster Littons

    [​IMG]


    /Stefan
     
  6. pimpin paint
    Joined: May 31, 2005
    Posts: 4,937

    pimpin paint
    Member
    from so cal

    Hey Weez,

    A metalshaper, who uses a power hammer everyday gets pretty good at shapes and form. This panel doesn't have alot shape in any one area, but lots of shape over all. Sam, or whoever welded in the roof, may have had to do some slight hammer and dolly work to get the panel to fit, but probably very little.

    Does anyone know if Red Tweit or Scott Knight are still living, both worked for California Metal Shaping?


    "Do not reach greedily for the Kool-Aid "
     
  7. oldthudman
    Joined: May 12, 2010
    Posts: 85

    oldthudman
    Member

    Cool!.............Very clean!.................Recall taillight treatments using Packard tail lenses........54 Buick headlight rings..............

    Very nice!!!
     
  8. S.F.
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 2,895

    S.F.
    Member

    I had a short talk with weesner at the Detroit autorama about the Buster litton 49, and how his car resembles its style. Always considered it my favorite kustom, kind of the prime example of what a kustom car should be.
     
  9. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    I would guess he probably had California Metal Shaping make up some panels like they did on a lot of their builds.

    My guess would be that since CMS were in LA, Barris would drive the car over and leave it for a few days. Sam would bring along posterboard templates, and once there, tape them in place on the car and discuss what needed to be done before leaving. That's all CMS would need and a few days later, Barris would pick up the car with the panels cleco'd in place ready to be welded. The only other way would be to send 3D templates of 24 gauge tin or aluminum, but might as well take the actual car if you're driving across town (to drop off templates).

    Always dug the Litton car, Weez' and Pratt's.
     
  10. One of the most beautiful customs of all time IMO
     
  11. kiwiandy
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 419

    kiwiandy
    Member

    This might have been covered somewhere, but I cant find it.... where is the Buster Litton Coupe now? Has it survived?

    Thanks

    Andy
     
  12. The Anderson / Buster Litton Ford has always, to me, defined a tastefully done, and skillfully executed car.

    To think that it was done in pieces, by different guys, who took what the former customizers had done, and tastefully built on that platform, is really cool.

    I absolutely love this car, and it inspired (together with the Welch Merc) the front end treatment on my Hudson...

    The only point of contention in my mind was the interior. The exterior is SO clean, SO smooth, and flows SO well, that the interior being so wild seems a bit out of place....although on the other hand, it certainly is appropriate and a great example of a period custom interior. I guess when the outside is so clean and simple, you can get a little crazy on the inside.
     
  13. S.F.
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 2,895

    S.F.
    Member


    I was wondering that too, is the car still around?
     
  14. Great thread , I really dig this car and I always have.These pictures of it at the boatraces are just great,love seeing it parked next to all the other cars.

    Looks like Gil Ayala started something pretty big when he started using California Metal Shaping for roofs.

    killer thread,nice to see it on the Hamb..
     
  15. kiwiandy
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 419

    kiwiandy
    Member

    also of interest is the side glass. After removal of the B pillar did it ever have glass installed? Were the coupe doors cut or were they replaced with convertable doors? If this was the case the door glass wouldnt be difficult but wind down rear glass would make some work. Are there any pics showing it with glass?
    Cheers.
    Andy
     
  16. daddio211
    Joined: Aug 26, 2008
    Posts: 6,012

    daddio211
    Member

    I think the rear glass would be easy to roll up and connect to the door glass given the build period. I'm thinking tri-five Chevy (and all other GM's) hardtop for mechanisms. Up and forward on an arc.
     
  17. KustomCars
    Joined: Jul 31, 2011
    Posts: 3,465

    KustomCars
    Member
    from Minnesota

    One of my favorite 49 fords.. Great writing Ryan!
     
  18. Weez , love your car also ! ... Seeing the Crestliner wheel in Litton's car made me hunt for one for the 49 I had....still have the steering wheel . a buddy has that ride now.
     
  19. has everyone forgot about Bill Hines Shoebox........
     

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  20. I could possibly go for some Matranga-type side glass channel details & a double- dip front bumper treatment ( e.g 54- 55 Chev/ Ford etc.) on this concept.

    Longtime admirer of the featured autos, and yes, well scribed Ryan.
     
