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Hot Rods RADIUS REAR WHEEL WELLS

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Sep 5, 2021.

  1. When building some cars with a nod to the 1960's sometimes it's necessary to open up the rear wheel wells, usually the builder tries to radius the sheet metal to fit the tires profile.

    Back when I was 16 years old and working on my '54 tudor sedan I wanted to have a nice set of wheels and radius the rear wheel wells, I had already installed a 390 Mercury V8 and a set of chrome rims.

    Unfortunately, I totaled the car before I ever saved up enough money for the wider chrome rims & wider rear tires.

    I still like the look 55 years later, how about some photo's of 50's & 60's car's with radius rear wheel wells. HRP

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    mgtstumpy, enloe, 4ever18 and 20 others like this.
  2. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    B67E7830-CCA8-46B9-B7D5-DB83CB72018C.jpeg Good post Danny. I’ve always loved this look. You don’t see many this way anymore.
    the Ford is different.
     
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  3. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

  4. How about factory radiused?
    maxresdefault.jpg
     

  5. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Around here it was because narrowing a rear axle and tubbing a car was unknown and at lest on the 55 Chevys Radiused rear wheel wells were for the "gasser" look. Those 55 Buick Centuries with the factory radius were to me the best looking mid 50's GM cars.
     
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  6. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,443

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

  7. traffic61
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,545

    traffic61
    Member
    from Owasso, OK

    Many decades ago, my friend Mike decided to radius the wheel wells on his ‘55 Chevy. I drove up as he was finishing. He took a Magic Marker tied on a piece of twine. He held the other end of the twine against the center of the wheel cap and made an arc that he figured would clear his swap meet score slicks.

    Several jig saw blades later, voila! Radiused!
    Sadly, that was just one of the numerous sins that we committed against that poor old car. It was pretty beat when he got it and a race car seemed like the best use for it.

    Ah youth.
     
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  8. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
    Member

    No pics, but as a kid my dad and I went to look at a ‘55 Chevy in primer. No engine, but had a Muncie and Hurst shifter, black (looked like leather) interior. I think the price was 350 or 450? Anyways, the rears were cut out and some sort of a U channel was done to finish it off.
    As a 15 year old I loved it, my dad said “let’s get out of here, effed the car up”

    He was all in on the car until he saw the work on the “radiusing”. Lol.

    That was as close I’ve ever been to having a tri-5 Chevy!
     
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  9. I've always liked the mid '50's Buick full wheel wells, which seem like a rodders modification to a Grampa's car! It's funny that other GM divisions didn't follow suit, but maybe it was a Buick thing dating back to the Y Job, etc. Just a really cool look!
     
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  10. Racingsnake
    Joined: Apr 26, 2011
    Posts: 138

    Racingsnake
    Member
    from So Cal

  11. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,777

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    The Astorian has front wheel openings from a 55 chev on the back....


    january3.JPG
     
  12. I've always preferred the'55 Nomad over the other years largely impart to the radiused wheel wells..a great look.
    55-Chevy-Nomad.jpg

    Picture is not my car
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 5, 2021
  13. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    My Willy's I built

    1904212_1381035575506569_672485515_n.jpg


    1011045_1381040518839408_347322322_n.jpg
     
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  14. Fogger
    Joined: Aug 18, 2007
    Posts: 1,804

    Fogger
    Member

    In '64 I cut the wheel wells on my 210 with a saber saw and brazed 3/8" copper tubing to the outside of the body. The flare was created with bondo and many hours of shaping and sanding. It held up and never cracked or separated. Car ran in the 10s with a big block. 55chevygasser006.jpg
     
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  15. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    Double like for Fogger's car. Very cool.
     
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  16. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,709

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    I always liked the Nomad rear wheel well on 55 2 doors. Looked like Chevy should have done them to start with.
     
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  17. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,040

    gene-koning
    Member

    I've cut a wheel opening from a fender and relocated it to the position I wanted it in, Excuse the wheel, but the wheel opening was moved 2" higher and 2" farther forward from its original location on the truck.

    The couple just had the wheel opening cut for clearance, dirt track style. Gene
     

    Attached Files:

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  18. blue 49
    Joined: Dec 24, 2006
    Posts: 1,820

    blue 49
    Member
    from Iowa

  19. partsdawg
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,503

    partsdawg
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Minnesota

    I once bought a 55 that had a radiused wheel openings. They were opened up and then a 26” bicycle rim was cut in half and brazed in to stiffen up the wheel opening
     
  20. 34Phil
    Joined: Sep 12, 2016
    Posts: 553

    34Phil
    Member

    hot tip for '55s was Volvo 240 front fenders
     
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  21. WB69
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,958

    WB69
    Member
    from Kansas

    Always liked it on the tri-5's when done right. Should have been in the factory design. Gassers didn't look right if the rears weren't radiused to me.
     
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  22. My thinking exactly. HRP
     
  23. Cut that sheet metal. :D

    \[​IMG]

    This is cool but IMHO it just looks wrong for a gasser. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
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  24. [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2021
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  25. This car demonstrates what I was thinking. I had a friend that bought a '55 Chevy from wrecking yard that we shoved a Porky Pine head in. The car had been built in the '60s and they had cut up some front fenders for the rear radiuses. It was really slick like this car. Nothing like a good finished look. :cool:
     
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  26. 210superair
    Joined: Jun 23, 2020
    Posts: 1,952

    210superair
    Member
    from Michigan

    Gasses definitely look much better with them.... Agreed.
     
    427 sleeper, loudbang and Deuces like this.
  27. This is Mazmanian's 'vette. It always looked like he cut 'em with a skill saw to me.

    [​IMG]
     
  28. Yeah Beano, It looks like there wasn't much planning before he started cutting. HRP
     

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