You say that the grill was off a couple decades. I'm browsing through a ton of 50s little pages and Hotrod, Rod and custom and a lot of these old cars had tube grills like the one on this car? The books Im reading mostly are customs with a lot of articles by Barris etc. I think back in the day, all things were done just not all the same. Not to say that the grill you did doesn't look bad ass. Just saying that the tube grills seemed pretty popular on some cars.
This Thread is Blowing me away! It has brought interest, heart felt smiles, and enormous anticipation for the next video interview .. amazing, exciting and so on. Subscribed.
Pancaked the hood and kept the scoop...and some other stuff. Are those '40 Plymouth fenders up on the shelf?
I hate to say it but IMO the more changes that are suggested the less this build remains the saving of an old custom and the more it becomes a vision of what the current builder thinks it should have been. Maybe that's the goal?
I would leave the scoop as is... when the colors are applied.. I think it will tie every thing together just fine.. Thanks for sharing this ... Cool thread..
1st. Best thread I've read in ALONG time! 2nd. listening to Leland is great! It's like listening to my Grandpa {A Leland also} When you let Mr. Leland hear about the new post~ Tell him Thanks for taking time & let you record him. his story will be around for ever now. Thank you~Chuck
This is an awesome thread. I love the way its going and thats its getting finished. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Okay, Okay........The scoop stays. Nick and I straightened it out tonight, and stood back to check it out. I have removed the scallops, and we feel it looks okay. Not exactly what I would do, but it's exactly what Gene did. Actually, with the extension of the front end ala grille, eyebrow, and bumper, the scoop is better. Tube grilles.....I did the same thing, looking through old pictures and mag's at kustoms that used tube grilles. Some were nice, some were, well, different. What had been done to Leland's Chev was just not pretty. Enough said. I recieved a couple of the bezels for the Buick lenses and I gotta tellya, these blinkers are exactly what this kruizer wanted. I'll try to post pics tomorrow. The bezels add just the right bling, and almost out of sight. Really nice. Hey Tanoki from Never Never Land......Welcome, and please voice your opinions and make suggestions. That's what it's all about. You can't hurt my feelings, 'cause I can always blame Nick. Hey Grounded Greeley Gander, Thanks for the kind words. Rest assured that Leland sees every post and every picture. And every time we go through the posts, it brings out more stories. Hopefully I can catch most of them on video, and share. It's like I mentioned way back, everyone should have the opportunity to sit and CTF with Leland. We laugh and cry every time we get together. He is more than a hoot, he's a gas. Hey Nitrobro, good eye. That's a spare set of spats off Nick's sedan delivery, which can be seen in a couple of the pictures. More to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gene is coming back to Detroit for Autorama. He will be chopping a top again in the Basement on the weekend of 08March. I can hold you a spot for the show, if you're interested. They are planning out the spaces & we are right next to Gene. Hint. Hint. Hint... PM me if you are. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Looks like I missed a couple of days! Taillights look GREAT! Still can't stop grinning everytime I see this project. I have a big bowl of popcorn! More updates! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Hey Cabong ... Tell LeLand, a Gal from the HAMB sends him a long-distance hug. What a Great Build of Time! I'd love to see this car in person and meet Leland and yourself. Keep taking a TON of pictures !
Good call on the hood scoop. The changes that were made to the lower front fenders and the new grill were a good thing. Leaving the rest alone is an even better thing. Plus the tailights make more sense now. I also agree that a color change is going to make all the difference in the world as well. Looking great. Torchie.
I talked with Leland for a while this afternoon, and will post another conversation video tomorrow. He is glad that the scoop will stay, as that is one of the first things that Gene did on the critter. We will talk some about the mill, which was really kool, and I'm trying to track it down as we speak. That gold 216 got my blood churn'n. Leland's dipper, like the rest of his life's experiences, has a story that everyone needs to hear. I don't want give away the ending, but it involves Howard Johansen's wife.
Car is looking great man! FWIW, I would ditch the tail lights you have now entirely and go for something totally different. As cliche as it is, a 56 Packard light, especially with the housing, would look great in that quarter and compliment the shape of the bumper. Be creative, a custom is a blank canvas! I'd also ditch that hood scoop as well and go with a simple peaked hood. The car has a lot going on. I think the scoop in the hood is a bit over the top and detracts from the overall product. A modification for the sake of modification.
Cabong, Check your Pm's. If you dont have any leads on the original engine there is a small chance I could help.
This is the best thread I've seen. It appeals to so many on so many levels. Absolutely proud of you and Nick and happy for Leland. Jack
Good call on the scoop. Just because a vintage design aesthetic does not necessaril hold up years later is not good enough reason to change it. Let the past be what it was.
