I believe the name of this clip on utube is "Leland Interview" and all will follow with 1,2, etc, as the second one does. I hope to do a new one every couple days, as Leland has so much to say. I AM the "Fortunate Son" in this case, as I have been privy to hours and hours of great kustom stuff. Also, I spent many years in the SF Bay Area during the time this critter was coming together, and recognize so many places that Leland speaks about. I used to pass by Schlage Lock on the way to work, and I've been to the 3rd floor parts trove (aka body shop) many times. I've been to the exact spot on the Great Highway where the..........Oh Wait!!!!!!! That's a hole nuther story. You ain't gonna believe this...... Today I believe we will finish up the outer bumper brackets. As to the eyebrow bar being extended to the headlight shroud extensions. We discussed the possibility, and decided against it. We wanted to maintain the shape and integrity of the Chevy bar to help maintain the Chevy look. Same with the Hood look. We're kinda agonizing over the hood scoop. We though about simply lowering it a tad, and moving it back a few inches. But, as you heard Leland say, Gene did it.... On the same note, Leland says rounded hood corners are for Mercs, but thanks for the idea, and the PC was great!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the updates! Videos won't open on my phone, hafta wait until I am in front of the computer. Leland is the boss, it's his car and it's refreshing to see someone that's still so focused after 60 years!!!!! Also like the Lucite taillights. bake 'em in the oven to really be traditional! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Leland, Your interviews are great! I love hearing your story and I am eagerly looking forward to your next interview. Thank you.
This thread ranks along with HAMBANDY's story as the very best on the HAMB. And with the video interviews, it just keeps getting better! CABONG, Thank you for including us in this amazing saga! Leland, Good on you, too, man! You are proof that if you hold on to a dream, it can come true!
Wow, great thread, and a VERY cool car! I love the new front end, it's perfect, and in the spirit of the way the car was originally built, using pieces from various makes. I think the bubble lucite lenses for the tail lights would be ideal, and unique...fitting for a car like this. Great eye Leland, you really created a beauty!
Sorry, Lords of Leadville, we had a slight delay for a couple days. Back into action. I received the Buick blinkers and stuck them into the openings. Lemme know whatcha think. They are stuck in without the bezels, which will stick them out another 1/2". The upper is out a tad more to balance out. I'll find out tomorrow what Leland thinks and report back. The lenses are new and stunning. This is a shot of the side trim and top header. The header had 3 large dents, and one of the side dogleg and straight pieces was absolutely flattened. They turned out real nice, probably better than they ever looked, since they've been polished. If anyone would like to know who the master is that reconditioned these puppies, PM me. It's pieces like this that make the choice of color so darned important. I have added this shot to emphasize just how well all these parts are lining up. Someonehad mentioned the potential use of the old Chev bumper. First, it was too narrow, and to thin, and too short on the sides. Other than that, it was fine. Kidding aside, the suggestion was welcomed, and we did check it out. Actually, I tossed the old bumper (painted orchid) out behind my storage building, and the coyotes that roam behind our property buried the darn thing, and didn't mark the grave. Gone, gone.......Also, a suggestion to extend the eyebrow to the headlight shroulds. You can see here that the subtle curve at the ends seem to coincide with the slight curve of the Pontiac center bar. The angles of the eyebrow, the Pontiac bar, the gravel pan, and the bumper, are all equal. Nick and I are amazed still, at how these parts all fit together so well. The Grille Gods were paying attention. The protrusions at the bumper ends also matches the peak of the headlight shrouds, which is why they were there on the Fords to begin with. The combination of all these mods adds about a foot to the overall length of this kruizer, and makes it seem even lower than it is. It really accentuates just how low the top is. A change that Nick and I have tossing around is to modify the hood scoop a bit. It would be shortened to the blue line in the last picture, and maybe closed. I will have to ask Gene and Leland what they think, as this was one of the first mods done to the kemp. Whaddayall think????
Tail lights look great! My opinion doesn't count for much, but shortening the scoop will also make the opening smaller, which is A Good Thing.
I like the way the lenses look now- if they look as good with the bezel in place, and Leland and Mr.Winfield are all for it- win!
I really like the idea of shortening the scoop, but also think keeping it open with the smaller opening would look better. I think if it got closed the shape at the front would need to be changed to better match the shape of the hood, but open it could remain the same.
You are spot on with the Buford bullets & moving the hood scopp, Cabong. Sent from my SPH-L710 using H.A.M.B. mobile app
I've been of the opinion, since I first saw the car, that the scoop protruded too far to the front of the hood. It may have been one of those mods, carried over from whatever the Big 3 auto manufacturers were doing then, that seemed necessary to make the Chevy just "a bit more kustomized" at the time. IMHO, shortening it would help the "kustom" look a lot...!!! R-
The hood scoop has been a toughie......I think that I had mentioned early on, and Leland talked about in the video, that the scoop is actually the entire center section of a Dodge (actually a DeSoto) hood, welded into the Chev sides and front. I suspect that's how it got out so far. The blue line in the picture is based on the same angle as the grille/eyebrow/bumper, so all would match. Open or closed, it would be back further, and slimmer. One thing we don't want to lose is the wonderful peak of the hood front hood center. It seems to carry on the "angle" theme. Thanks for the comments on this and the taillights.
I like the tail lights, especially since they didn't require reworking the original custom work on the quarters. Grille alignment is also very nice. As for the scoop, it would look nicer if the opening was farther back, but at the same time, it's a shame to change one of the most noticeable custom features that has been on the car since built. I'm torn.
I wouldn't change the scoop. It looks good on that car, even if it's quirky to modern eyes. It gives the car a Motorama show car feel. Plus like you said it was one of the first mods done to this incredible custom, and it was executed by Gene Winfield. Personally I couldn't touch it, but I would ask Leland what he likes - it's his car!
I would leave the scoop alone. Guys like Gene were experimenting and blazing a new trail so not everything looked perfect when they first tried things. Now 50-60 years later we can sit back and look at how customizing has evolved and become more refined and say it doesn't look quite right but in my opinion changing stuff like that it taking away what this car is an old custom.
It's the first thing you notice on the front end, but when you look at the overview shots there are some great lines working together. I'd say leave it.
The scoop isn't balanced & I'd wager a beer that even Gene will want a shot at improving it a bit. Sent from my SPH-L710 using H.A.M.B. mobile app
Okay! I have been reading on the H.A.M.B. and filling my brain with loads of information for some time now but never felt the need to contribute with my comments.. (and i know i haven't even introduced myself accourding to the rules) But after reading this story, how can i not leave a comment. Cabong: My compliments to you and the way you are handling this project and for what you are doing for a true fellow car guy like Mister Leland. Mister Leland! Hats off to you! You have a great taste and great eye for a very good looking Custom and thank you for sharing your story. Greetings from the Netherlands. Peace, Tanoki
Just for discussion sake, what if the hood was pared down a bit to match the radical chop (someone earlier used the term "beak like") and making the scoop a little smaller, a little further back, and a little more curved? Original:
I'd rather see the hood height get cut down a bit than see the scoop get changed around. A mild pancake of the hood (is that the term?) would be adding to what is already there, and only cutting up the factory lines, where as the scoop is original to the build. I don't dislike it just the way it is, either. Honestly if it was me, I probably wouldn't touch the hood. I could see how it'd be a struggle to decide one way or another, though.
my unsolicited opinion would be to leave the hood as is if that was original to the build. one change leads to another and another and...
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