Projects Big bottom girl or The big ugly It's finished

Not sure what to call this one yet.
Just about finished with my coupe so it's time to start thinking about the next project.
Picked this one up a couple months ago. It is a 1947 Chrysler New Yorker. Already has a Nova front sub with a 400 small block, a 350 trans and a 10 bolt rear. It is yard driving right now but can be on the road with taillights and a few other things.
My friends think I cannot make it in to a cool car, but I think otherwise. This is going to be my biggest challenge yet.
Plans are to shave some of the trim on the hood and most on the trunk. Will leave just the trunk latch and the tag and fill all the other holes then shave the trim on ther rear fenders.May run some 50 Pontaic taillights. May french the headlights.
I wasn't really sure about it until I tried some new wheels on it. These may not be the wheels that I use but it gives me some ideals about how it will come out in the end.
I am thinking maybe a pearl white over silver. I think that combo will take some of the length out of it.
Here are a few pics.
old wheels


new wheels

 

You needs some new friends... it's cool already. I like the ralleye wheels with the tall rubber better than the salt flats and rubber band tires though.

And louver that hood...

My 2 cents FWIW

 

I think she might have some potential!!!!

 

I've seen a few land yachts like that in the past,,a simple paint job and keep the chrome. HRP

 

longest front end ever

 

X2....looks better with some rubber rake. Cool car, has some "gangster" look....

 

Nothing wrong with that ride !!!!!!!!!!!! Drive and enjoy the hell out of it !!!!! (W/out the critical "friends")

4TTRUK

 

Ps; What do those "friends" drive?


4TTRUK

 

Fonzie made one cool...

 

I hear ya about the friends. Sometime I wonder how I became friends with them. Then I need some help and it all comes back to me. I am trying to teach them cool and they are coming around some. A few have even gotten into the hobby and are getting a good eye.
As far as the wheels I agree that they need more rubber on them but they are just what I had on hand. I am really looking forward to this build. What about a set of steel wheels? I really think that it needs some chrome or atleast some flash in the wheels to take your eye from the length.

 

It's pretty cool as is but unbalanced.

The distance between the front wheels & front bumper is much longer than the rear wheels to rear bumper. I think this was a straight 8 car originally which accounts for that fact. So visually you may need some heft out back.

Look up pics of stockers, get the bumper on and maybe rear bumper guards.

.

 

Jimminey Christmas !
Stick a Merlin under that hood and it will the coolest thing your friends ever saw !!!

I'm an asshole when it comes to wheels, I know that change wasn't cheap but they don't do anything for me. If you were selling it, I'd be looking to trade them off first thing.

 

Seems like there was one of those quite awhile back that was black and slightly chopped...looked very cool.

 

White and silver ?
Not what you were talking about but the more I look at this the more I like it.

 

I think the car can be neat. I think frenching the headlights and making a tip on the tops would add some depth to the rather flat front end. I also think chrome is good on it because it makes it look smaller. Slammed on chrome steel wheels with wide whites is always a safe choice.

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Make it a 2 door.. Eliminate the C pillar and move the B pillar back.. And maybe give a bit of a slant..


RustyPile

 

I am going to take the bumper guards off the front bumper. Thanks 31 for the pic. That is what I am talking about. But I will put the white on top and the silver will be a little darker. I know that the wheels really setup the whole look of the car and these wheels may not be used. I have these saved for my 38 Plymouth coupe. What kind of wheels would look right on this car?

 

How bout "Buff" for the name...??? B-52 pilots named their plane Buff, for Big Ugly Fat Fellow...certainly fits this car...

Removing the bumper guards will help, but the sides of the bumper need to be shortened as well, they stick too far into the wheelwells . Frenching the headlights will help and maybe adding some round park lights to the front end instead of those square things. I'd also remove the hood bird unless you plan on putting the door handles back on...

Good luck with it, it'll make a cool heavy cruiser...

R-

 

Name it Pinocchio. That's the longest nose on a car that I have seen in a long time.

 

Well, your friends may not think that ride is cool, but at least they'll all have room to take a ride in it.

