I am considering some "VentiPorts" on my '52 Chevy. I am afraid that it may look cheesy with all of the modern stick-on fender vent garbage around. Is adding Buick portholes to a non-chevy a legitimate traditional practice? Does anyone have any pics of other makes with ventiports and a traditional flavor? Can I get away with this without looking cheesy?
There was a time when adding them was pretty cool, but you are right, the Pep Boys glue ons have kind of taken some of that coolness away IMO. Still, if they were on the right car and the real ones, it might not be bad. Don
Yeah, I plan to use genuine buick pieces. I am currently adding some louvers on the hood, so maybe it will be too much... Always digged the old buicks though. I don't really care if it's all "period" (the radials and webers kill that), but I want it to look right...
It's got bits and pieces from at least a dozen different makes on it, I don't care what the parts originally came from if they look cool.
So are you opposed to putting a desoto grill in a Merc too? Packard tail light on anything other than a packard? Heres my '53 desoto with '56 ventiports dscn0160 by Fazekas Industries, on Flickr
Not at all. But there are some things sacred I reckon. I have a Dodge grille in my Lincoln. Also have a dozen other car make bits in it too.
Nothing sacred as far as I'm concerned... Those ports look great on the desoto! Glad to see another more-door too...
In the early '60's it seemed to be a fad in the upper midwest to sink a few of them in your hoods.....Actually pretty cool. Centurion9
Well of course I'm going to do what I want anyways. I still like to hear different opinions on the issue though. I'm only 30, so I wasn't around for what I consider the golden years of rodding. I really appreciate any input or opinions. Sorry if I stepped on any toes.
Wasnt there a 54-ish ford few years ago that had a few on the hood? Think light blue primer. It was bad ass. Anyways. I think lowriders reuined it for all by addin them to the skirts of every single impala left on earth. Cant help but think about those every time someone mentions them...
I am torn between on the hood or on the fender (if I even decide to use some)... I'd probably run three per side since buick used them to designate engine size and I have a 6.
56 ,turned sideways make good for sunkun antenna. Seen them on 57 Chev ,replacing the bullets I think staggered on front fender behind wheels would look O.K.
Well put, with all the stick on ones that are stuck on about anything with wheels and often stuck on backwards or in the wrong spot they have really lost their flavor as an actual customizing thing. One thing to remember is that the same guys who added them to their customs in the 50's were often the 50's equal to the HOG style of customizing Harleys today. The more chrome doodads they tacked on the more they thought they were customizing the car. If they fit the whole theme of the car go for it if they are just something to be added on because you think you need one more thing added on forget it.
Had a guy in town back in late 50's had a Gold Buick with orange clearance lights sunk into the center of the portholes.
Yeah, I'm not one to add doodads just for the sake of adding stuff. Maybe just some 2" dimple died holes with some mesh behind them or something... Or maybe the whole thing's a wash and I'll just stick with the hood louvers.
The original buick concept cars had lights in the portholes that were connected to the ignition system and flashed with the spark plugs. The lights never made it to production though (obviously).
The Jalopy Journal
