my 36 truck,still cant get the look...

Well i'm getting closer to actually driving this truck this summer,but still cant get happy with the tire combo,stance,overall look.I know its not that major of a deal,the thing drives really well,the 9 inch rear hooks up bad ass,lots of power,But I dont really want or have another roof to do a chop,and the rear tires are about the largest set I had around,the rims are old 4 spokes I got of an old torino in a junkyard,I dont know what they are but I like them.the tires are 235 75s 15's.and the fronts are 215 14s I believe.disc brakes up front.I guess Im looking at opinions on stance and overall look.i have the hood for a 36 car,that I may try to fab just the top pieces.need to cut the front to mate the grill top.Also playing with a couple different old visors to give it a lower appearance,but cannot find any pics of a truck like this with a visor.Any help?

 

Nice rig....only suggestion I would make would be to flatten out the bottom of the cab....getting rid of that curve...
JMHO......good luck !!

 

Looks pretty good to me. If you want bigger tires you might just have to breakdown and buy a pair maybe some 255/70s. If you want a hood top Ive got one I will sell.

 

Since you asked for help and i think help would be in the form of suggestions here are some. Loose the wheels and tires and replace with Ford steel smoothies and big little bias tires, or radials if you must. A chop is work for sure but will help help with the look, not that stock is bad. The hood sides would be cool and would really change the looks too. I would say NO on the visor....just my opinions. The truck is good looking though for the most part, paint??

 

rims and tires gotta go. you need some 16 inch steel ford wheels chromed with some pie crust slicks out back, and then some skinny bias up front on 16s or 15s(49 f1 truck? or merc?)


or even something like this.

 

Try putting fenders on it... Now that you've got it running and driving well, you can find time to gather up some swap meet fenders. A set of well-used fenders would go a long way on that truck. I think the stance is fine- as 117harv said- steelies, a haircut, and some paint could all be things to look forward to in the future. Take your time, select the components wisely and affordable, and you'll be sure to have a truck that you're really proud of! Keep up the good work and remember- they're never done! -P40-

 

If you're not planning on painting the whole truck, paint the grille shell black to go with the cab, and straighten out the bent grille bars. Give the bars a good cleaning.

Make some pieces to cover the frame behind the cab and below the bed. Start level with the bottom of the cab and then curve the pieces back into the bed, this will complement the curve on the cab. Good place for a few louvers.

Run a hood minus the sides. That will clean up the look of the front even more.

Taller tires in the back, if you keep the rims or not, to increase the rubber rake. Personally I'd run steel rims. Artillery rims are nice but I think are getting overdone. Still, stock steel rims are pretty common in 16" or even 17" diameters (larger for Divco or high clearance types, but those are pricey). Larger rims, especially in the back, help with the fenderless look. My '37 Dodge came with 16" rims from the factory, and I think they're well matched to that period of truck.

I wouldn't worry about the chop, or even the visor. Increasing the rake with the tires and adding the hood will improve the look of things.

 

Man, I like the truck. I've never built one, but siince you asked about the looks, I'd think about laying the radiator and shell back a little bit to more closely approximate the windshield angle. Definitely paint the shell and clear and straighten the bars. And as far as stance, I might raise the rear a bit, even using spring rubbers / blocks / a taller spring if needed.

 

2 words. Fen Ders

 

Normally I agree with the fenders comments. But I also think the Ford's especially from this era can be done without fenders.

All of these are taken off the Hamb somewhere, so if these are yours and you don't want them here let me know. But I think both of these trucks pull off the fenderless look. There's a "fenderless trucks thread" on here somewhere, I think all of these pictures came from that.

They both have taller, shorter beds. Which I think will help the proportions of your truck. Plus it covers the frame up in the back. They also both run steelies with caps. And of course they're both chopped, but I think that even without a chop the truck can look good, especially with taller bedsides, since it will make the truck cab look a little shorter.

 

cool lil trucks , i dig the photos moparmonkey posted

 

I think it needs bigger tires and a flat black paint job but other then that it looks awsome!

