Hello , I have a 1935 Ford 5 window coupe and would like to make a period correct early 40's style kustom out off it. I got some ideas from Rik Hoving on te looks of the car but who can help me with more technical information. How and who much did they lower these cars back then? Any compagnies that self the required parts or how to on fabbing them my selfs? Did they chop the cars and how and how much. did they fill in the roof? Fenderskirt from which car, model , year, and what did they have to change to them? How about the interior? Any info, ideas is greatly appriciated.
Hi BuickKustom Tastes vary from builder to builder so the best advice I can offer is to browse the threads on here for others who are building to the same era, look through every "little book" magazine you can get your hands on and study pictures of the style of car you like very closely! You will soon get an idea of what modifications were typical and more importantly, which mods you prefer. Keep posting here with ideas you come up with and I'm sure you will get constructive criticisms or approvals as you go. Your first question regarding lowering will be answered by viewing those pics - then the fellows here can offer ideas on how best to get it sitting the way you want. Starting with a mild custom (no chop) is a great way to get on the road and begin to enjoy your coupe using the stance, some skirts and a good wheel, wheel cover, and tire combination. The more aggressive approach of chopping, possible grill & bumper changes can come later (unless of course you are starting with a rougher car and have the skills or buddies with skills and want to do it all at once!). Good luck with your coupe! Dave
This Kustomrama article on on Allan Winward's '36 build may be of some use to you. https://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Allan_Winward's_1936_Ford
If you are going to attempt to recreate a '40's style of custom car using a '35-36 as a platform, you have to be careful so as to not cross over into the interpretation shown in the pix that have been attached. The norm was tail dragger's with twin Appleton spots, tear drop skirts with '41 Buick emblems, '37 Desoto, or '41 Ford bumpers, the rear license plate Frenched into the area below the deck lid, last but not least was twin antenna's. A very small group was doing radical customs, chopping the top. '41 Packard or '40 Lasalle grilles. By the very early '50's skirts, Cad hub caps, tail draggers were out. Fifteen inch wheels and tires became the rage with '49 Merc "pill-box" hup caps. Very few cars were chopped, main streams guys did not have the money or the talent to chop a top. One of the really neat custom tricks in the late '40's was "40 Chevy headlights on a '35-36 in lieu of the stock lights. Some people have referred to the '40 Chevy headlights as being the San Francisco/Bay Area look. I had '40 Chevy headlights on the front of my '36 for almost ten years. I decided to go back to the stock look so I removed the Chevy lights. Fortunately I did not weld them onto the fenders like most guys did. I very carefully fitted them to the fender with no modifications to the fender, then bolted them in place. It may be hard for most people to fathom, but, my generation, graduated from high school in 1952 invented the Low Rider look, right down to the split manifolds and cackle pipes that is so popular now with some people. When I was in high school I had several Chevy's that were tail draggers with skirts, twin spots, etc.
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