You didn't happen to buy that from a used hot rod salesman over in Georgia, did you? There used to be a couple of casual hot rodders from over there who'd drive up to Knoxville every spring in something like that; had that worn paint patina look to it that a lotta guys try to copy nowadays.

Have fun with it, Kinky6

 

Roger is on the right track, that front ends needs to be lightened up. Those stainless trim pieces down the side of the front end need to go period as all they do is lengthen it.

The front bumper needs less mass. I would actually pitch that one and use one that's simpler. I used two '47 Chevy front bumpers, 3/4 of one end. 3/4 of another end, welded in the middle for a nice smooth, lighter feeling bumper.

See how doing this really lightened up the front of my '47 Oldsmobile?

 

Amen.

 

Narrow the grill. To me, that has always been one of the ugliest grills ever made, it is simply too wide. If it was as wide as the hood front it'd be about right.

 

I think cars that size need to be a very dark color. It makes the chrome and stainless pop more thus giving it more depth and style. As for wheels and stance, i would use 16" wheels with lyon caps and white walls and get it as low as you can.

 

I gotta disagree with the folks that are saying change the grille.

Do a Google search for "1947 Chrysler New Yorker 4 door" and look at "images". The more door '47 Chrysler's that look the most balanced have all the trim, painted steelies, black wall tires (NOT white walls) and simple chrome dish hubcaps. You don't want a bunch of chrome on the wheels, that's why those Chevy rallye wheels look better in the photos you posted.

Your car is missing side and rear factory trim that "balances" the long nose. Why not try to find some, or replicate it. The factory "bling" is what made this car stand out from the competition. Being a fan of keeping the cars original character and styling cues, but making it better, I simply think axing the factory trim is a bad idea.

 

Looks like somebody has brought the front bumper a little closer to the grille and that's why the ends need trimmed. I'd trim it off but that's about all I'd do to that beautiful front end. The wide egg-crate grille projects luxury and power...that's the look Chrysler was going for.
Wheels? Well, if you plan to leave it raked [I would] it has to have bigs and , er, mediums. It's a heavy car and a pair of 5.50s on the front would look ridiculous. I think I'd go with some 7 inch steelies on the front and 8-9 inch steelies on the back with enough offset to get the tires [black walls] out to the edges of the wheel wells. If you go with a light color on the body, paint 'em body color. If you go with a dark body color, paint 'em a light color. I'd have to have the body all one color. I wouldn't be against that red/brown primer that's on it now with a satin clear coat over it with tan steelies and center caps...Keep it washed and detailed with a little black tire dressing on it. Very simple is good with these big cars. I'd love to have one just like it or maybe a '46-48 Chrysler 3 window coupe.

 

I love it, but please paint it BLACK.
Make it dignified.

 

Depends on your overall build for the car as to what wheels will look best.
Torque thrusts look good on damn near anything.
Astros would complement the lines of the car.
That would really do well with a big and little combo. Taller meatier tires in the rear would add some visual weight and visual thinning up front.
Chrome reverse almost always look good.

Tail dragger with the classis recipe would look good too.
The rubber band tire just looks very wrong to me on anything vintage. That's just my opinion though.

 

You need taller rubber. The shortwalls on there are a bit disproportionate on the small side as compared to the scale of the car.

Have you tried photoshopping it different colors (or asking someone to do it)?

I think battleship gray is a contender, gloss, maybe with a hint of pigment.

 

I have been following this thread with interest in what people think should be done with the car. Pretty much all sides have been covered. It is a large car with one heck of a big front end.

I too think that the trim should be kept on the car including the grill and bumper. Going with a different grill doesn't make the front clip smaller, just that all you have to look at then is a long hood and fenders.

I always thought that light colors make the car look bigger, dark colors make it look smaller. Dark colors on top of light colors make it look lower. Maybe that is just my perception.

I would also drop the rear down a little. Looks too "pro street" this way.

I have a '48 Dodge that looks similar but I don't know if the fenders and hood are the same. Maybe doing some swapping there on sheet metal or grill could get you what you want.

I am thinking that the Chrysler with all the trim will grow on you. If you can't hide it, flaunt it.

Neal