Customs The Mild Custom Transformation, mama's 55

So a few years ago, we bought a car for the wife. It was a nice restored Texas car. Never had a floor pan replaced or any rust to speak of. Just a good solid car to start with. I have been accumulating parts to make this car more of a daily driver for the wife. It's going to be our "road car". It rides SO much better than my old, hot, loud hot rods.

So, this is my first attempt at a custom, so I am going to post my progress as I go along. I'll have a few things I have to omit for things that are considered OT. I also have a thread going in the 52-59 Ford social board that covers a little more. The car is kind "old manish", which stands to reason, since I bought it from a 70 year old preacher in TX. It was dubbed "Double Nickle". He has kind of a dice theme going on. I will be trying to undo some of that. It's not a lot...but it is sort of cheesy.

I am going to try and refrain from shaving, decking and nosing the car at this stage. The paint is still good. That is unless, I can lay out some scallops to hide the work?

I will be asking a lot of dumb questions to the custom gurus, so get ready. It's a blank slate.

The victim:

 

I like this car a lot.

 

Stance, different caps, and a Continental kit delete would make a world of difference. Do that, then stand back and plot the next move.

 

I have the aerostar springs, a set of 2" blocks already bought. I sourced a set of Granda spindles etc, so I will do it all at the same time.

I search the net daily for that ever elusive set of cheap, but cool caps to replace these.

 

I would absolutely KEEP the continental pakage.

 

Make it safe, lower it, drive. Good lookin' car to start with!

 

Primer spots on kustoms are kool! It's part of the process....

Or like you mentioned, layout some simple scallops that cover the filled emblem holes. Something like these examples:

 

My West Coast bias doesn't dig the Connie Kit, but that's a real nice start for a mild custom. I'd run '56 Olds Starfires or '57 Caddies.

 

Fiestas, star fires of royal lancer caps.

 

I have been thinking 51 Olds caps?

I think the Continental kit is gone for several reasons.
The main reason is I want to pull the Fly and my my old travel trailer.
The other is, I don't really feel it. Feels like a JC Whitney chingas to me.

 

Skirts.....keep the Connie kit, glass packs just my .o2 cents

 

Like Moriarity said, you can run primer spots. Use white primer and you can get away with it for a long while. Does it have pink interior?

 

My buddy’s 54...Aerostar springs, lowered leafs out back, car drives great. It’s got a Roush sbf and a T5. We put olds taillights on it, Shaved the bullet from the grill...great car

Look for some station wagon taillights, lower it, nose and deck it, chrome reverse wheels and whitewalls.

 

No it's red. It's fading, but I think I can probably replace the piece on the package tray and get the worst of it. I was thinking of using a white pleated piece for that. I need to add speakers back there anyway. I want to hide them under the material if possible.

 

I don't recall seeing a continental kit on a tudor before. Its got to go.

Gary

 

That is one nice car.




I'm a old man and I like the way the car presents itself.

A little lower it in the front and sell the continental kit,add the hub cups you want and call it done, so easy a caveman could do it! HRP

 

Another vote to keep the continental kit !!!!!!!! And drop it !!!

 

I'm a big '53 Olds cap fan.
I'm a big not-fan of continental kits.

Nice sedan!

 

I'm no Rikster but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

 

Can anyone add the Watson style scallops pictured in post #2? I was thinking red.

 

Yes!!!!nice !!!!

 

55 Buick caps with a bullet look good too...but it’s my belief that chrome reverse go with everything...

 

Nice...Lincoln caps look great..

 

You know what? I'd be tempted to leave it pretty much as is, and I'm primarily a Chevrolet guy. Very nice car; what's your WIFE want to do with it? Do it for HER, not you or anyone else. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

She wants to add a little color, she thinks it looks too plain.

She wants it to be as reliable as her new Lincoln, so I am trying to give her what she wants. I bought a 5.0 out of a late model wreck, (well 1999 if you call that late model), and I have a rebuilt 4R70W OD tranny for it.

The PO already added air, so we should be good. The old Y was tired and starting to smoke. She's not a fan of the 3 speed on the tree, so all that is coming out. It will have 4 wheel disc brakes, but I won't go into all that in this thread.

She likes going out of state to the shows at KKOA, HRH etc., plus she wants to drive it daily, so who am I to argue?

Happy wife...happy life.

 

If it not broke why fix it?

 

See above.

 

I agree with Mark without at least a nose and deck job it is not a custom mild or not. IMO it's a stocker with some different hubcaps on it and a lowering kit. A custom has some type of body modification done to it.

 

That will come later. I just want to get it mechanically sound first. Let her make a few custom shows and let her decide what she wants to do. It will be better that way. I plan on shaving the emblems, nosing and decking it. I think I will leave the door handles and just add electric locks.

She scares me because she keeps talking color changes.....I don't know if I have that in me anymore.