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Features 1948-52 "style" customs with modern suspensions and drivelines

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by cafone, Oct 14, 2012.

  1. There is a great thread on here about 1948-52 customs. The only catch is they have to have everything on them, in them and under them pre 1952.

    I want to see customs in this style with modern drive trains and suspensions.

    The clean flowing lines and nose in the air stance of these cars are my absolute favorite cars built, than and now....

    Show me what you have or are building, what drive train and suspension are you running.

    I'll start it out with our '48 International.......
    I've had this truck on the road for over 10 years. It started out with a '70 Trans Am subframe, a 10 bolt rear end and a little 283 in front of a powerglide. It looked like something out of 1980 when we bought it, the nose was on the ground and the ass was jacked up with tires hanging out of the fenders. We drove it like that for a summer and over the first winter we lowered the back with a narrower rear end by Z-ing the frame and using inboard spring hangers. It looked more like a custom but beat you to death on the road. The next winter we chopped the top and changed the grill, frenched the headlights and nosed the hood. Five years ago we put a 200 4R trans in it to civilize the 410 gearing on the highway, the next year we built a 400 sbc now it was fast, ran down the highway at about 2500 RPM at 80 miles an hour, but anywhere under 50 MPH it lit up a tire at about a quarter throttle.......

    I always wanted it to look like the Falconer '39 Ford built by Harry Westergard. The problem was it's hard to find a '40-41 Packard grill. Last spring a friend of ours dropped one off for us, that is when the rebuild really started to happen.

    The other thing, it had to handle.....last fall we traded a vintage boat motor for a Jag IRS out of a '72 XJ-12. Over the winter we shortened the truck 14 inches by making a new frame back half and installed the rear. At the same time we sloped the frame back so the truck would drag it's tail but still have full suspension travel. The Jag rear has 331 gears so now it putts down the highway at 2200 RPM at over a hundred MPH......The bed is a '50 Chevy with the lumps cut out of the front of the fenders.
    We still have some metal work left to do, shave the door handles (Westergard was also credited with the first use of solenoids in doors). We hope to have it in white primer by spring......

    I also want to thank my son Nico for the amazing fab work on the frame and his impeccable metal work!!! Westergard was known for his metal work with the limited use of lead and the boy has this talent......

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG] Thanks for the photo Dave


    Now the truck gets plenty of attention
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2012
  2. Start posting, I'll take my chances.....

    I love your little COE!!!
     
  3. 1951Streamliner
    Joined: May 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,875

    1951Streamliner
    Member
    from Reno, NV

    If you would read the first post on the 48-52 New Old Style Kustoms thread, you would see that it doesn't exclude cars with modern drivetrains. Just gives "bonus points" to cars that have full traditional drivetrains.

    There are plenty of beautiful cars welcomed on that thread with modern drivetrains.

    "If you don't know what the car has under the hood or chassis, it's all ok. But the more correct, the better."
     
  4. I followed that thread for a couple years, it's my favorite thread here.....
    I have all the respect in the world for you guys that have the patience to build the incredible cars on that thread....

    My truck is a piece of junk, made out of junk, compared to your cars.....someday if I ever get my hands on a '36 Ford I'll be there with you.

    I just want to see what else people are building in this "style". Thanks for looking.
     

  5. VonKool13
    Joined: Feb 16, 2008
    Posts: 1,039

    VonKool13
    Member

    This thread is already being done as mentioned by 1951streamliner.

    Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
     
  6. I understand that......

    I read EVERY post on it.....a few times....

    I learned a lot from it.....

    Does my truck belong there...NO

    Do a lot of other guys cars belong there...NO

    Should I delete this thread???
     
  7. VonKool13
    Joined: Feb 16, 2008
    Posts: 1,039

    VonKool13
    Member

    Change the title to 48-52 style custom trucks.;)

    Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
     
  8. VonKool13
    Joined: Feb 16, 2008
    Posts: 1,039

    VonKool13
    Member

    And I think your truck does belong there, except it's a truck, there for start a thread for trucks done in the early style.
     
  9. That's why I started this thread, it kinda looks like it fits.....but, it has radial tires, and '55 Packard hub caps and a '64 t-bird back seat.....
    I was hoping to see more cars with "the look" but with some parts that don't quite fit......
     
  10. bonez
    Joined: Jul 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,487

    bonez
    Member
    from Slow lane

    The truck is bad ass mate. Truly. i was left at the 2008 version :D and seems you got your tricks on point.
    Who cares about the title btw. I think it fits well.
     
