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History Pete Brock's '46 Ford

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Ryan, Sep 29, 2020.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Ryan submitted a new blog post:

    Pete Brock's '46 Ford

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
    Sancho, catdad49, 63fdsnr and 2 others like this.
  2. J. A. Miller
    Joined: Dec 30, 2010
    Posts: 2,057

    J. A. Miller
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Central NY

    Must have been influenced by Briggs Cunningham, but forgot a 46 Ford ain't a sportscar.:rolleyes:
     
    36 ROKIT and Just Gary like this.
  3. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    Art Center, the 'center' of modern automotive design.
    I got to visit and dream when I was young junior college; photojournalism student. But at the time tuition of thousands of dollars and a father in the Navy wasn't gonna happen.
    But you can see the vision the school offered with the comparison that Ryan shows above.
    Oh yea, that guy Chip Foose designed what became the Prowler while at Art Center.
     
    Tman likes this.
  4. GEBHARD
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,159

    GEBHARD
    Member
    from TX...

    I like oddball stuff but that chin needs some kind of bumper badly...
     
    BigO likes this.

  5. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 9,397

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska
    1. Central Nebraska H.A.M.B.

    Really F---d up a nice 46 Ford. Art Center concepts were a little to zoomy for me.
     
  6. chiro
    Joined: Jun 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,185

    chiro
    Member

    I like it.
    Andy
     
  7. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,097

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

  8. Kinda looks like he used a 50s Kaiser hood on it...the painted stripe makes it even worse.
     
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  9. Just because you thought it doesn't make cool.
     
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  10. Anybody else pickin' up a "Grease Lightning" vibe? :p
     
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  11. Stan Back
    Joined: Mar 9, 2007
    Posts: 2,179

    Stan Back
    Member
    from California

    Went to a benefit car show at the Art Center years ago – all the students had their models on display. And they all looked sorta the same.
     
    Tman likes this.
  12. adam401
    Joined: Dec 27, 2007
    Posts: 2,856

    adam401
    Member

    100% column A. 0% column B.
     
  13. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    I love 46-48 Fords but rendition #2 is so ugly.
     
  14. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,027

    19Fordy
    Member

    Gosh, so much work for such a negative result.
    But, maybe back then it was cutting edge.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  15. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  16. bbobster
    Joined: Apr 14, 2006
    Posts: 18

    bbobster
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    I never really appreciated this body style but I really like the first version here.
     
  17. Sorry, I can't agree Boss. A lot of bad ideas topped off with stripes that just don't fit the style.
     
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  18. flatford8
    Joined: Dec 12, 2012
    Posts: 156

    flatford8
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Lyman,ME.

    I agree with all the negatives above.....especially the chin....less chin or a bumper to hide or soften it.... and it does need two colors...but....STRIPES ?!?!?!.....sorry boss....plenty of room for the first version at my house....the second ain’t gettin’ in the door yard......Mark
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  19. Yeah ....poor taste is timeless, never really goes out of style. Noble ambition is commendable however, regardless of immediate outcome. I'm guessing that down the road there were styling advances that maybe had a more positive response.
     
  20. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    Another case where the finish ruins the look. If it was finished in a dark color (maroon?), no stripes and tasteful nerf bars it would look totally different.
    I guess you could call him a visionary, he had the Datsun 510 look down before Datsun made 510s.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  21. Really bad. reminds me of a Model Car book AMT put out in the 60s, lots of kustoms with not to scale mods
     
  22. If there was no version#1, version #2 alone would be interesting and special. It is more of a race car/hot rod than a custom.
    But knowing that it was #1 before, makes it kinda sad.
     
    Automotive Stud likes this.
  23. lucas doolin
    Joined: Feb 7, 2013
    Posts: 541

    lucas doolin
    Member

    Not sure if everyone recognizes the name Pete Brock, who went on to design the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. I personally prefer the first iteration of this 46 Ford Convertible. Mainly because it corresponds to a nostalgic full customs with all the right modifications: Chopped, channeled, raised front and rear fenders, sectioned hood. But the second, racing version was truly innovative and visionary for the period. In a way, the two versions are like Dave Cunningham's 40 Ford Sedan that was destroyed in a Southern California fire last year. The first iteration would be 100% HAMB approved, while the later George Barris modified monstrosity was a travesty.
     
  24. lucas doolin
    Joined: Feb 7, 2013
    Posts: 541

    lucas doolin
    Member

    By the way, in the Trend Annual Ryan references, another customs was on the facing page - Glen Hooker's 39 Mercury convertible built by Valley Custom. Two masterpieces!
     
  25. demmel
    Joined: Jul 19, 2009
    Posts: 120

    demmel
    Member
    from New Jersey

    I spoke with Pete at SEMA and he said the stripes were carried over to the Daytona Coupe. Also, he mentioned how he really like the 1st version, did not Have a pic and I was able to find and print back at the hotel. I gave him an 8x10 the next day as he was sharing stories with his friends on his new book. He was very happy to see and to show others.
     
  26. fortynut
    Joined: Jul 16, 2008
    Posts: 1,038

    fortynut
    Member

    I had the chance several times to visit the Art Center and took notice of the student work that was exhibited there, drawings and models. Having been a student in an art school myself, Stan Back's remarks of the similarity in the designs is often the result of a particular instructor's influence --- because he or she is, after all, taking them from one level of knowledge to the next. And, it is his or her direction they follow in order both to learn and certainly to make a satisfactory enough impression to receive the best possible grade possible. Add to this peer pressure, of those invisible forces in a group that imposes social mores on what is allowed and what is taboo within both set and setting. I have mentioned meeting "Big Daddy" Roth and in that short span of time got the impression of his dislike for art schools and the artists who come out of them. It has taken me a long time to process what he said, in that some things learned in an academic setting are counter productive to 'thinking out of the box'. Something he did quite well. This, perhaps does not fully explain the abject failure of the second version of this car, because the first version was built before Mister Brock attended the Art Center, but it goes to show that artists can fail big time when they try to go past the limitations of the material. What was designed by Ford Motor Motor Company was limited by the nature of mass production. Each individual part needed to come together to make a whole. In customizing any vehicle, those who thrive are able to understand that at least some of what already exists can only be complimented by their work, not altered to such a degree that the original beauty of it is lost. As to the paint job, this reminds me of the purpose of camouflage --- to hide and alter the forms of an object so it is no longer recognizable in its original form. Which makes me wonder what it would look have looked like if it was painted one color. One thing is for sure, it would certain change our impression of it.
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
  27. Automotive Stud
    Joined: Sep 26, 2004
    Posts: 4,304

    Automotive Stud
    Member

    I don't think Ryan was endorsing the second version.

    Agreed, I've seen both pictures before and never realized it was the same car. I don't hate the second version, it's odd and different and it blows my mind to see Lemans stripes on it. But after seeing the original version, it's a real travesty.

    I wonder if it still exists?
     
  28. silverdome
    Joined: Aug 23, 2007
    Posts: 556

    silverdome
    Member

    #1 is the Front and #2 is the rear, Ironic Huh?
     
  29. man that 2nd one looks like a Cobra impregnated a VW beetle, or me wearing a tube top and a speedo
    that being said, id drive it
    but that isn't saying much considering what I drive
     
    Tman likes this.
  30. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I recall a Car Craft mag 'trend', where there was a fad to 'round off' all the recognizable corners of a subject and sand it to 'perfection'...
    Rod & Custom was more my 'style'...
     
    fortynut likes this.

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