Art & Inspiration Check my mockup proportions - A roadster on stretched 32 frame

* EDIT: I added a 4th mockup down below that is not in the poll options. It's the car with a healthy rake - the engine angle is obviously unrealistic, but you get the idea... *

Before I get crazy with a plasma cutter, I wanted some opinions from the HAMB crew.
Here's the recipe I've been building and gathering for in my head: '30 Model A Roadster on a homemade 32 Ford style chassis S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D from a 106" wheelbase to 113.75" to accommodate a 308 Hudson big-six engine.

I played around with photochop using what photos I could scrounge online of a quality side profile of a 30 roadster and a 308 and did my best to accurately represent the difference in length. I am presenting 3 different versions to compare to the original roadster for proportion and illusion. I enlarged the wide-5 rolling stock because it just looked goofy with the smaller stock rims - please try to imagine the similar proportions but maybe with a set of tall wires.
I found that with different hood configurations that it gave a different flavor or just worked better visually.

Please let me know your thoughts or suggestions of how to pull this off.
Thank you!

Without a hood:

By earthshaker5769 at 2011-11-19

With a partial hood:

By earthshaker5769 at 2011-11-19

With a full hood and sides:

By earthshaker5769 at 2011-11-19

NEW pic with a rake/lowered front end:

By earthshaker5769 at 2011-11-20

 

i think it looks ok at that ride height (any lower and it'd look too long) also the hood and hood sides seem to stretch the car and make it look akward. you could also recess the firewall a couple of inches depending on how much you value your leg room. i'm building a 27 chev with a similar engine (desoto) and have been playing around with a few different mockups trying to get it to look right.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful answer - I forgot to mention that recessing into the firewall is NOT an option... it's going to be a tight fit for me as it is!

 

well thats one of the benifits of me being a short ass.

 

I think it's beautiful with just the hood top.
That way you can see those 2 Hudson carbys.

 

Sometimes these oddball motor choices really screw up the proportions of a good car. I would suggest selling that 6 and use a proper powerplant. My worthless opinion.

 

I like it with the full hood plus on your "photo fix" you are showing it with nothing below the frame, if you can do it, it would really be neat. Some how all that "stuff" hanging off the bottom of the frame kills the lines of the Duce rails.

Go with the hood.

Rex

 

The picture with the hood over the Hudson engine looks the best to me. My $.02 worth: lengthen the doors too by a few(2-3) inches. Mainly to keep proportions pleasant on the eye. Kudos for the Hudson engine! Looks super cool!

 

x2, then you could reverse the firewall to give you back some space for the motor.

Doc.

 

the hood top is the way to go. with the hood sides it kinda looks sway-backed. the hood top and added lenght kinda gives it the packard/duesenberg look. Those cars were class acts in their day, as yours will be now.

 

It isn't homely in any of your projected guises, but I like it best with the full hood.

 

Maybe keep the frame it's stock length, move the engine into the radiator space, fill the radiator opening with sheet metal like a dry lakes car and move the radiator to the rear under the trunk. A lot of guys in San Diego get away with that to make their ride look like an old drag car. I don't know what the heat rejection rate is on the Hudson but I'm cooling a 302 Ford with an aluminum Honda radiator. The new designs and materials are pretty amazing.

 

I like the full hood one. no one will know how cool your motor is except a chosen few.

 

I like all three of your ideas, but the full hood one is my favorite. You mentioned taller tires in back -- 7.50x16s for sure!


Malcolm

 

I'd go for the shortest wheelbase possible, mount the engine as high as possible, and then run a 1/2 hood.

My coupe sat on a 114" wheelbase. Too long and the engine is too low.

Following is a 2" shorter wheelbase, and then the tire diameter is sorted, and then a half hood was added.

It only takes a couple of inches to distort the proportions.

 

I always felt the Hudson would make a neat motor for a hot rod; but have never
thought of a way to make it work. Most all the race cars with inlines put the motor too deep in the passenger compartment, good for looks; but not for the street. The current crop of street driven hot (and of course the other type) rods with inlines all seem to have a "Pinocchio" look to them.
In your renderings I like the full hood also; but every inch you could shorten it would improve the appearance considerably. IMHO.

 

Strictly on a proportion basis, the car is always going to look a bit odd with such a long engine in a small wheelbase open car. It will be different. That is good. But in a roadster, not for me.

 

Okay, paint the engine a flake baby blue and then chrome everything that isn't painted. Paint the intakes the same blue and get cookie taillight pinstriping on them. I think that would be killer, but that is for my tastes. Oh, and no hood.

 

Wow - thanks, guys! We're all over the map here, but I REALLY appreciate everyone's opinion and well thought out answers.
This is an illustration of what's been going on in my head for months now.
Please keep the opinions and thoughts coming... I really like all of the suggestions.
Thanks for the pics Stovebolt!

 

No hood

 

Personally, I like the longer hood. Gives it more of a "big car" feel (Stutz, Duesenberg,etc.). I think that plays right along with the much more powerful engine.

 

Hey guys, be sure to check out the 4th photo option in case you are checking back to see popular opinion...

 

Two of the things I look for on any Hot Rod are FULL Hoods and rear wheel to wheel well fit. I like to see rear tire tops just touch the wheel well bead, all your mockup shoto are too tall IMO. Chop that windsheild too. Careful planning is the way to go, good luck with the project. Bob

 

Hey Bob,
When I got to looking at these this morning with fresh eyes, they all seemed too tall to me as well... that's when I added the 4th mockup pic. I like all kinds of variations, but personal preference for me is when the rear wheel just fills the wheel well nice and centered.

and with a full hood...

By earthshaker5769 at 2011-11-20

 

I always thought old Fords looked good because of the short hood. Some non-Ford cars have a real long hoods and they just do not look as good as an old Ford.

 

The longer hood,especially with full sides looks classy (classic?) and keeps it from looking "cookie cutter" which many Model As and '32s do. Please avoid the pronounced rake like in your last photo. Too many of the so called "traditional" cars are are a collection of cliches, many of which are contrived.

 

For reference, mine is a 108" wheelbase...
(need to add about 4" to the hood)

 

You are asking for opinions, so you are gonna get one. Lower, less rake, full hood, add a belly pan. Tires that are closer to the same hieght. I would go lakes, and go hard. Two long outside pipes 3 into 2, running down one side of the car, something like on the Hartman chevy 6 T, but lower. Look at cars like Harvey Haller's model A, Schiefers T, Kougaz' '32. Long, low and slick. A snap-on half tonneau would help too. Chopped deuce grill shell, or maybe a chopped truck grill shell, maybe even a race car type nose like Niekamps car. The car above is headed in the right direction for what you are after, but I would go all the way. This thing could really be KILLER.

 

Where do you get those great photos, George?
Malcolm, that looks good... any chance you have a photo directly side on?
I will try to mock something up with less rake and lower.

 

Gigantor, you know I have been nuts for this thing since day 1, now you REALLY have me wound up! Maybe I need to start hunting for a big Hudson.