Projects Chopped it.......she's still too tall.

looks pretty good from where I'm sittin !! can you get a reasonable side profile type shot for me Tinbender? I'm not sure about the lean your puttin on the front and where the peak will finish...

keep goin..sure is fun cuttin shit up instead of just fixin rust aye!!
PB

 

If you look back to post#129 there is a profile shot of the Stude hood with the front piece I made. That's exactly the amount of lean I'm after. As fun as it is bashing tin, I need to finish fitting and at least tack the Olds hood together. Then I can build the new leading edge, and as much as necessary of the front to get that look. I haven't decided if the peak should fade away in front, or continue down to the peak of the grille opening. Either way it will match the peaks over the Olds headlights. The Olds hood was my first plan. The Stude hood was more or less just to see how it would look. I think the Olds will flow much better. So it wasn't my A.D.D. that made me cut up both hoods!

 

I've been working on the Olds hood a little. I took 7" out of the center & built a new leading edge. I gas welded the front section, so I could play with the peak. I shaped the peak with hammer/dolly. Just one of the many reasons I love gas! I still have a ton of hammer/dolly/ file to do, but it's getting close enough to post a picture I've left the back edge an inch long. I think it will be the last part to deal with.

 

Gas welding rules on jobs like that for sure! Looking good Tinbender!!

 

I would really appreciate feedback on this part. I ask, even knowing I'm on the HAMB! I'm getting to the point of committing to this hood and lights. I'm getting really happy with this, but I don't want to miss anything that will look wrong. Sometimes I'm too close to see

 

It's looking really good.Can you take a pic from further back? Its hard to get a perspective of how the front end is relating to the cab.

 

I had a truck like yours years ago. I like the change your doing....

 

My opinion doesn't mean much, but the headlight looks like it's set too narrow. I tend to be drawn toward symmetry and balance, so it seems like the headlights ought to be more centered between the hood and the edge of the fender. Great work on the hood!

 

For what it is worth coming from a noob, I liked where you were going with the Stude hood, and was unsure you could achieve the right look with the big, fat, bulbous Olds hood. The last couple of pics, though, prove otherwise. The mods you have made to the Olds hood have definitely achieved the right look. Are you going to blend the headlight panels and fenders into a single, smooth curve, or leave a noticeable seam there?

Loving the build!

'52

 

No special qualifications needed. You just have to be able to see!
Right now the headlight/fender from the Olds is literally just sitting there. The plan is to join it with the Stude apron. This gives me some room to move the headlights. It will also leave the fender a bolt on, and keep the original "step" from the fender to the apron. That line starts at the lower cab, and goes all the way around the fender.
The hood is only welded to the top of the curve in front. Even though the headlights have a peak full length, I'm thinking of fading the hood peak, with little to no peak down the center of the hood. Any thoughts on this?

I'll try to get some pictures from further back. It's a bit crowded in the shop. I guess if I stop playing with my Stude and finish the damn T bird I'd have some room
Don't be shy guy's! I'm not sensitive. This is my first full on custom, & probably my last. Building a custom has been my #1 on the bucket list for years!
I really do appreciate the opinions, and other eyes on this. I'm happy with where it's going, but I don't want to miss something from being too close to the project, if that makes sense.

 

Hey Tin,

I'd keep the bead/swage line running down the center of the hood to add detail, and strength to the low crowned area of the hood. Without it, you may get some vibration in that area that could lead to stress cracks down the road. Ya could omit the bead/swage and go with louvers in the semi/low crowned areas, if yer goin for the hotrod/kustom look, but I wouldn't. I can't think of a kustom that louvers ever looked good on!

I'd go with the headlamps jus 'bout where you've landed them, but I'd have to work in some more Studebaker dna mixed in with the GM/Olds shapes. As it sits right now there's alot of post war Detroit sittin in front of that South Bend

" Do not reach greedily for the Kool-Aid "

 

I think your right on the swedge Pimp. I think small, fade to near the trailing edge. It will also help straighten and tighten the hood immensely!

I think since I'm asking for opinions, I should at least give you guys some decent pictures. So I raised the hoist and climbed the T bird.

 

Couple more. These show the Stude apron/fender "step" I was referring to. The transition from the Olds headlight to the Stude apron will be pretty easy. The peak on the Olds headlight is pretty big. I'll take some of that out, and taper it into the apron.
So is it just me or is this working??

 

Mannn.... that is so sick. I can't wait to see it in paint...

 

hey Tin,

Whatta you figgerin on for a front facebar? The oem Olds would be a bit massive and call away too much attension from all of the killer metalwork you've done. maybe something like a '40 Lincoln that's light and can be split and spread wider to cover tha extra wide Stude fenders?