"Leland is glad that the scoop will stay, as that is one of the first things that Gene did on the critter." Like it, or not, keeping the scoop is the right thing to do for this project.
I agree! We can all give our opinions..... but this project is as much about fulfilling a man's dreams (Leland), as it is finishing an old unfinished Kustom. Leland is the boss. We are all long for the ride! More updates please........ Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I agree with the decision making process, it lends more authenticity to the car. I also think the decisions made so far are good ones. Leland, was this car your first modified car or have you had another custom or hot rod before this one? What is your earliest recollection of appreciating something about cars? What kind of car was it about? Thanks for sharing with us, and hope you continue to have many happy moments with your family and car. Thanks Cabong and your friend Nick, for the time and effort to bring this to our homes.
You know, I'm retired, but there never seems to be enough time to get everything done. I have the last video ready, but I can't put it on with my computer. So it has to wait 'till Monday. In the meantime, Nick and I have accomplished a mess of stuff. It's never ceases to amaze my how much time the little details take. For instance, we spent the better part of the day on the hood latch (remember, the missing one). We had to fab the entire support system, which also serves as the center rear support for the Pontiac grille bar. I will post pictures of this system tomorrow, between games. The leading edge of the hood fits perfectly!! I talked at length with Leland yesterday, and I gotta tellya, this guy is soooo interesting to talk to. The only problem is that he sometimes gets off track. (I've been accused of the same thing, many times) He had told me about the Howard camshaft, and how he came to get it (it's in the video), but it took a couple hours to get to. Mind you, I don't mind. He was talking about the friend of a friend that lived in LA, which you will hear about, but the "first" friend lived in the SF Bay Area. He had a "crackerbox" boat (how many of you know what that is?), with a DeSoto Hemi mill, and it seems like he put Hilborn injection on it. Anyway, they used to go to Clear Lake, in Nor Cal, to relax and have a good time. Again, the story went sideways, but I'll keep it on track. Leland and crew were not the late night partiers, so his buddy would set his alarm for 4:30AM, go bail the water outa that little wood boat, and fire it off. It had eight stacks that protruded through hull. Man what sweet music it must have made. He would blast around the lake, real close to the shoreline at full pop, rattling windows and blowing down tents for miles. Needless to say, the hungover hellraisers would yell, HEY, WE'RE TRYING TO SLEEP HERE, to which he would yell back, YEAH, JUST LIKE I WAS TRYING TO LAST NIGHT, and pound on the loud pedal. So was life in the city for Leland and his Bride. I might add that they love the personal comments, both he and Margene. You can't imagine how much it means to them. I'm just glad that he is so willing to share his many stories with me, and as many as possible with you all. It's like we're back in the days, leaning on a greasy fender, trying to figure out why that generator ain't generat'n.
Looking forward to seeing the video. It's almost like being there when I watch you guys talking about the car and life back then.
Finally, I sweet talked Ken into posting this video for me. Tomorrow, new computer. I don't think I can pick up all the pieces from outside my office window, and put them all back together. This was a fun exchange with Leland, and he seems to have more fun each time we sit down with the camera. Notice the monitor in the background. Leland and Margene really do see every comment, and I make sure that they can see who post what, and from where. I will post the pics of the brackets we made for the hood latch, and show just how well the hood fits. It would actually be a shame to do rounded hood corners, since it all works so well as is, and remember, rounded hood corners are for Mercs. After lots of discussions with Leland, Gene, and Nick, I think we have opted to go for a dark purple, probably with fine metallic.
Maybe this will help stir up some fond recollections. This Howard's 216 cam was still in the trunk of the Barris-built Tom Carrol '49 Chevy after 50+ years, when Sondre Kvipt brought it to Norway.
These pics show the process involved in making sure the hood stays down. Note the attention to detail on the parts. I carry around a hatchet and monkey wrench, while Nick packs a mic, a circle template, and great eye for detail. Note the hood release handle. The mini-piston on the end was a leftover from Nick and Ken's RPU (roadster pickup) door handles. The grille bracket had not yet been installed when these pics were taken. The Buick blinkers are in the pics also. They look great in the fender openings, and actually kinda match the "mini-dags" in the grille. I am constantly amazed at how everything just seems to fit. I included the "tape measure" picture to show the color on the firewall. We're leaning that direction, but darker. Comments please......I think this color would look great, with the white top, and the chrome. Pay particular attention to the wire holding up the hood. Kinda like a rodeo cowboy pushing around a bull on the end of a rope.
The Jalopy Journal
