Customs Family 1st! Time to change the easter egg for Detroit Auto-Rama!

I am going to start this thread by saying that I originally purchased this car years ago because I was a young rodder that had a growing young family.....My wife and I liked to go to rod runs and with the kids but I could see that their curiosity required a mode of transportation that had some creature comforts and visibility. So long story short, I am at a swap meet and there is this really loud peach and purple Oldsmobile sitting there for sale. I don't think the car was getting much attention from potential buyers cause it needed lots of mechanical work. The paint, although 90's trendy, was very nice and the interior was done by one of the best in the area (Portage Trim) I talked with the owner and tried to make a deal, no luck. Gave him my number and left it at that. Well as fate would have it, his garage door fell on the car a couple weeks later and dented a fender and rain gutter. He called me and said to get it out of his way.....I went out and surveyed the damages and purchased the car and trailered it home. I have done many modifications to the car over the years to the point it is a proven vehicle. We have taken it on family vacations and to many car functions. Not realizing what I have created.......when I told the family that I was ready to get rid of the Oldsmobile, the family all went nuts! So, I guess I have to keep it. I really treat this car as a normal car, so I don't like working on it and spending money on it.....With that in mind and the Detroit Auto-Rama close at hand, time to back date the car into something I will like just a little. I have given myself 8 weeks to get it done. Whatever I get done is all it is going to get. I threw together a sport coupe and sold it right before the holidays to fund this project, so that is the budget. I have never built a custom, so please if you see something I could do better or change, please, please, don't hold back.

 

First thing I feel I need to do is get rid of all the painted chrome. When I fiirst started maping this in my head, budget ruled and I purchased a set of Briz bumpers here on the HAMB in the classified section. Last monday my dad went to an old chrome shop downtown and asked if I would go with him, not the greatest of neighborhoods. While I was there, I asked if they had any old bumpers laying around ( I remember in 91 they had alot) and Wally took me to a room filled with bumpers. I knew I wouldnt be happy with a shiney paint job and Briz bumpers, so I was really happy to find a pair of bumpers that I think I can make work. So here I took the front end apart and mocked up the front bumper. I believe they are 46-7 Cadillac. I am missing a front bumper guard for the drivers side if anybody has one....

 

Good choice. The monochromatic look dates the car. Some bitchin' chrome bumpers and grille, and you'll have a great start.

 

A front and rear bumper, chrome grille, chrome headlight bezels, single-color paint job (this is a MUST, make the budget work!!) and a set of steel wheels, whitewalls, and ... say... '53 Studebaker hubcaps. Nice car!

 

When you say "back date", I'll assume you want to give the car a 60's look. The '59 Caddy taillights seem to have been stuck on the back, cuz EVERYBODY puts them on customs. They don't work for me or the car. With rounded fenders '59-'60 Corvette's might flow better. Since the car has a front bumper, it should have a rear for design balance. There are probably several, other than finding the correct Olds, that would match the width and curve. Both should be chrome, as well as the grill.
60's customs many times had hub caps rather than aftermarket wheels. Usually with some style of spinner. A better alternate would be chrome reversed with baby moons.
Color is wide open. Medium to dark metallic colors were popular, as were lighter non metallic shades. If you're not changing the interior, its color should give you a direction.
Lights, chrome, new taillights and paint should be able to be accomplished in 8 weeks since you seem to be not only motivated, but have a kitty squired away for the modifications.

 

I would reverse the rake and put some new Firestone 6.70's on there with some Sombrero wheel covers. Skirts in the back if possible and smaller exit exhaust pipes. The Caddy tails are kind of complicated because they will be tuff to fix unless to weld them up and run bumperette tails. Is paint an option? Throw a dark burgandy if it is.' Oh and as much chrome as you can afford in terms of bumpers and grille.

I probably just spent way more then your budget but some of those should help get you started.

Here is a rendering by our own JANNE for reference.

 

I got both bumpers from the old shop, so yes, it is gonna have a rear bumper also. I am also going to get rid of the 59 cadillac tails cause the bumper will cover them. I plan on steel wheels and caps. I have 3 sets of caps to choose from, but not ready for that yet! The interior is grey with blue piping, so I will probably lean towards a dark blue. THanks!

 

"Janne" is really nice, but I don't think I have that much time! I am going to paint it. Not sure about the skirts. They may not fit in the budget!

 

I'm sure the girls are stoked! You are such a good dad

 

With the bumper mocked in place, I think it needs to be a bit narrower, so I cut an inch out per side. I put a piece of masking tape on the bumper and used a compass to trace the edge and holes to cut and re-drill. This way I haven't changed the profile. It all hides under the bumper guard too!

