How funny! When I eventually finish my '59 Lark, it will be in the OE (for 1960 Larks) Jonquil yellow.
Aaaaahaa, now we're gitt'n somewhere. These pics show what the actual fit will be. The side split has been closed, and the front split will be as soon as Travis makes it purdy. Notice the tight fit between the bezel and the body. This will actually be opened up a tad to allow for primer and paint. The outside foot or so of the "V" nose panel gits thinner as it mates up to the fender, so special attention is given the filler panel beneath, to keep the grille opening correct. I had no idea of the amount of work it takes to do this properly. T this point there is no filler of any kind used. I am sooo envious of young guys that can do this!!! Now I need to think about what to do for the grille. Ideas please!!!!!!! Maybe a '59 insert, if it is near the same size. Or simply a tube grille. It would be nice to have something "old", but something different.
The other side is pretty easy at this point, as Travis made reverse templates to use. I'm git'n excited. He's also filling the holes in the hood and crossbar. I can't believe that I've waited this long try and improve on the '57.
How about a' 57-'58 Studebaker sedan (not Hawk) grille and bumper, but without the Stude upper chrome trim? See if someone on the PhotoShop thread can give you an idea of how it would look.
I love all customs but '57 Ford headlight in my mind are perfect as they are. Those lights make it a '57 FORD. Custom looking right from the factory. Anything else to replace them is just plain wrong. You can modify the '57 anyway you want but sometimes it just becomes overkill or plain too much. I vote........leave the lights alone.
That's why they are called Kustoms. Everyone has their own preferences, and I really appreciate that, but I have always liked the smooth simpleness of the '58's, although I really dislike the '58 front end. The '57 headlights seem to be an afterthought, post design of the wonderful eyebrows. The lights and rings are so big, they even protrude down into the grille, breaking up that wonderful grille design. But again, we all have our likes and dislikes. I hate to follow a trend, but I thinking about '59 Pontiac Bonne lenses and bezels, or just lenses, cut for the deck lid. Thanks.........
I stopped by this morning, and Travis was right in the middle of the headlights. I have looked at several '57's that have been treated to '58 quads, and have found only one that really looked good. Seems that most people think the pot metal bezels can't be tweeked or modified. A quick peek at these pics show how just a bit of trimming can make all the difference in the world. The tweeking part is in the fit at the top. They are very tight, and don't need to be, so Travis has opened them up a tad. He also removed the center nose piece and straightened it, from the many unintentional tweeks it had been subjected to. It will now be welded to the fender extensions. Hopefully we will see primer tomorrow. I'm git'n anxious!!!!!!
The stylists in the 50s were emulating aircraft, Ford had a description of the 57s "jet tube" taillights which looked like the exhaust end of a jet engine. The headlights represented the intake. I like frenched headlights on 57s, but if you understand what the stylists were trying to achieve you negate their efforts by frenching them. $0.02
Wow!!! I remember well, when the '57s came out, and all the swept wing, forward, jet like look. But, haven't we mortals with lead between our ears, been placed here to mess with the best of designs, 'cause we think we can make them better, or at least different. Or, look at it this way, by '58, jets had advanced to using 2 mills, so they had to have 2 intakes. Kidding aside, I really appreciate all the information that threads like this bring out. That's half the fun of it all. Thank you guys!!!!!!!! The work got slowed up a tad, but both headlights are complete, the '57 hood is molded, the body is being prep'd and hopefully will be in buff primer today or Monday. The top will be in COLONIAL white, as it originally was. I need to sort out a few mechanical issues, then this Winter will paint the body. Larry Watson lives!!!!!!!!! Also, '59 Pontiac taillights are coming, unless someone has a better idea.......... Ohhhhh!!!!!! The '59 grille insert seems to fit wonderfully within the '57 grille opening. I'm thinking about using it as-is, or cutting out the stars and floating a single bar, maybe with lucite inserts in the ends for park lights, ala R&C DT. Thoughts????
Hey 58custom, I flat forgot. The slot in the bezel that curls around the fender end, fits tight and makes it easy to scratch or chip the paint, on the bezel or the fender. By opening up the slot just a smidge, it makes it much easier to handle, and is not noticeable. While I'm on a rant.........I have never been a fan of the huge rear bumpers on Fairlane 500's. I much prefer the thinner Custom and Custom 300 units. So, another little change coming up. I have a couple different bumpers that may work, and will picture later today or tomorrow. The flat rear of the '58 as opposed to the sculpted rear of the '57 makes this a bit difficult, but a mere hill for a high stepper.
Still in the booth, with a thin primer coat. This gives an overall view of what the front will look like. Smoooooth.....The edges will be rounded a tad, and that should be it. I will leave it in primer for a couple months before paint. That will give me a chance to think about design. I still want to do a Watson style, but early Watson, like the El Camino. Now that I look at it, I may have to round the leading hood corners. Man....does it ever end????? Just to remind you guys, this is a 1958 Fairlane.........
