Art & Inspiration A Personal View of Shoebox Fords

When I was 11 years old, we moved next door to a teenage kid named Dick Walker. He drove a '49 Ford convertible (this was 1951). During the time I was getting acquainted with Dick, he lowered his Ford, repainted it from yellow to black, and put dual exhausts on it. He was clearly the coolest guy I knew, so it followed that his shoebox was the coolest car. I haven't changed my opinion much in 59 years.

By the time I was in high school, shoeboxes had become extremely popular rides among kids. Some were clean stockers, others were customs, a few were racy. This continued into the '60s, but at some point, their popularity took a nosedive. For about 30 years, they had no respect, were worth nothing, and got no attention from the car enthusiast community.

Around 1989, I recalled Dick's Ford, and some others that had been around during my youth, and thought that a shoebox with a modern drivetrain would be a nice ride. Long story short(er), I caused this car to happen:



It's been on the HAMB many times, and although I'm very proud of it, my intention wasn't to write about my car today. Instead, I thought I'd acknowledge a bunch of other people's shoeboxes that have been built over the years. In the '50s, a lot of them were extensively Kustomized. Many of those were chopped, particularly convertibles:






This last car, that of Roger Cunningham, brings up the then-popular mod of radiusing the rear wheel openings. A lot of people here on the HAMB seem to disapprove of this look, but I think it gives a lighter, sportier look to the slab-sided 'box.


Speaking of radiused wheel wells, this chopped Victoria, built by Cotton Woodworth, used Buick side trim to complement the wheel openings. Notwithstanding the crappy picture, I love the look of this car!

Here are a couple of particularly nice chopped 'boxes, done within the last 20 years or so using entirely traditional elements:



geemann51's beautiful coupe, from here on the HAMB:


At the top of my personal heap among radical customs is Buster Litton's Ford:

Started by the Cerny Brothers and finished by Barris, this car uses such diverse elements as Studebaker front fenders and Oldsmobile rear quarters, but integrates them into the long, straight lines of the shoebox as well as anyone has ever done. The flawless hardtop chop, beautifully detailed with bright moldings, completes its sleek profile. No wonder that this car has been cloned, and its details copied, multiple times.

A second radical style from the '50s was the sectioned shoebox, often with those round wheel arches. The catalyst for this trend was certainly the original version of Ron Dunn's coupe by Valley Custom:


There were many cars built in this style, but a couple are worthy of mention. Pat Bragg's car, built by husband Paul, could be considered a tribute to the Dunn car with a little more contemporary vibe:


...and Ron Courtney's wild X51 varied the Valley style with the addition of jumbo fins:


A nice contemporary sectioned convert, somewhat reminiscent of the earlier Cunningham car...


And an uber-radical custom, designed by Harry Bradley, started by Donn Lowe, and completed by Foose and son. The artistry in this car is amazing; it's wedge-sectioned and wedge-chopped (in opposite directions), but it retains most of the styling cues of the original shoebox -- taillights, grille, hubcaps -- it's just a couple of feet lower than it used to be:




Finally, a couple of wild cards. A well done chopped and sectioned "Ranchero" conversion from the '50s:


...and Billy Gibbons' neat Kopperhead, a 3-window coupe conversion almost certainly inspired by Steve Stanford's gorgeous magazine sketch:


A few shoeboxes have been done as credible hot rods: Cole Cutler did a wild coupe years ago; NHRA's Steve Gibbs has a tasty orange coupe, and there's an Art Chrisman-built, 427 cammer-powered coupe running around Orange County that makes a noise to wake the dead!

There are many other cars that have been widely acclaimed: Junior Conway, Keith Weesner, and Lee Pratt have all built cars that people admire. I've just shown the ones that are my particular favorites, and some of y'all may want to nominate others.

In my opinion, the Litton, Dunn, and Bradley/Lowe/Foose cars are the most noteworthy radical customs. As I grow older, though, I find that it doesn't take much change to make one of these into a really sharp ride. My own car was probably most influenced by the understated Ford that Dick Walker drove, nearly sixty years ago!

 

Great thread! Agree whole heartedly with the last 3 paragraphs.

 

A quick question. Is your car a '51 Victoria with '50 fenders and grille etc., or a '50 with a Victoria top grafted on? I love the ways these customs look, but mine is such a good original, I just couldn't cut it.

 

Nice write up Fraud, thanks.