  21. 50Fraud
    Joined: May 6, 2001
    Posts: 10,101

    50Fraud
    Member

    Maybe ten years ago on the HAMB I started a thread that was a poll about people's all-time favorite customs. Sadly, that thread is no longer in the archive. I can't recall now whether I asked people to nominate cars or I chose them and had it multiple choice.

    To my great surprise, the #1 car was Litton's and #2 was the Matranga Merc. Surprise, I say, because I agree with those results, but I expected more flamboyant cars like Hirohata's to come out on top.

    I'm glad to see that this beautiful car is still highly regarded by a lot of folks on here.
     
  22. We have been fabbing the rear roof area on our cuts for a few years, here's 2. The gold/green one was done in the early 90's and the black one about 4 or 5 years ago

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  23. Barn-core
    Joined: Jan 26, 2004
    Posts: 946

    Barn-core
    Member

    I've always loved this custom, but was unaware of that wild dash. Any more pics of that floating around?
     
  24. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    Not sure what to call it, but what I meant was the side window opening top edge curved pieces, with all the overlapping formed structure (like the pillars, but above) not the sheet metal. On a sedan there's a much more relaxed curve to work with, coupes have a tight curve that is hard to change without a prohibitive amount of cuts through a bunch of structure.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  25. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    That is a nice roof, was this car ever finished?
     
  26. Stefan T
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 2,165

    Stefan T
    Member
    from Sweden

    about Andreas shoebox have i pics take from the inside of his roof

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    /Stefan
     
  27. Swedeshoebox
    Joined: Sep 30, 2007
    Posts: 149

    Swedeshoebox
    Member
    from Sweden

    Great story Ryan...
    and im glad to be in the company!

    About my car,from the beginning the plan was not to build a copy of the Panoramic Ford, ofcourse i loved the Panoramic and the flow it has but it was the roof that got me and i did my best to copy the roof, I started to chop my shoebox and it looked ok to me but i could see that i needed some critical eyes to watch and tell me what to change and i asked the most talented pepole i know Ulf (WOLF) Cristianson and Janne Kutja! and they where kind to tell me what they like to change on the roof and they even introduce me to Rik Hoving who helped me with some photoshop......we (Rik, Janne, Wolf and me) didn´t discuss inches it was the flow we searced for!
    and i think it turned out quite good.....the windshield is leaned back not mutch but enough, the rearwindow was not an easy thing to get in position!!
    on shoboxes the rearwindow often sits to high (my opinion) and to get it where i wanted took alot of work and time.

    the roof on my car is not a copy from Busters car, the hight is about the same but there is some things we decided to change,

    The front and rear on Busters car is hard pices to find so when i had the chop done i started to search for the parts i needed to build a near clone of busters old car, i found the parts i needed and the build could go on.
    Again (me Wolf,Janne and Rik) discussed the pices on the puzzle and it was alot of measuring on the car and on pictures to get a clue about where to cut and where to not cut:D

    in 2009 it was ready for the road and untill this spring i have not done anything to the car because of a housebuild and a kid;) but i have plans:cool:

    The best critic i got is from Buster Litton, he wrote me that he thought it was his old car untill he read about it:):)

    Last weekend:D
    [​IMG]Hosted on Fotki
     
  28. Swedeshoebox
    Joined: Sep 30, 2007
    Posts: 149

    Swedeshoebox
    Member
    from Sweden

    That question has keept me awake some nights;)
    Weez i love your car, are you coming back to Sweden?

    Buster had some slide in quarter-glass but there was some change in the trim around the quarterglass between 53-54:confused:
    and the doors seems to have been coupe if you look at the went-window you will se

    i got a pic of the dash from Buster but i promise not to show it so sorry!
    I like the 53 version better without the wild dash and with the white crestlinerwheel


    i think the bodywork was done 51-early53 and the interior late 53?
    thats why the bodywork is soo smooth and the interior is so wild?? just my thought:confused:
     
  29. carlos
    Joined: May 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,387

    carlos
    Member
    from ohio

    Really dont want to take anything away from this post,but I am a Major shoebox lover.Love the roof,how can a person in good mind Take a shoe and hang a studebaker front on it:mad:.Iknow customs some times go over the top trying to take a good thing and make it better not worse.49-50 ford tail lights look so good as they are dont f--k with them you cant improve them much mabe french em,I do like 56 olds headlite rings on em.I m sorry not my favorite like the hines ford much better
     
  30. carlos
    Joined: May 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,387

    carlos
    Member
    from ohio

    the 2
     

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