 

Lots of good advice,thanks,,First I do like the swoop of the body,thats one of the reasons I chose a 35 or 36 to do.I also thought about steelies,but felt they are way over done,but recently came across a set of 40 ford wide rims that I am thinking about,they are like 8 inch,with deep offsets,I may have to break down and but the right size rear tires like suggested.Or I do have a set of workable rear fenders,that I was playing with the idea of just running rears,and also filling in the gap under and in front of the bed,to the bottom of the cab,I like the idea of a tapered pice,with louvers..I may do a mock up with thefenders and hood top to get opinions....definately know I need to do some grill work,as I said this has just been sitting for months.thanks again

 

I was going to say to shorten up the wheel base by 8-12" and shorten the bed until it looked right, but I agree with this whole comment.
Brian

 

chop chop and wheel change..steelies.

 

Mopar monkey got it.
Take that last pic an post it on the Photoshop thread.
Have them raise the bed rail to match the body line, drop the bedside to match That cab, and shorten the box. It'll be a completely different look.

If you don't do that then fenders

 

I do like it a lot as is!

For ideas though, I would say bring the rear end up some so that the A post is a bit more vertical. Personally I am not a fan of the curve on the bottom and I would get rid of it. I also think the rims need to be changed, don't know what to but those just dont see to fit the p/u. I also agree, shorten the bed!

 

.......Your rims will have to go........Try some 35 Ford wire rims or smoothies on your hood...use the 35 or 36 truck hood...just take the panels....check my profile on my 36 ford.....otherwisw..nice truck

 

Drive it enjoy it. If you must change something wait til next winter.

 

Fenders!? You don't need no stinkin' fenders!

 

I think a little more channel in the front like an inch, to bring out the natural curve of the cab. Then a chop of about 3 in, in the front 2 and a half in the rear. shorten your fame about 4in and then the box about 5. A lot of work I know but you asked for opinions. But at the end of the day its your truck, do what you want.

 

I would ask someone to "photoshop"(?) a couple of these ideas. IMHO i think you need to do only one thing and that is shorten the bed. i would start there and i don't think you will do much else. Good luck and keep us posted1

 

Good lookin truck... I am in agreement that it needs some 5 spoke with either the pie crust tires...or my personal favorite would be some 700 bias ply's in the back with 550 in the front with original moon disks...I think that would look awesome.

 

Worst Idea EVER!



However, If you are trying to do the fenderless look, you need to move the rear end forward about 10-12 inches and shorten the bed in both the front and back till it looks right.

Oh yeah, dont shorten the bed without moving the rear end forward, itll look dumb with the rear wheels centered over the tailgate.

I however, would put the fenders and running boards on. Here is my old truck before I traded it for the Model A I currently have.

 

.....and spider webs.

 

I ran mine without fenders and in primer for a couple of years before I finished it. I liked the look as I like the look on yours though I would change the wheels but that is just peresonal preference. My chop is 3 inches; wheels are MoPar steelies with mid 60's bottle caps. Just a comment but the older I get it is harder to get in and out with the chop and lowered stance!!! Keep up the good work on yours.

 

Chop 4-5 inches not to bad once you tear in to it shorten the bed to flush with the rear tires,steelies,Front end looks real good now dont touch it,get the saw out crank up the welder but its pretty damn sweet now.

 

Try a chop lke this !

 

no skulls or spiderwebs....I know im not achieving the look yet,Im more of a sixtys hot rod guy than skinny whites and steelies,but like all opinions,firstly,the frame is a stock one that I bought from titus,It was boxed,and had four bar brackets,along with a 9 inch housing,also with brackets welded nicely for this type of setup.I wanted fenderless originally,so we opted for a model a type front crossmember,moving the frontend forward about 3 or 4 inches ,which is what I wanted.I think the stock wheelbase fenderless looks way too stubby.Also wanted a longer bed,you can see,if I were to shorten the bed,the frame would be exposed,and moving the rearend forward would be a reversal of all the work done to the original frame.Overall length and position of the cab I think is pretty good,at least what we were going for with my intentions of it looking.I am beginning to agree the wheels and tires will probablly have to go,I would like it have more of a rake,or look meaner without chopping if possible.I like the opinions of 16s at least on the rear,and maybe 15s on the front,or skinny 16s like a weesner painting,as posted in an earlier thread.Guess I just wanted to clarify the frame setup,and why shortening anything up isnt really where I want to go,Like I said,I was looking for somewhere in between the stubby stock fenderless look,but not the way stretched suicide frontend either.thanks for all responses...

 

Here's a comparison with mine. Not saying mine is anything great, but it has some of the features other's have said would be an improvement (taller, shorter bed sides, 255-70X15 rear tires, 2' chop with "A" posts laid back).

I'm with you on the swooped rockers, they are a big part of why I went with this model of truck.

Gary