Found this in the barn of my buddies brother " yep its what they call a real barn find" about six years ago. It always interested me and this spring I looked around the garage and realized that there was a perfectly good drivetrain waiting for it. It wasn't for sale the first time I saw it, but I contacted the owner and it just happened to be for sale. Six hour drive, bit of haggling and it was on the trailer home. I am looking for any history on the car, it does have some fairly unique styling cues and I'm hoping somebody remembers it. Last plates were from 1993, came with a good title, was told that it was built in the napa area. It's going to get a Bonneville build, I have an old southwest circuit small block and 700r4, original 60's cobra seats with some black leather and bigger side bolsters, fenderwell headers and side pipes, still working on the wheel selection, not much cash for this one its on the beg, trade, borrow, and steal program. This is what was done when I got it: 1. Top chopped about 5" 2. Channeled 6" 3. Hood is pancaked and fenders moved up 4. Has a 67 corvette rear suspension 5. The rear tail lights are from a 61 mercury, found some pics online 6. Head liner is a white tuck and roll with green pipes, no other interior to speak of. Does have electric door poppers installed at the bottom of the doors, also has some levers in the bottom of the doors that look to be the original custom latch setup. 7. Dash is all original and has the ashtrays and clock, luckily nobody ever cut that up, or painted it, the original green is still there and in surprisingly good shape. 8. Under the yellow primer is some old green metalflake laquer, that is the body only, the hood was fully stripped and the fenders look to have originally been blue, I sanded some small spots down to see if the green was under the yellow on the fenders but no luck. 9. Frame is fully boxed and has a mustang 2 in front, all looks to be gas welded, possibly some arc as well, the bodywork and channel is definitely gas welding. 10. Rear fenders are flared with a 1/2 rod and body filler buildup, they are also smoothed into the body, the tail lights are pretty cool in my book and are going to stay. 11. I did find a layer of metalflake blue on the underside of the floorpan, had to replace the firewall, build a tunnel and connect the floor but the car has almost no rust. Going to continue what has been started, I dig what history has done to the car and hope that I can do some justice to whats already there.
Good luck with the project , what color you looking to lay on it , wheels ? American racing 5 spoke would look sweet . IMO Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Looks like whoever did the work knew what they were doing design wise, most 40 coupe chops don't end up well! Keep us posted with your project.
I have a set of slots for the front but the backspacing is a little off, I'll get some measurements and see if anyone wants to trade. The rears I have in mind are on the shelf at a friends shop, they are a 5 on 5 bolt pattern mag, solid center with five or six stiffening ribs cast in. Look to be an old circle track wheel, I picked up a jig from rotten leonard and am hoping to get to them fairly soon and see if they will fit. Paint: I have been all over the map on ideas. It has to be super low budget, so it leaves me with a few options. I have the technology to spray it in my shop just not the time to do the bodywork it is begging for. OD green is at the top of the list, but along with flat black is way overused and this car is begging for something different. The Hollywood Knights vibe is pretty heavy and the yellow would be pretty cool, but I am looking for something a little more, shall we say, "sinister". I also picked up an original 60's green metalflake gummy stering wheel with the seats, and considering that most of the car has a layer of green under the yellow primer, and the headliner has the green piping, it looks like a green is called for. This is what I came up with, Sand the yellow primer down and pull as much of the old metalflake green as I can find, do a little spot touch up and spray the fenders to match. Throw on some numbers and pinstriping " I dig the way they striped the Knights car", I haven't decided on scallops or flames or none. Then tint some clear Laquer with black, 3% to 10% flattening agent and murder out the whole thing including the grill and interior. The sidepipes are going to be 3 1/2" Bombs turned out at the rear fenders and flat black. Can anyone photo shop that?
I like it, but I'd redo the rear fenders, look hard at putting skirts and running boards back on it. I wouldn't change the taillights, either. Please don't put side pipes where the running boards belong. Cool car, in any case
I don't really go for chopped 40's. They rarely look good, but have fun with it. Maybe you'll convert some haters.
Not really trying to convert any haters out there, but I think most will dig it when its done. Bare bones, lotsa horses, shocks even, gotta have a cage. Who could hate on that. I think that its a proven fact that chopped tops are faster and sleeker, " Just check out your avatar if you need proof!!"
Running boards, some nerf bars, and get rid of the 'hot rod' rear fender flares; the car would be perfect! Great looking chopped/sectioned car!
It's different, and it grows on you...the taillights are different too, but, like someone else said, we don't do stock (or boring) here...keep at it, this will be a great build when you're done...
SICK...... As far as wheels go I would say chrome reverse steelies with white wall slicks. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Here are some photos of the 40 when it was owned by Rod Weltz of Oakland , I think these were taken in the 1980's.
Get that car back to its former glory as per the pictures , I see the wheel arches have had the beading removed since those pictures were taken . Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
It looks so much like the Hollywood Knights car its crazy....except the hood and grill...I also gotta say seeing it in dark green.....looks so badass! Thanks RC Ron
well, it's still not my cup'o tea, but seeing it finished sure helps. chopped top 40's just don't look right. this one seems to have a flat spot on the top. can the rear fenders be made removeable? it's amazing that the pictures of it in it's former glory were found too.
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