Chili's Deuce Coupe Side Fins

I have always liked the car. The ground level view doesn't show them off correctly. They are funky cool for the time period.

 

The only thing that the side fins do for me is they take your eye off the fact that the axle behind front suspension makes the car look like it just hit a curb head on at about 50 miles an hour moving the axle back.
For those who can't imagine it any other way drop it off at my place and I'll drive by in a couple of days and let you start readjusting your perspective.

Frank

 

I guess I appreciate the fact that when it was built the times were different and show cars were over the top crazy designs and this car was restored to its former glory but I dont care for alot of the things on this car and I am glad its not mine because I would ruin it with stock 32 grill and remove those side fin things but thats just my 2 cents

 

I love them on the "Little Deuce Coupe"


For that period in time when it was done it was hot!... It is still and ,will be forever one of the most "Iconic" 32's around from the "Alexander Bros" to "Barris"ya got to have them!

 

Personally, it doesn't appeal to my tastes, but I have all the respect in the world as a part of out very short hot rod history. Think about how many people got into hot rods because they saw that car...

 

The car was on the cover of the very first issue of Hot Rod I bought back in July 1961, and I've always liked the look of the car. It cost Chili $75.00 back in 1956. As Doc Watson stated it had a lot of rot on the bottom and the doors got shortened, the fins just fill the void.

 

I'm glade it's the other guys'!

 

my first thought

 

count me in for "looks like ass"

 

I think that's one of the greatest hot rods ever, and for so many different reasons. That example picture above doesn't do them justice.


When you're standing next to it, they're like little running boards, and they help draw your eye along the bottom of the car. Their shape reminds me of fire coming out of a rocket ship's exhaust or something.... They absolutely did it because the bottom of the car was rotted... but it would look goofy without them, and a shortened door.



I think they also look like they belong to the car more, with the hubcaps used in the second version.


People either get 60's showrods, or they don't. The guys that dont usually have cars that look like everyone elses.

 

Shortened doors were not very commom on channeled cars but they were around enough for everyone to have seen one somewhere. Sometimes it was a cosmetic job because of bad rust-out, others because it didn't make sense to the designer/builder to have a door 6-8" deeper than the door opening.
Oddly, as iconic as the car is, it has always been a car of contention due to the styling.
Funny thing is, I was in Germany when the album came out in the States, just heard the music, alwyas thought of the "Little Deuce Coupe" as a chopped and channeled 5W Coupe ala the Lynn Yakel car. Haven't ever gotten past it either. The album cover car to me is just an interesting old show piece, not the "Little Deuce Coupe".

 

They are cool for that car, and that car only.

 

im going to join the group who thinks it is ugly

 

its goofy looking, but there is a purpose, it would look funny with out them, but maybe pipes all the way down the side would've looked better imo, but if i had it i wouldnt cahnge it, its a part of history.

 

i disagree... its not about "getting" 60's showrods... there are some i dig, and some that just dont do a thing for me. this is one of the ones that does nothing for me. never has, never will

 

Its funny...That is exactly why...The bottom of the car was badly rusted and had some mickey mouse work done to it. Evel did a great story on this on the Mad Fab with the Alexander Bros...It sucks they never really got the credit for the build like they should of while Barris did but i'm more shocked at how most of you guys are slammin it. Its def. a different HAMB now a days....

If you dont have the copy hit Evel up cause the stories they tell are just priceless....

 

They did that once. I dont remember which of the two came out first though

 

Looks like a lawn dart and four pin-wheels here!
I like this car some days, and dislike it others...its like moodring, or something.
It's DEFINATELY 60's "space-rod" styleee...
If I truthfully never saw it before, ( which its hard to try to put yourself in that frame of mind, having been exposed to it so much...)and went by it at a show, I'd think "wow...those crazy 60's art/show cars...." and probably admire it quite a bit...
Driving it on the street?
I'd feel a bit foolish...

 

As a icon of the early 60's I think it's pretty cool. Not something I would build but still cool. Love the color. The whole 60's custom/rod thing.

 

The 60's .......Hello..........Yes..... originally done because of rusted out lower panels....but look at the Hub Caps.....it was the early 60's.....space race....Sputnik.....manned space flights....going to the moon.....look at 60's customs.....angel hair.....mirrors....huge fins......slanted double head lights......etc. etc.......Zoom Zoom........a lot of things done then look ugly now but without looking at and understanding the context it's easy to make judgment now on things that seem over the top but were looked at then as innovative.........Do I personally like it.....no.....do I see it as cool important historical icon....Hell Yes.......

 

Sorry... not down with the side treatment. The rest of it... classically 60's showrod, but aesthetically, huge nope on the side treatment. Rework the pipes to blend down the side.

You asked for opinions, right?

 

i dont like it.but they go with the style of the car..

 

one of many icons of the good old days with bad modifications.

the best old HOT RODs are "timeless" .. where the modifications are still asthetically pleasing in 2009. that one just don't make it.

 

don't care for the fins..never did..but the rest is nice

 

Your a little more weird in alot of other ways too.

 

Fugly. Though it's better with the chop and the chrome reverse than without the chop and those completely nutty '57 Plymouth wheelcovers with the white Plexi fins spinners.

 

X2 .... it's one of the coolest 3Ws ever built.

 

Most 32 Fords are frigging Skittles.
Take for example the NSRA Nat's two weeks ago.
97 out of 100 32 Fords there were Skittles.
You know why they are Skittles?
Because they all come out of the same bag, are all the same shapes, just different colors

At least Chil's car is no Skittle

 

Make my vote an ugly as sin, thanks.

 

It's not what I would call ugly but if it was at a show and had not got all the ink, I would walk right pasted it. It don't do a thing for me...and it don't have to.