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Projects It's alive!!! A 1957 Fargo Tale....

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 57 Fargo, Jul 7, 2017.

  1. I don’t want something that looks like an add on but pretty much every bumper on a stepside kind of does anyways...I’m certainly not afraid to cut it up if I need to. Too much wrap around maybe? I think it looks unfinished without a bumper.

    In the end I will do what I like the best but opinions are a way of brainstorming here, I’m willing to have a look at any and all suggestions.

    P.S. thanks for the kind words, I’m really happy with how classy the truck looks, just want the back to follow along! Ha!

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    Last edited: Sep 24, 2020
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  2. Have a look at the latest set of pictures


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  3. atch
    Joined: Sep 3, 2002
    Posts: 5,626

    atch
    Member

    I wonder what it would look like if you sliced it and diced it to shorten it up to where the ends lined up with the side of the bed.

    Maybe one of the geniuses over on the photoshop thread could show what it would look like.

    I've also been wondering what a new vertical panel would look like. Under the bed, behind the fender, and ahead of the bumper to visually connect all three pieces and make the bottom of all three flow together.
     
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  4. You could try sliding it over to one side and line it up with the edge of the box and then take the side shot again. It does look like it is hanging in space from the side with the upward angle of the fender and the box. I like the look from the back much better. The whole side look is a bit odd as it looks like the bed side is quite a bit higher than the bottom of the fender when in fact it is not. Does the rear fender angle up from the outer edge to the bedside?
     
  5. No angle it’s pretty much straight across

    Here’s a few more with it flush at the side
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]


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  6. Personally I prefer the look from the back with it out under the lights and it doesn't really help with the side view tucking them in. Really it's the box side that seems to be the issue but I think a squared off side might fight with the angle of the fender that it now follows. Maybe cut a piece of cardboard that would square off the bottom of box side and tape it in place. I guess the real question is what are you thinking? No sense trying a bunch of things if you are happy with the look.
     
  7. I prefer it out under the lights as well, I think I preferred it higher, it didn’t seem to be just hanging below the box side...maybe I should move the taillights up. I’m going to leave it and walk around it for a bit and see what happens. If I square off the bottom of the box side then I need to build a new rear piece and extend the stake pocket...not sure I want to go there.


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  8. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 3,519

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    882220D7-CFB8-40B1-B538-4B613BFCB9A8.jpeg I think you got the bumper in the correct location .
     
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  9. I think I’m ok with where it is...I think


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  10. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    Every time I see a Fargo I think wood chipper
     
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  11. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    I don’t think it matters what you do the the curvature of the the fenders will fight the straight lines of the box, the curve of the bumper helps the fender
     
  12. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    If the top groove was curved down into the bottom groove behind the fender it would soften the angularity of the box as a whole
     
  13. I’m not sure I follow the top groove bottom groove thing...,


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  14. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    At the front of the box there are 3 grooves, the bottom grooove is rounded in front of the fender, would be better rounded at the front just short of the stake pocket. The upper two grooves would look better if the front top curved down 90 behind the the front stake pocket and curved to join the second lower, then curved down to follow the same angle as the back of the fender and curved back into to the second groove behind the fender before the rear stake pocket, would also help if the pockets themselves were curved like the older styles.
     
  15. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    Just a design critique, I’m sure whoever designed the box probably did a good job but were overruled by the beancounters who deserve a big slap upside the head. But I’m sure it’s far too late for that.
     
  16. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 788

    Wanderlust

    To be fair the beancounters were probably correct that function overcame form back then.
     
  17. 61Cruiser
    Joined: Dec 5, 2013
    Posts: 191

    61Cruiser
    Member

    Absolutely looks the goods if it sits at that height IMO, for whatever that’s worth (zilch probably). Still liking this thread so much.


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  18. Got it, someone must have liked it, it stuck around until 1983!! I would do bad things to have a sweptside but to me some of the charm of the old trucks is the utilitarian styling.


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  19. Yea I’ve been looking at pics and all stepside trucks the bumper is about there.


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  20. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,041

    gene-koning
    Member

    I believe its pretty typical for the side view of the rear bumper to have the bumper below all the sheet metal on the step side trucks.
    I always thought it looked like the designers forgot to finish the back edge of the box, they just hung a pair of tail lights and a rear bumper on the back end, rather then finishing the design. Once it got into production, they just went with it, for a lot of years at that! From 1954 through the end of the step side production sometime in the 1980s, the only change on the step side box was they flattened out the angle of the top rail from a 45 degree to a 90 degree, and that was around 1956. They may have dressed the step side up or down a bit, and you could get a wood or a steel floor, there was even a choice of a high side or a low side version, and a long box or short box, but the basic design never changed.
    You could fudge on the side view a little by adding a small piece under the box side from the back edge of the rear fender with the bottom edge at the bumper being about 1/2 the height of the rear bumper. If you maintained a straight line at the bottom that matched up with the bottom edge of the fender, the piece would probably be a couple inches below the bottom of the stake pocket, but that might not look so bad. Tape a piece of cardboard there and see if it works for you. Gene
     
  21. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    Only four who view this thread? Give yourself some credit, there must be at seven or eight of us! LOL

    I'm liking the bumper s it is now. Don't want to crowd the twilight and it has to be at least an inch and a half for proper tailgate opening. But in reality why ask us? All your decisions have been great so far...

    As far as the rear of the box sides I'm pretty sure in the Job Rated era ('39-47) the 3/4 and one ton trucks had a panel that attached to the bottom of the box behind the fender and sweated upwards toward the bottom of the box where the tailgate was which flowed into the optional bumper. Time for some cardboard work...
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2020
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  22. As I said in a previous post, just brainstorming, in the end I’ll do what I feel is best.

    Thanks guys.

    The more I look at pictures the more I like it....


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    Last edited: Sep 25, 2020
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  23. Thanks to @themoose we have a plan...killer. Apparently I’m not done sheet metal work yet.

    IMG_2353.JPG


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  25. atch
    Joined: Sep 3, 2002
    Posts: 5,626

    atch
    Member

    Home run...
     
  26. @themoose was kind enough to do a complete side view for me, pretty much exactly what I envisioned.

    [​IMG]


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  27. [​IMG]

    Cleans up pretty good!
     
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  28. Not bad for 30 years later...( next year when it’s done)


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  29. 4 pedals
    Joined: Oct 8, 2009
    Posts: 958

    4 pedals
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    I just found this thread tonight. I like what you've done with your truck!

    I'm typically more of a Chevy guy, in my experience trucks of this era didn't have a rear bumper at all, or if they did, it was a front bumper put on the rear as you've done, or later what is generally referred to as a Barden bumper in my area, an aftermarket welded piece. I think what you've done looks best.

    Devin
     
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  30. Brand Apart
    Joined: Jan 22, 2011
    Posts: 808

    Brand Apart
    Member
    from Roswell GA

    I dig the bumper. I agree it's Hard to get one that looks good I'm trying to figure that out for my panel myself at the moment ( or 6 months more likely).
     
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