 

I like the look of the bumper guards on these bumpers so I plan to use them. THey have a kinda rocket look to them, so they stay. I wanted to keep the bumper close to the body, really don't like the big pans and the bumper far away, so the problem is the bumper guards will be into the grill. My grill has one bar cracked, and would cost a fortune to chrome. Also, I plan to french 53 buick headlights in. The grill is sort of in the way for that also. So I am not going to use the whole grill. I am going to use the 2nd grill bar only. I will get that chromed. So, speeking about the headlights, do you guys just weld the stainless ring to the car, or make a whole different assembly and just use the center stainless?

 

This is actually a really exciting thread! I mean where are you going to find a build with a decent budget, close time frame and good platform? Bookmarked!

 

Hey Don, I might be able to lay my hands on some 48-9 Caddy bumper guards...think they'd work for ya? Lemme know

 

Are you planning on having the whole car painted with a color change and new interior in 8 weeks??? Wheres Chip Foose?
If there was one thing I could do, it would be to repaint the pink/orange to black or a darker color.

 

If your purple is still good and all your jams are already done, this might be a nice quick fix, just choose your front/bottom color to cover the pink/orange.

 

uh oh, somethin is going don!

god luck on the dead line, i know you do it.

jeff

 

Thanks guys! I don't think the 48-9 guards will work? I have a pic of the one guard I have in the wanted section in the classified. The purple is an "ok" color, but unfortunatly most of the body damage is in the purple, plus the '59 cadillac lights need to go! Also, the jambs are peach! I am not going to change the interior much. It is not very traditional, but it also is very servicable. I do want to change the steering wheel and paint the garnish mouldings. Maybe if time allows, paint the dash.

 

don

what grille bars do you need?? I have a few NOS bars..

in addition I have this grille, that I thought about having sprayed with alsa corp chrome..




I also have a re chromed rear bumper that I would let go of...

 

kudos on taking the car in a new direction. its a nice one to start with and i look forward to seeing a more HAMB friendly iteration of it. i think putting the chrome back on is an awesome start

 

Ok, that catches me up to yesterday. I need to make the grill opening smaller. First I use a piece of angle iron (actually part of a cabinet) under the hood. This needs to be strong because the hood latch needs to bolt to this area. I will later need to add a brace in the center for strenght. I know this may make some of you grown, but I welded the angle to each fender after I alligned the hood. I figure if the car ever gets hit, I will just cut it loose to repair it. I wanted to get rid of the seams.

 

thanks, but I am already committed, hehehe.

 

Next I need to make the curved parts. I usually would grab to pieces of sheet metal and cut and weld them. This time a new tool was ordered. I read up on all the threads on the HAMB about shrinker and stretchers. Figured it was time to pick a pair. These were not in the budget, so I had to sell roadster top to get them. I chose the Lancaster's. I wanted a foot operated system for them, but didn't have the time to make one, or want to spend big buck, so I took a gamble that the Chinese copied the Lancasters and purchased a foot stand at Harbor Freight for $75! wouldn't you know, the Lancasters were a perfect fit! I picked the Lancasters up from Fournier Enterprise. I am pretty sure I got their catalog in the basement at Detroit last year. THey had a special package deal.

 

Sweet Don, Sure wish yall were closer so we could hang out more

Rusty

 

I started with 2 16inch long pieces of sheet metal 3 inches wide. I bent them into a 90 degree angle. I don't know why I made the inside an inch and a half, so after looking at it, I cut off 3/4 of an inch. Then I took the angle over to my new stretcher. I know I should of practiced, but I really don't have time for that! I just kept forming it a little, then tried it out, then back to the stretcher. Yep, I admit that I had to use the shrinker a time or too also!

 

Ya me too! But that is what makes the HAMB such a great place! Good chance I will see you guys at the drags this summer!

 

So this is where I am tonight, got the fillers tacked in and the grill bar mounted. I would like to make a center support for the grill. I think I will do it to the back of the grill and see if the chrome guy can fill the hole in the top of the grill.....I think Denise's Big Olds has that done....

 

Are you drinking or just trying to make more friends?

 

those slight changes has giving the olds a nice face lift . Those new tools i am beginning to see are a necessity in any garage that has a car hobby . Great work have you bookmarked also to see the finished car I know its going to be a night and day difference .

 

I know it's probably not in the time frame or budget, but I always thought those cars screamed for a pie cut hood. Gets rid of the big nose look. Just my 2 cents. Great looking work so far. This is my style of build as it seems lately I can't get my scratch built cars off the ground so I have been "updating" a few semi finished cars.

 

I love threads like this...it shows how one guy solves a "problem," and most of us can take clues from it...and it shows how a few "minor" changes can change a whole car...looking forward to more Don...

R-