Well, here is the Fairlane out in the sun, with the top in Colonial White, and the body in the buff. Looking at these pics makes a '57 Custom 300 rear bumper a must. Apparently the "designers" opted to use one bumper for the Fairlanes and the Customs for 1958, to save money. Well, it's ugly. The '57 cheapie had a nice simple bumper design, not so heavy and clumsy looking. I have all the side trim, and hope to install it later, but not right off the bat. I want to do a little scalloping or outlining, then go racing a bit. I bought a new gas tank a month ago, and just took it out of the box today. Some '64 T-bird owner is gonna be really upset when he realizes that my Fairlane tank won't fit. Proper tank is in route.
Really nice work! Looks "Factory," in a good way! I like the idea of the '59 grill insert, complete with the stars. For the parking lights, maybe '58 Pontiac lenses, which also feature a star design? Might be a pain fabricating a housing though...
Hey Froghawk, those are really neet looking lenses, but you're right about figuring out a way to incorporate them. I should have the morf back here on Sat. and then see how the '59 insert looks. I hope it will fit okay, with or without the stars. The fellow who did the metal polishing on Leland's 50 Winfield Chev told me to twist it around any way I want, then have it de-anodized, and take it to him. He'll do the rest. It is aluminum, and he can make it look fabulous. I managed to pick up some '59 Pontiac lenses, which seem like the only alternative to stock taillights, that don't require of work. I haven't had any suggestions as yet on paint design, but what is on that green "Suddenly" looks mighty fine. (long story there)
Nice work, man. I'll be honest, I feel just the opposite of you. I've never been a fan of quad headlights in pretty much anything, and I'll always prefer the single light of the 57 to the quads of the 58. When we did my '57, we went OG and installed the buckets from the back, and finished them with the 56 F100 trim rings. Then we moulded the edge for a smooth look with no seams.
Hey, Joe, tell me it ain't so.......kidding, of course. I've always loved '57 Fords. I've had well over a dozen of 'em. My first was in about 1962. I just had a hard time with headlights, but never changed any of them. I think what stifled me was the fact that they got into the sheet metal below, and the grille. So, when the '58's came out, I that, hah!!!!!!! It just took a few years before I got it done. I reckon it's ironic that this is a '58. I agree about single headlights for the most part, although I grew up in the 50's, with lap-in oil dripping from my ears, and cars had one light on each side. Then I saw the R&C Dream Truck, which grew dual headlights in late '56. I was really inspired by that critter, and little did I know that I'd actually own it many years later. We tried real hard to make the change in my '58 match the design of the front end, and I think it does. Maybe too well, as it looks stock. But isn't that the idea, to individualize your ride, yet make it look like it was designed that way.
Here's a little better shot of the old critter heading home. Has new shoes on the front, and I'll order new for the rear this week.
I still prefer the '57 headlights myself. Grafting the '58 lights into '57 Fenders is the hard way to go when you can just put the '58 front end on a '57 is that is what you like. We used to take the '57s and bolt a '58 hood on for the scoop. Anyway looks like you get it covered.
As seen in previous posts, I love dialogue. I'm always intrigued by the different likes and dislikes of fellow leadheads. I like '57 Fords, but don't like the headlights. I don't particularly like the front end and taillights on '58's. I do like the headlights on the '58's. Not because they are "dual", but because they seem to better fit the bezel opening, and look "smoother". And I don't care for the little hood scoop on the '58's. See what I mean.
cabong, I think it's coming out beautifully. If you're really keen on the quads, I like retrofitting the quads into these fenders better than using '58 fenders, since personally I like the peak in the '57 fender better than the recess in the '58's. Looks great man, even if it's not the way I personally would have built it. Much respect
Thanks Guys, now I need to bang away on a grille insert. I have the '59 to play with, and if that doesn't work, I try to find a floater, or even a tube grille of some sort. I just hate to use what everyone else does.
Hey Peanut, just had to post this pic of my wife's Lark, and share the short version of how she got it, back in about 1990. She'd been looking at it, in a storage yard, when it disappeared. I later found it in an impound yard down in Oakland, CA. It had been stolen for the wire wheels that were on it, and the dicks that stole it weren't satisfied with just the wheels, so they kicked in every panel, jumped on the roof, and broke every piece of glass in the critter. It was sitting in mud with no wheels, so you can imagine what it looked like. The yard owner wanted a ton for storage, but I managed to chisel him down and went back out to look before paying. I walked around it and thought to myself, no way Jose, this bugger is toast. I walked away about 50 feet, and made the drastic mistake of looking back. You know what caught my eye was the first three letters of the license plate, which in my pea-brain said "PLEASE".......I was screwed. The rest is history. I fixed it up, installed a Kettering 289/ 4-speed out of a Gran Turismo, and surprised my wife at Xmas. She cried, I cried, and the Lark just smiled.
The Jalopy Journal
