The Other Flame Styles: Chunky Flames, Thick Flames, Von Dutch-Style Flames..

I don't think these qualify as "chunky", but I think they're a wee bit different than some of the longer/wispier types more commonly seen nowdays. The plan for my car was to build a full-size car reminiscent of the old 3 in 1 model kits from my youth. I wanted the flames to seem like they may have come from the decal sheet..



-Dave

 

These are about as chunky as I can handle , just not into the chunk look .

 

Flamed Renault Dauphine, anyone?

 

Thanks guys, very cool! Had missed that JimmyB thread. From that thread:

Hot Rod magazine’s November 1956 coverage of the NHRA Nationals in Kansas City reported a 134.93 mph clocking. Competing as a “B-Modified” roadster, the Weaks & Noble roadster entry ran in the next-to-last runoff in the Final Eliminations against Mel Heath’s Hemi-powered dragster. Although Heath won the race, records show the Weaks & Noble/Paul Sylva car turned a best time of 135.54 mph in 11.32 seconds.

 

The standard is my dad's old 40. I believe the photos were taken in '54.

 

Anybody can like whatever style they want and to say the more modern flames are appealing. Modern flames are probably good from a nice flowing design standpoint.

But to simply dismiss the originators or original style as ugly is like saying something sucks and walking away... thats just weak and not a supportive argument or opinion.

Myself personally I really don't think there is enough original style flames out there.
They can't be wrong or ugly because they were first....like the gilmore racing indy car. growing up in the 80's I saw a lot of what people consider "good flames"
and now I can't stand them, even when painted well and on a super rad car.

If we really want to do our homework and create traditional stuff give me the old crab style flames or early Larry Watson seaweed stuff. That shit is rad and "correct" cause it is an originator.

The Kennedy Bros Devil Deuce for Jim Jard is a perfect example a supremely well built car with all the right bells and whistles from the period and really nice flames , any other flame job would ruin it.



The Jack James 1957 buick that Larry Watson did to me is the epitome of a perfect radical flame job and period correct for a mild custom.



The original subject matter of this post was of traditional style flames and these are just two of them and really well done.

 

I saw that 57 Buick on a car lot in Pasadena in the late 50's for $1995 can't imagine someone buying it to repaint

 

I've been accused of (I've been called worse) doing Watson style flames. I have a vision of the perfect flame. just never been able to do it in paint

 

Has anyone ever seen a car done with truly realistic flames? Like photo-realistic? I wonder if anyone has ever attempted that. I suspect that it would not look as good as the stylized (idealized?) flames we do see. Might be interesting.

 

See attached, it's old news, I think it's retarded...

 

You're not alone on that one. Street rod crud.

 

Those flames are Cool for muscle cars or later american steel, but not here on the hamb.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Thanks for the pic. Exactly what I was thinking of. I think the flames in the picture are really well done. BUT ... no, they wouldn't look right on just any car. Still, I think the look could work on the right car.

Thanks again.

 

corvettes usually don't do anything for me, but I REALLY DIG this one!

 

The big chunky flames as you are referring to date back to the earliest flame jobs which as I recall, flame paint on cars originated from airplane fuselage painting from World War II. The reason most are thick and chunky looking is probably because custom paint and striping materials had yet to be developed and the paint and body painters had little to no graphic painting skills. The flames popularized in the 50's - 60's and that became the preferred type for most hot rods are referred to as "crab claw" flames. Some have credited Von Dutch as the creator of these, who painted his first flames on a Fire Truck. Others argue it was Ed Roth. A guy I knew growing up said it was a relatively unknown guy who had a small paint shop in California that striped and masked off the first custom flame jobs.

Oh and yeah the realistic flames just dont cut it on a hot rod.

 

Mike Lavallee pretty much nailed that process a few years ago. Lots of people doing it now, and they probably learned from Mike, ...... one way or another.

 

Yes! This is the exact style that I'm looking for in this thread. When flames were just beginning to show up on hot rods and the backyard builder wanted some on his rides. They usually ended up imperfect but that's how they became iconic, because there's no secret formula to achieving the perfect flame job. You either liked it or you didn't.

Maybe they should be called the "happy accident" flames.

 

Larry Watson flames kicked much arse aswell.












I love that style flames!

 

Here's some from my archives.

 

Voigt-Colb D roadster at starting line by Jimmy Bs 1925 Chev, on Flickr

Carl Borgh 1925 Chev roadster

 

I think I might be in love..

 

Larry was an awesome painter and definitely deserves mention. However he was one of many who copycatted Von Dutch. I almost forgot to mention another legend striper and flame master, Dean Jefferies. Who can forget his work at Barris. Again though, he saw the genius that was Von Dutch and played his hand accordingly.

 

heres a kinda cool one...

 

...

 

There was a purple primer 34 ford coupe with a built flathead and no cooling system [he only drove it for 50 foot intervals] that frequented BTT50s, DesMoines Goodguys etc and I loved the way his flames licked along the rockers and up the rear quarters. Loved it so much I had my buddy Danny lay out and paint my flames on my 41 Pontiac in a similar pattern..Winged Avenger owns the car now...something different.

 

Bitchin!

 

I like this style, despite the background noise from my pals.

Here's one that I sold to a buddy in NC. It's an old GMC Cali custom from the early 60's.

 

Cool.