  11. thanks bonez

    I can't be the only person building one....show me what you have
     
  12. bonez
    Joined: Jul 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,487

    bonez
    Member
    from Slow lane

    Bump for more.
    And props for rising a kid with golden hands :)
    Btw, iwanaflattie, i always tought your avatar was just a photochop, too cool that it aint :)
     
  13. come on now.......we're the only guys on this site building a custom that will blow a Corvette off the road?

    Show me what your building........
     
  14. 208custom
    Joined: Mar 19, 2006
    Posts: 263

    208custom
    Member

    Seems this thread is already ruffling a few feathers so why not throw a 4 door in mix:D.My 50. Front suspension modernized with the Jamco ball joint setup and air ride, rear is simple air over leaf with 8.8 rear end. Fairly healthy 302 and c4 for scoot. Hoping to have it done around the first of the year.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  15. nice

    ......wasn't tring to piss off anyone, just wanted to see what's out there.
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2012
  16. show me what your building......
     
  17. there has to be more out there......

    show me what you have.
     
  18. jick
    Joined: Aug 26, 2005
    Posts: 376

    jick
    Member
    from london

    Here's mine.... It's gonna be a long term project as I have other cars to finish first....
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1352649371.649415.jpg




    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  19. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    Gee my car will fit in here lol! I love the other thread but the junk I build with usually makes it too difficult and expensive to use orig stuff...usually its cause of severe rot
    in the frames, i will put some pics up tomorrow.
     
  20. flatout51
    Joined: Jul 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,209

    flatout51
    Member

    My 46 ford should fit. 302, 5 speed, 9 inch rear with parallel leafs... Taildragger gonna get chopped, different grill, skirts....
     

    Attached Files:

  21. what are you planning to do to it?
     
  22. I really like your style. checked out your profile pics.
    I know what it's like to start with junk, but my first step is always get them on the road. I'd rather drive them around and work on them a little at a time......like they did at the beginning. Every car that we tried to finish before driving it got sold to someone that "needed" more than me....
     
  23. I'm liking the '46,7and 8's more and more. they make really cool sleds.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2012
  24. a990hemi
    Joined: Sep 3, 2009
    Posts: 174

    a990hemi
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    My '51 Chevy sedan body is resting on a '74 Monte Carlo floorpan and chassis with OEM sway bars and big disc brakes. It required Fat Man's 1" narrower tubular control arms with 2" dropped spindles and QA-1 adjustable coilovers up front in ordder to dial in the stance and retain turning radius. Bell Tech dropped springs and shocks round out the back and it handles surprisingly well even on Coker Firestone bias ply tires.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  25. That is a beautiful car. Do you have a build thread?
     
  26. Orn
    Joined: Jul 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,106

    Orn
    Member

    This is my mild or maybe I should say very mild 47 Olds kustom with jag ifs and 324 Rocket.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  27. wow, that's really nice......
     
  28. a990hemi
    Joined: Sep 3, 2009
    Posts: 174

    a990hemi
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    Unfortunately NO build thread for this one. The already chopped body was rescued from a remote Missouri salvage yard about 10 years ago and placed on a '74 Monte Carlo floorpan / chassis since the original chassis had been badly damaged. I purchased the car as a roller over a year ago and have been busy updating the drivetrain and detailing the car ever since. My goal has been to give the appearance of an early west coast style kustom all along eventhoug the drivetrain is relatively modern.
     
  29. do you have a photo from where you started? The paint is so nice and it's amazing it whent from a roller to that in a year.....
     
  30. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    Haha I have sold a few like that as well over the years ! The 47 will be far from finished when I get it on the road hopefully the bodywork will be at least 80% done. When I start my Merc project I am thinking of just making it driveable, no bondo just all welded ,clean the metal and slop some cheap primer on everything, get it on the road and have fun with it till I decide to strip ,blast it and bodywork it. It should be fun and I will not have to sand bondo to drive it .


    Here is the 47 fordoor that was supposed to be a year round beater, not a chopped custom coupe. It was the beater status that was the cause of the s10 chassis. I wanted a g body but couldnt find a useable donor . If I had know what direction the car would end up going I would have modified the orig chassis, oh well I aint undoing it now :D

    [​IMG]



    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    The 59 Chevy dash and sunken antena were going to be the only custom modes lol

    [​IMG]


    Then I bought this Merc coupe carcass...
     

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