I started a thread here asking what the traditional hot rod styling would have been for a 1948 Ford Coupe back in the 50's and 60's. I thought the responses were good and informative, but apparently I offended someone because the thread was deleted. The reason given was because it was OT and not relevant. What I don't understand is if a thread about traditional styling of a 1948 Ford coupe is OT and not relevant to the HAMB, then how can threads about shipping parts via Greyhound, parts counter help, etc be OT and relevant. This will probably be deleted as well, so I'm hoping that the guy who posted the great pictures of the maroon 48 coupe with skirts and spots will read this and PM the pictures . I'd like the opportunity to take a closer look. And yes, I know that if I don't like it I can go elsewhere, so that doesn't need to be said .
That confuses me sometimes too. I've seen threads and posts suddenly evaporate and there sometimes seemed to be no rhyme or reason. I saw your thread on the 48 and it sure seemed HAMB worthy to me. It would be nice to hear from the mod that killed it to hear why, so we can learn from it. I was looking forward to seeing the 48 thread continue as my Son is building a 46 along traditional lines. Don
I agree whole heartedly. with some of the rants and raves they let slide and they nix a valid question.
In defense of the moderators (and yes I've had threads deleted) sometimes threads will go off on a tangent not related to the subject and will need to be stopped. I'm sure it wasn't stopped because it was about customizing a 48 Ford. Let's keep this on topic and see what happens. I'd like to see some custom 48 Fords too.
There were only a handful of responses when the thread was deleted. Only one might have been considered negative in which a post asked why I would build a car to suit the HAMB. Other than that , very reasonable thread. To elaborate a little, I built my car as I wanted it to be 5 years ago. But to the HAMB's credit I have been thinking about changing the look to be more of what people might have done with these cars in the 50's and 60's...to return it to a more traditional look. Its really as simpkle as that. So I agree, if the moderators are cool with 1940's fat fendered Fords in the styled in the tradition of the era , lets see them.
It will be interesting if/when we get a reply as to why it went away. I was reading that thread when it was alive and there was nothing in there that was offensive, unHAMBy, or otherwise. I know mods do a good and needed job, but I have seen them pull the trigger too fast sometimes too. Maybe it was a mistake and someone just hit the delete button? Don
Well the wifes 48 was full custom of the days and still fits in every place she took it. This is about as traditional as it gets from 50-60's as I know it.
I know your hoping for images... But maybe a geezer's recollection might help? I think by the time the era you're aiming for was in full swing the taildragger stance was becoming passe and the frontwards rake was getting pretty popular. Chrome steelies and blackwall big and littles were the way to go around here; and the cars were getting stripped of much of their excess chrome. Street driven stuff was usually one nice colour - often a lighter shade as opposed to the scallops and panel painting on the more "finished" cars that made the indoor shows. Of course some subtle striping always looked good. Things may have been different in other parts of the world, and my memory is getting fuzzier by the day, but that's the way I remember it. Please keep us in the loop with your coupe re-do (I like where you are wanting to go with it). -Dave
A bit more from that fuzzy memory after seeing RAY With's pretty coupe: If a guy could afford to do the interior - black was the way to go by then, either in diamonds, rolls or biscuits often with buttons; and guys were starting to install bucket seats and consoles. Feel free to add or contradict as I could be all wet here! -Dave
Mulberry pearl,46 olds grille,spots,frenched headlamps,tailights,shaved handles,remote door poppers,red/white tuck-n-roll.has skirts too but not on in these pic's...is this kinda what you were looking for?
Thanks all, I really like the 40's Fords. I'm not sure yet what I will do with mine...just looking for period ideas.