 

I really like it Eric!

 

Thanks Jeff. The design, and decision part of this has been way harder than the metal work! I think I'm happy, and ready to make things permanent.

I'm still not sure on the face bar. Not too heavy. Maybe split and inset? I still like Dagmars! I think I'm going to settle in and get the metal work done on the hood and aprons. I have a butt load of welding and hammering to do!! Then think about bumpers. I might even wait to see what I do with the bed. I'll want the bumpers to match in style and design. I haven't hardly thought about the bed. This has been enough for my brain to process!

Now that people can get a better idea of the cab and front end, someone has some ideas? I don't mind cutting things up

 

i love the direction this is going. however, on m-series trucks i have always thought the upper rear portion of the doors and roof looked awkward and needed some softening/rounding. thats just my opinion, tho

 

Are you talking about the rear upper corner of the window frame? I think rounding that might look good. The sharp angle makes the top rake more noticeable. The top it's self I like. One of the reasons I kept the chop so mild. I didn't want to de-crown the top.
Thanks.

 

Make it so!! I really like the set up as it is ,looks wicked to me!

 

Hey Tinbender, At what point are you looking at gettin the truck on the chassis? I'm pretty big on building them on their wheels myself...just sayin

Heres a pic of Joe Barnett's pickup with Chevy rear fenders..they don't work too bad with the sharper nose of the 41 Ford. Your front end is kinda along these lines I think

 

yes sir. and also the actual upper corner of the door. ill see if i can do a rendering. it won't be great tho, as ill be using using ms paint

 

fleet, It's been on and off the "new"chassis once. I needed something I could use without a channel. Sits very nice, and I just happen to have two inch drop spindles, should I need to go down any more. (bought them for 20 bucks even though I had no use for them at the time.!) Next step is to level front to rear, resquare everything and do most of the welding. I've done a ton of heavy collision, so fit and alignment isn't too big of a deal for me. Hell, this one wasn't even smashed into anything first! Then I'll drop it back on with the motor in and un-channel the floor, and build a new firewall/floor/tunnel/big speaker boxes Then the cab will go on the rotisserie for the finish work. I love that thing. I wouldn't do this work without it!!!
Not sure about the front end. I'll probably work the pieces individually once I get everything welded. The cab section isn't even welded yet. It's sleeved, so it sits together with gravity and a couple vise grips. .

Damn, now you got me thinking about how much work I have ahead of me!

I'll deal with the box as it comes. I'm kinda looking for a little later stude box. The fenders are the same style as the M series,(front and rear fenders are interchangeable on the m series.) but they're molded into the sides. I think I could cut that up and make something interesting that flowed with the truck. But I'm still open to ideas.

Right now I'm a slave to my yard getting ready for a Mothers day BBQ, so no progress expected for a few days I'd better get to work!

 

I've been looking at that. The rake has been mentioned several times. I don't want to re chop, but it might not be to hard to bring window frame down, and the drip rail/skin down without getting into the structure. I'm ok with the roof, but I have to agree, the top and bottom of the side glass would look better parallel.
Thanks,

Anyone else have thought on that area?

 

i like the way you think. i agree on the newer bed idea. however the fenders are still seperate from the bed sides, and the bed sides are split down the length too. (ill attach a picture of one of my beds that i have made into a trailer to help you visualize it)
also, i will throw some custom bed pictures up, from mild to wild. just to encourage the madness of this thread,

 

cool, I didn't know they were a separate piece. All the better, I just need a pair of fenders! I'd really like to use my original rears for a modification of the front fenders.

 

Lookin Good!

 

heres my crappy "photoshop" of your truck with the 49-55 bed (the 56-64's are the same, but the box it's self is a tad wider inside to inside.)
as for the upper corners of the cab, i made the upper and lower edges of the window a tad more paralell, and doubled the radius of both the corner of the door and window. it's a TON of metal work im sure, but i think it helps a lot.

 

that one middle top row looks coool. Yeah if you can get the top of the window frame down that'd be better, and do I believe my ears?? (or my eyes rather ) did you just say you were going to UN-channel your cab??? Isn't this sposed to be a Kustom???

 

Yes I am! I had to channel it to get it on the ground with the orig chassis. With the new unmentionable chassis I can gain back all the room lost in the section. I'll even gain some needed room under the seat. The rockers cover the rails so I can get it plenty low enough. I plan to drive the shit out of it, so I don't want it dragging the bodywork

I'll be taking a good look at the side glass opening. Damnit I think you guys are right