Custom or Kustom should mean just that, do it the way YOU like it and run with it. you can never please everyone so please yourself. I don't let others pick out my underwear or women either. My .02 cents
Did the fender much up to the bottom edges ok? Did you have too cut the bottom fender much? It looks like it blended well before bodywork/paint.
I was going to suggest Nomad openings. You can buy them cheap enough (cheap being a relative term here). You used to see them done that way when I was a lot younger then I am now. For a custom you cannot beat it, just way more refined than what you would normally see on a gasser.
You used to be able to buy reproductions of the '55 Nomad wheel opening only (not a full quarter), I think Danchuk used to sell them. I distinctly remember one of the car mags buying a pair for a gasser project, wanting a more 'finished' looking opening, and they weren't all that expensive. But after an internet search they've seemed to have disappeared, probably victims of greed and/or corporate licensing agreements. There's always the 'old way'; some 1/2" EMT tubing bent to shape and some welding...
The 1/2" EMT and a gas welder is my way of doing it. But I have always been a little bit on the back yard side of life.
Yeah I’m looking now online but I’m seeing full quarter for over a grand each...... I really like the nomad better, but I can’t justify 2k
I just found this, it’s only the lower. A grand for both seems better. A salvage yard is selling me both quarters for a 56 for 800.
I’m glad I found it. Still expensive but vey kustom which i like and finish better. Gasser opening is 250 lol, for both sides
LOL I don't doubt that this has already been mentioned but we used to cut the fender openings from front fenders and use them.
Haha it’s ok porknbeaner. 150 for gasser opening or 1200 (not including shipping) for lower nomad opening or 800 for both original 56 lower opening at salvage yard.
Just MO, but no way would I go "round" on a custom of such a boxy car. Also (on a custom), there is no way I would go to the trouble and expense, just to end up stock. Open it up with some front wheel openings, or close it up and name your poison. (Infinite options.) It just might become the defining element that no one can put their finger on!
I hear you loud and clear. But those early Buick’s (boxy) look really nice (round opening). And there maybe other examples. But I may end up going with the nomad lowers that are 500 a piece. It matches the front, don’t have to cut,weld,bondo and looks very custom with straight trim going across the the car. Maybe The Volvo opening could be an option? My problem is that it’s not a piece that’s nostalgic. I know I’m being too strict but I even want my sbc to have the long breather tube lol
Cutting up two 55 fenders to make one is something I’m pondering but I would have to buy em cheap to out way the cost of the nomad lowers. I think most people are going to be around 200-250 per fender that’s 500 for one fender plus the work of blending the two. Nomad lower were 577 plus shipping.
I think the Nomads would work best $$ wise , but being a hard core custom metal guy I kind of like the idea of radiusing both front and rear to match just to be different! Think of the Starbird, Titus, and Chushenberry stuff from Kansas in the 60's.
I’d think with bead roller a shrinker stretcher and some elbow grease you could build an opening for quite a bit less than $800.
I’d bet a simple hammer form would get the bigger part of that job done quite nicely as well -for a guy who didn’t have access to that equipment.
You could make skirts that fit the openings you have now but the difference between looking nice or crappy might be a small margin. At least you could get the wheels off easily. And you could switch back and forth between the 'show off the wheel' look you mentioned or not. I actually like the look of those '50s Buicks, but they do have the side moldings to accent the radius wells.
It doesn't hurt as much if you say, " ONLY $567.65 each " instead of $1135.30. My question would be, is it going to go faster with new wheel well openings?
Looks great!!! Slamming it thru the suspension could not retain any concentricity. Extending the rockers lower a bit could give the appearance of being lower without messing up the lines