A friend & I were having a discussion about possible paint , chrome or metal colors for engine & drive train parts underneath a traditionally styled custom car. He was saying chromed oil & tranny pans, etc. But, that reminds me more of street rods or "show" custom cars. Any insight? Thanks, Steve
Customs are supposed to be so low that you can't see under them. Here is my old Merc, nothing but chassis black. But, you can make them shiny if you want to. -Abone.
A couple years ago at SEMA there was a lowrider with a fully engraved frame. It was beautiful! Couldn't believe the work that must have been.
'Back in the day', the garnish of choice for Customs was always chrome. Of course, plating was far cheaper in those days too.
When I was a kid in the 60's it wasn't uncommon for many cars to have as detailed an undercarriage as the top side. I wouldn't necessarily call these cars "customs" but probably "show cars". I'm with Flamedabone for today. Completely dark underside, keep everything as tucked up as possible. I don't open the hood or doors on my car when at a show, ruins the lines of the car.
Thanks guys, I appreciate the opinions. When my friend mentioned a chrome oil pan on a '50 - '53 era custom, it just seemed odd to me. But, to each his own.
chrome and detail is always a good thing. who cares if no one sees it? I'd see it when I worked on it. I'm the only person that matters. if I had money I'd chrome all sorts of stuff no one else will ever see.
A chrome oil pan is a maybe, but only because most cars - during the period the HAMB is concerned with - were new at the time. Would be strange to yank a stock engine out to put a chrome pan on it, though probably not unheard of. Chroming everything is definitely a post-1960 deal. Here is the brand-new Cadillac engine that Bob Hirohata installed in his nearly-new custom '51 Mercury back in 1953. It is just a stock engine with basic chrome accessories like the valve covers and an air cleaner. To me, this is a good idea of what an early custom car should look like under the hood. I am building a 1957 Chrysler in a circa-'61 mild custom style. Pretty similar, though I might take it up a notch in the induction department after I recover financially.
Go ahead and a get a cheap Asian chrome pan and you can easily find the leaks. Some stuff to think about. I rebuilt the engine in my buddy's work van. I painted it bright bright yellow. He said why yellow, why not black. I told him so I can see in there while I'm working on it. It helps a lot. I also painted another buddy's bronco shell and did the under dash area white. He asked why, I said so you can see under there when you put it back together or have to work under there - he loved it. I polished my transmission, nobody will see it .
The Grass Hopper which was built for show and go had a chrome engine block. This was a show only engine. The race engine was not chromed. Chromed engine block
great pic of underside of Blackie Gejeian's famous roadster - first to use mirrors under a car so as not to have to tip it on it's side to show chrome undercarriage - took mirrors out of the women's bathroom
back on topic - one time I was cleaning under my chopped '54 Chevy (La Bomba/now in Japan) and my wife came out and asked me what I was doing - told her - she said that the only thing that will see the underside is roadkill
Exactly what I'm talking about. Shine up on top, below, why dazzle the roadkill? Thanks, Jalopy Joker!
Tony Nancy's 22 jr note chrome oil pan- Not looking for an argument- I am confused. You are looking to build a H.A.M.B. era correct custom, but don't want chrome on the undercarriage because you think it will look like an 80's Tech-No rod. All three example in this post where built in period and have chrome undercarriages. If you don't want chrome that's fine but it did happen in the 50's. The GrassHopper built pre 59 and Blackie Gejeian's car in the early 50's. It is your car build it as you wish when it is all said and done you are the one who need to be happy with it.
Robert, I'm not trying to start an argument either. I may be wrong, but I consider the examples you posted to be hot rods. Yes, those are customized, but I'm talking about cars that were relatively new in the early '50's & were customized. Cars like the Hirohata, Merc., Alcorn Merc., Junior Conway Ford, Moonglow Chevy, etc. It's not about building a car, it was just a conversation that a friend & I were having. I realize anyone can build in whatever style makes them happy.
No issue just the typed word sometimes comes off harsh, and I have seen a lot of threads get ugly over a miss understanding. I think it depended on the owner. I sure someone put a chrome oil pan on a car as soon as the got it home. The same way another guy would pulled the Flathead out a brand new Ford and swapped in a 303 Olds, or Chop the top as soon as he got in the driveway. The first thing I do is look under a hot rod or kustom to see if the owner took the time to detail the bottom as he/she did the top. My main focus is the engine and drive line, I have always be a Hot Rod guy so speed and power is what I am after.
In southwest Iowa, not exactly a custom car mecca, several people painted their new cars undercarriage white (I was a copy cat and painted my 63 Fairlane undercarriage white too) It was a dumb idea for me, I had about 7 miles of gravel roads to get anywhere. One the of the guys I knew had purchased a new 1962 Ford Galaxie (the cheap two door sedan) with a 406 and he had painted his undercarriage, he drove five miles an hour on his several mile trip to a hard surface road, if he saw anyone coming he would duck into a driveway to avoid rock chips. Another friend owns the car today, he says it's beyond saving now, he bought it in around 64 put a 427 425 horse engine and did some racing before going to Vietnam. He has done a clone of the car but I don't believe the under carriage is white, but it is beautiful, and I am cursing myself for not getting a picture of the car a couple months ago.
I would agree, more of a 60's show thing when every point counted. Someone else will be better at posting pictures, but I believe Mox Miller's '58 Chev had chrome underneath. The Buddha Wagon had some chrome too and I seen where guys would chrome a brake drum and display one wheel off at car shows "back in the day"
Here's my 2¢ worth, Kustom on the ground,(where it needs to be) no chrome needed, who's going to see it ?, Hot Rod, IMO, chrome is good, some at least for contrast and lots if you afford it, the chrome Price's today are very high (outrageous) IMO. We used to say "If it doesn't go, chrome it" today it's cheaper to make it go. Again IMO. It's hard to beat black and chrome combo on any ride, add a splash of gold leaf w/ a touch of red equals. WOW in my eyes.
A guy with a really cool chopped Merc told me-- looking at a custom with the hood up is like looking at a good looking woman with her mouth wide open.
Either a car is detailed, or it's not. Customs were often impeccably detailed EVERYWHERE, including the undercarriage. Trunks, interiors, engine compartments, you name it. If you drove a really nice custom and you left something undone, it stood out like a sore thumb and detracted from the rest of your car. Yes, the undercarriage of my '55 is heavily detailed, including polished and chromed parts.
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