It looks like I'm going to be the proud owner of a new project, a 1950 Ford coupe that has been sectioned 4". It's missing the drivetrain, but all else seems to be complete, and the sectioning job is almost complete. What challeneges am I going to face putting this puppy on the road? Any engine to hood clearence problems? I've had cars that were chopped, but this is my first one that has had some in the middle taken out. Any thing I need to be on the look out for? Here's a pic to show it's present condition.
I dont see as there would be any real down side as long as the sectioning has been sone decently. I would want to make sure the doors and door jambs were nice and I would also be checking the firewall to make sure its put back together correctly. I love the look of a shoebox sectioned myself, that car looks great to me. Good luck brother, Jim SS 115, and lodge 185.
No drawbacks at all! Congratulations on a fantastic start, it looks like all of the heavy lifting is complete. This is going to make an awesome custom!
Not knowing anything about this car in particular, these are just my thoughts ... What radiator will you use, and how will it mount? Is the radiator/air dam sectioned, or just cut out? What steering column will you use, and will it need to mount at a different angle that might cause problems? The car looks really cool, I hope the finishing work goes well.
looks like a nice project. never had a sectioned car before, what front end does it have? stock or swap? just trying to picture it better, just make sure everything clears and you'll be good. just my thoughts
Sectioning a car is similar to chopping one....plan three steps ahead of whatcher gonna do right now.... In other words if the guy thought about what he did before he did it, it will show. Look around it, are things planned out or was it a "whoops....forgot about that..." Additionally, the details are what gets ya on a huge job like a section. I'm finishing up a section on a truck and lemme tell ya, I got gobs of time getting things up to my standards (gap fitment etc).... Just look it over,, like the other bloke said, it looks like the heavy stuff is done, just make sure you dont have to redo all of it.
4" section on that car you will need to stick with the flatty if you want to avoid clearance problems. If you go with a valve in head engine you are most likley going to have to drop the engine in the cradle to get the hood closed.
I was kind of thinking a solid mount and then a shaker hod scoop. I don't know if it willl work, but that is the plan.
O.K. you nearly had me following this until that comment ^^^^, please re-think this. Could be a cool custom, but it's gotta be right. Scotty.
Wow, did you find this near Hobbs? Only one guy I know down in that area that would do something like that, if some guy named Leon did the section it's probably a good job. NO SHAKER HOOD SCOOP! Personal pet peeve of mine mixing hot rod (or muscle car) with customs on the same car. Kinda like fenderskirts on a tubbed car, doesn't work, ever. With a little effort you should be able to fit about anything you want under the hood, even with 4" missing there should be more carb to hood clearance then the factory provided in the 60's.
He guy I'm buying it from is Jeff Allison, the artist. The section joHe was the one who planted the muscle car route in my head, the section is by Titus from here on the HAMB about it, and the more I thought the more I liked it. the section gives it an almost 60's look to it, so why not reach out a little bit and see how it turns out. I never would have thought bacon and sundaes would go well tobether, and look how that is turning out.
First, I love the look of a sectioned shoebox. Yours looks like it has the right proportions. A top chop is in order now. I dont have the expertise to venture how much, but there must be a formula somewhere. As far as the choice of powerplant, think 55-57 Thunderbird, which looks like a sectioned shoebox to begin with. There is plenty of room in the engine compartment. You have the foundation of a beautiful car. Good luck.
Talk to THR1LL3R. He's sectioning and chopping a shoebox right now. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=27120
They are great, but no one has really mentioned the drawbacks yet! Possible turning radius problems...some section jobs had front wheel wells radiused. Possible suspension travel issues...tires actually hitting the top of the fenders, if the car is real low. Limited space for the engine is another. Just some I thought of......
Check out the Valley Customs pages on Rik Hovings site . http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/valley_customs-1/ Take a look at the Dunn Shoebox pages . You can tell how much of the original mechanicals were used. The car was wrecked shortly after completion and a 2nd version of the front end was done . I believe Steves Auto Restoration in Washington still has the car . http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...ms-1/ron_dunn_1950_secti/ron_dunn_49_section/ Valley customs also sectioned the Polynesian and several others. They are noted as such in the folder description.
If it has the stock frontend look closely at the steering coloum for alignment. We channeled a Merc 5". Didnt even dawn on us the dash was also 5" lower!! Steering coloum mods and a couple u joints later it was ok. But it took quite abit of fiddling to get it comfortable. You will have the same problem so look it over good. FEDER
oh ya - seats. need some short ones that put you closer to floor, then there is leg room question. know you will figure out. will not be a 1 hour project as seen on TV.
"I was kind of thinking a solid mount and then a shaker hod scoop. I don't know if it willl work, but that is the plan. " Putting a hood scoop on that sectioned Ford would be a mortal sin. It's totally against tradition and will ruin the "look" of the car.
19Fordy, it's not like the hoods are that hard to find. I'm just taking Jeff's idea to the extreme, he thought it would look good as a 50's musclecar, as would I. The thought of a shaker hod rumbling between the fenders would definitely cause some poeple to do double takes. How many chopped or sectioned shoeboxes out there? Now how many have been done up in a 60's vibe, with some 14" Torque Thrusts and 70 series tires and some cut down Mustand seats? I'm sick of people always following the same formula and then applauding each other how original it looks. If you don't like it when it's done, don't ask for a ride in it. LOL If someone has some done up in 60's ware, please post them
Heres the original build threads of when i started on the car. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252303&highlight=shoebox http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=342443&highlight=shoebox I sectioned 5" out of the car not 4" To help out with some answers: it had a 302 ford it in at one time, if you had a low pro air cleaner on it it would have cleared just fine the front seat tracks have been lowered some, i was also going to take a couple inches out of the height of the seat backs. and the same with the back seat. there will be no suspension travel issues as when the car was sectioned the wheel wells were moved uppards to the top of the quarters so the relationship from the suspension to the top of the wheel wells is the same as stock. also the front wheel wheels have already been moved up when the section job was done. Of course i like the style i was building it when i owned it, but to each is their own, i can see the Direction Allison wanted to go and if that what Nik wants to follow thru with who cars, its his car! JEFF
OK, I see your point. If you need a custom made very low profile air cleaner I have one that is only 1 3/4 in. tall by 7 1/2 in wide x 11 1/2 long. It has a K&N filter. Drop me a PM if you are interested.
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