I'll try and relate my experiances from my youth as I'm one of those old geezers mentioned above. My 1st flat motored car was a 47 merc coupe,bone stock,black.a beautiful car. Faster than any of my pals Chevys,so it really didn't need any help under the hood. Dressed up the outside tho,with skirts.duals,radio antenna moved to the panel between trunk and rear window on the drivers side, Bullnosed hood.shaved deck lid,blue dots.white mud flaps[Yea I know] Curb feelers and some chrome wind deflectors on the wing windows. White walls were nice to have,but not mandantory. Top that off with spun alum. moon disk and we were ready to roll. Car #3 was a 48 Ford coupe also Black The difference in this and the Merc was that in the time between these two cars I had learned a lot reading the little pages in school or anywhere I could. This car would get a lot of add on speed equipt. out of the Honest Charlie catalog. Offy heads and 2 carb manifold,firewall mounted fuel log and red plastic hoses.and Mallory dual point, dual coil ignition. This car served me well for a couple of years, and then carried myself and my new bride to our first USAF duty post in Florida. while there my bud James Larry and myself pulled the flatty,sold it to a 1st louie for his 37 and then dropped a 58 283 into the coupe using an Aluminum adapter from Honest Hisself , Then painted the car Buick Honduras Maroon in the Auto hobby shop.Added some Caddy caps and it was done,done,done.
this is not a traditonally styled custom. wheels, paint, interior, stance, painted bumper and mirrors would have to go. nice looking car, but not traditional.
Trends come and go lot of these guy can,t even remember the Pinto,and weren,t around then.When the air bag thing is old there are going to be more cars in need of frames.When they get parked for year the rust will eat away sonner.Why any body would park a running board of a 48 Ford on ground.The is not traditinal ,but this site likes it,just the world street rod is no good. Its all a play on words pieriod correct,tradtinal hot rod,and doing what they think is cool.The think in the 50 and 60 its was done my way and lets race the highway.Parking was for fu ing
I was there in that era, and fat fenders were not really used that much. Things are different now, but back then it was all pre-40. Not trying to rain on your parade, just pointing out that photographic examples from the 50s and 60s would be hard to find.
all i can say is "welcome to the delated thread club"! bet you didn't even realize their was such a thing did ya? hahahaha!
Maybe the moderator is dyslexias and thought it was about a 84 Ford........................................................ Just joking ............
The 46-48 Ford coupes were pretty popular around here in the early-mid 60's. My older brother wanted one in the worst way so i got to tag along when he went to look at them, I was about 13-14 at the time, and saw several of them that were rodded. They either sat level, slightly lowered, or were raked somewhat, mostly a rubber rake. Painted one color, usually dark, black being popular. Seemed like many liked chrome reverse wheels, usually with thin whitewalls. Several of them around here ran a Thunderbird interior, from buckets and the rear "wrap around seat" I think the seats would be from an early 60's T Bird, I remember one guy said the rear seat went in with no modification. I just remember that those seats looked great in those cars, at least to a 13 yr old kid! Seems they all ran glasspacks and two pipes out under the bumper. Engines ranged from warmed up flattheads to Cad motors. Oh, some actually ran fuzzy dice on the mirrors, but I'd pass on that!
Yes, that thread was Deleted. By me. Like all Rat Rod vs Trad Hot Rod vs Street Rod threads are. These threads are pointless, and we dont need the Drama. If this thread can be a constructive one showing On Topic cars, it can stay open. If it gets dramatic, it will go away.
I grew up in southern Illinois in the '50s and one of cars I had in high school was a red '41 Ford coupe. It was nosed and decked and had frenched '51 Lincoln tail lights. It was lowered in the rear and the drive train was from a '54 Olds.
I had a 47 Fordor that was built in the 60's. It had lead filled seams on all the fenders and Rader wheels (REAL Rader wheels), with narrow whitewalls, was painted an Emerald green and had a black diamond tufted interior in it. When I bought it (in about 1977) it only had 50,000 miles on it and the story the seller told me was a guy had swapped various sbc engines into it and would race it. When a motor would blow he would park it for a few years until he got the money to build another motor, hence the low miles. I used to lay under it on a creeper and just stare at how clean it was underneath. That is the one car I really regret having to sell. Don
Get some little mags and research. PM me if you want be to go through some, scan, and send it to you. Can't say it'll be quick.
You are correct as to the wheels but keeping a car for many years you tend to change with the times. Candy apple red was around in 1957 so the paint is correct for the time but additional changes on the bottom again were changing with the times. In 59 I molded a bumper into my ride (not this 48) and painted it which was a first for me and was very different for the time but wasn't that what street rod customs all about to begin with?As to the wheels -yep not traditional but I have several cars with steelies and a second choice billet wheels if I choose to change the looks a little. It just sheds a little new light on an old car. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!
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