Ryan submitted a new blog post: Tony Frenn's 1947 Ford Convertible Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Agreed on all counts but one, the grille bars. To the eye they seem to fight with the bumper a bit. They appear down at the nose, but in all fairness it could be the angle of the picture. Still, I always viewed the grille as following the sheet metal as it tips back from vertical vs running true horizontal. I too have looked to this car and even used the rear shot when conversing with potential clients as to which direction they could take with a Ford from that era. The vibe this car puts out could work on almost any 46-8 Ford regardless of body type, maybe with exception to the mordoors. I imagine a perfectly chopped "short door" coupe done this way and there's a few of those that got it right over the years too.
The "ridiculous" stance, narrower whites and '56 Lancers made it a cutting edge car for it's time (probably '56-57). Works for me because that's where my taste resided then and now! It's a given that it's a west coast car, so cal most likely.
Eventually mine will have two original grill bars with SS trim, much the same as the Frenn car... (My dad must've had that issue at one point).... back it up to a few years ago, I was staring at the gaping maw above the Fairlane fiberglass chin in the front one night and decided that it need a temporary grill bar of some... I had 2 '65 Corvair front bumpers, one had a ding, the other didn't, so I chopped off both ends the dinged one and drilled a hole in each end near the bottom where nobody would look...Stuck some hardware store L-brackets on it and... 20 minute grill bar!
I remember a 46-48 Ford coupe with an early "toothy" Vette grille, and it didn't look 1/2 bad. Back in the Jurassic somewhere.
Tony's maroon 47 had a full feature in the August 1956 issue of Car Craft. Aside from being a great custom, it sported a 354 Olds with 4 carbs, so it ran as good as it looked. Mick
I am a fan of the 46-48 Fords, especially the woodies and convertibles. I have owned several and enjoyed driving them much better than a Deuce or Model 40. I sort of kept mine looking stock with a late model drivetrain and lowered stance, but I too, have the photo of Tony's car in my library which is what drew me to the era. The cars are still priced very reasonable and parts are not difficult to locate. I purchase a nice stock car and add the drivetrain and save a lot of money on paint and body work. Here are a few of mine from the past. Both are 48's with SBC/auto/9'/dropped axle and IFS. SBC's are a natural in the large engine bay. P&J makes all the parts and Magnum makes the axle. I choose the 327/350 for the maroon car and loved the performance and lumpy cam. The 46 Woody is also a very nice ride for those of us who live on the West Coast. Charlie now owns the yellow car and resides in TX. I particularly like the cars with the top down as shown above. I did this car while I was still working at GM and it took me about 5 months to do the conversion.
Very nice. Wholeheartedly approve of this approach, very practical and well-performing. Tony's car is a beaut.
They are one of my favorite cars of all time (probably because of growing up with those two movies you mentioned) and the car featured is one of the best. Near perfect.
Back to Tony's car, that bored-out Rocket motor ran four 2 barrels in line. The magazine article claims a quarter mile time of 89 MPH, at a weight of 4200 lbs. In 1956, that was hauling ass for a street driven car as big and as nice as this one.
I remember the article, 'Racy Runabout'..."But at the Strip, the boys tag it "The Screamer"!" Pul-ease. I dimly remember the drags back then, and this would be one of the contestants they would have stopped with, "O.K., guys...fast stuff has run, bring out the sun dial..."
Marty: There he is, Doc! Let's land on him, we'll cripple his car. Doc Brown: Marty, he's in a '46 Ford, we're in a DeLorean. He'd rip through us like we were tin foil. "Back to the Future: Part II"
"Wait...I grabbed onto it the other day, with my skateboard! Kids looked at me like I was...well, like...out of the future!"
Never cared a lot for '46 - '48 Fords until I spotted a slammed and smoothed Grabber Blue long door at a cruise night about 5 years ago. It tipped me in that direction. Last year I sold my beloved '36 5 window and moved into a '47 guards red long door. I feel like I bought a chunk of heaven. Comfort and style in a sophisticated package.
Never really took notice, until my folks acquired the one in my avatar. I have since become a fan of the fat fender cars.
biff's car in Back to the future is what started it all for me. I've since owned a 41 tudor, a 47 short door coupe and now my chopped 46 short door coupe. Would love to have a 46 convert some day.
I was working on a '46 Mercury coupe at the time this 'vert was in the magazines and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how he got it that low. I guess I musta missed the Car Craft article. It was without question the lowest street driven postwar fat fendered Ford at the time - by a bunch! I came to the conclusion that it had probably been channeled, which was 'way beyond my capability at the time. It must have been Z'd in the front as well as in the rear to get it that low and still be driveable! Lust.
I always loved those cars because of Karate Kid and Back to the Future. Or maybe I loved the movie's because of the cars....Either way, my favorite movies from the 80's and my young boys love them too....Hells yeah!
That's funny those cars have always given me a reason to watch those movies one more time. $795 firm, sold!
I liked this convertible from the first time I saw it in Car Craft back in the day. The dark color, low stance, grille change, Dodge Lancer hubcaps, and the Appleton's went together so well.
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