-Chris

 

It's a '51 Vic, with all the '51 details replaced with corresponding parts from 1950:
Grille, hood, bumpers & guards, headlight rings, side trim, taillights, deck handle, dash.

In retrospect it would have been much less work to put a Vic top on a '50 convert, but the buy-in would have been considerably higher.

 

Great thread! A shoebox Ford is my all time favorite. I have wanted one since I was about 20 after seeing one in Rod & Custom. Jump forward about 20 years to 2005. I bought a car that had been in a field for about 20 years. Project has stalled due to lack of funds but will be finished someday.

 

Great thread! Love those shoebox Fords, especially yours, 50Fraud.....Don.

 

Best thread I have read in years. Thank you for taking the time.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write that up, especially with the cool reference pics.

 

Great thread, Thanks, I would also nominate Don Carrol's vert as an all time favorite I borrowed this pic from Rikster's site. BTW I am going to take your advice and add side trim on my vert

 

I agree Ryan, most Excellent.. I wanna read more. lol i am a sucker for well written stuff. The HAMB ROCKS!!! It is better than anything I have ever read in my life, and is all REAL...

 

This is one of the most simple and successful styles of any car I can recall to date. Being a guy who never really gets attached to a car and rather just builds them to stay out of trouble, I never thought I would have owned mine as long as I have, but everytime I set out looking for the next project or a replacement to my shoebox, it seems I can't find anything that holds a candle to the class, simplicity, and style of this perticular car.

If they came out of the factory with a chopped top, their wouldn't be another production car to even compare. They're just downright classy rides and I appreciate your write up!

 

I think that the Ford FortyNine should get an honorable mention here. Ford knew that the shoebox was a winner, and created a concept car that if it would have been built, I'm positive I'd own one today.

 

Shoeboxes are a great "blank canvas" for custom ideas, though they do have their own appealing character. There's a lot about them that I like that I can't put my finger on, though. It's got that plump loaf of bread volume to it...

(Glad I made Tony's list too!)

 

Brings back memories... my first car was a 49 Ford convertible. Bought it in 57 for $100. Sold it a year or two later for $100. Nice ride.

 

Skrap Metals shoebox has to be one of my all time favorites.

 

Bravo good sir! An informative glimpse into one man's hot rod and custom psyche. I love it!

 

I want to see some more real "drivers" from the '50s & '60s.

 

Enjoyable thread. Thanks...

 

I agree. I had intended to mention it, and forgot. My wife told me that if Ford produced that car, she expected me to go buy one.

 

The Bradley / Foose combo has been my favorite shoebox ever since the first time I laid eyes on it. Sooooo smooth.

I see far too many poorly chopped boxes, so thanks for the stunning examples that clearly show they can be cut well.

 

Yeah, I remember when I was growing up in Arizona my sisters boy friend had a shoe box, blue with spinners, ww's and lake pipes, lowered with white T&R interior. Loved that car, made quite an impression on an youngster. Still think about it......nice thread by the way.

 

Well have a 49 & 50 that I hope to be starting this spring . I have a 55 Ford to finish first . I am going to build the 50 with a mild kustom for a cruiser . The 49 , I was going to sell but was curious about making a pick-up out of it . Now that I saw one , I just might do one .

Now I have to decide what bed would look good for a shoebox ? I can use some help with that one . Any ideas ?

Retro Jim

 

Here's my favorite. Jay Johnstone 1949 Ford.. My Merc is ging to institute these elements. I love the 2 tone, and trim..

My Favorite Car...

 

What about an aussie ute


Or one without the ugly standard skirts

 

When I was growing up, shoebox Fords were considered to be the ultimate in coolness....especially when nosed and decked, with fender skirts, dragging tail, dual exhausts...and sometimes in black primer with the grill removed for that "gaping fish mouth" look.
One of my favorites was a red and white local car that I used to see around when I was in highschool. It made the tinted center pages of Hot Rod Magazine in 1959! With the back seat area filled in and the upholstery rolled around the cockpit, it reminded me of a motorboat. I loved that car and dreamed of being the envy of all my friends cruising around in something like that with my arm around some gorgeous babe.....

 

My friends coupe.

 

I've been in love with 49-51's since u was a
kid... My ol man had a ute sutton behind
the garage and I used it to jump the neighbors
fence for my whole childhood.... In the 90's
I saw an article on a shoebox called "el blob"
Been thinking about them ever since...

 

I share your passion for the 49-51 model Ford and I appreciate your thought and analysis; it's spot on. I'm flattered that you would include my heap amongst your list; means a lot to me.