Okay ......if you are looking at THIS car and you really think that it should be sitting any other way.........please....for the sake of history...exit the thread !! You are either not into this era or the minitrucker in you just wont let you go.Goodluck to you in all your builds.
My old junker is on it's way. I know it is not that radical, but it's also not near done. Gonna get chopped one of these days...
Nice to have you back Jeff, this thread needed more than one person trying to keep it at the top the speedboat stance is just so perfect. I hate seeing all these pre 55 cars with the "stinkbug" stance that seems ever so popular. THE LINES OF 40S CARS WERE MEANT O TAPER BACKWARDS.. when I see one leaning forward, it looks like its fighting with itself.. if that makes sense
Talking about stance, this is how I look at it. 1940-1946 Mild lowering job with back slightly lower 1947-1949 Lowered a bit more with back clearly much lower 1950-1954 Lowered a bit more with back still lower 1955-up Lowered Level and a lot in some cases I would say that the cars built pre-war and up to about 1946-47 were not much of a speed boat stance. They were just slightly lowered. Many production cars at this time were higher in the rear, so just lower the rear a little, made the car look lower. In about 1947 it got very popular with the tail a lot lower. When the 1950's started, they got a bit lower in the front than previous years. Still not all level. More like an inch or max two instead of several inches. A kustom car that is lower in front looks terrible, but the level stance comes more in to the mid 1950's and up. This is not the absolute truth and I am not an expert by any means. But I have studied this stuff for a pretty long time. We are mostly talking California style and that is all I am really in to. Same with hot rods. The Californians were usually very early in the fashion of cars and they had so many people running this style. Not just a handful. So Chris -41 is lowered in the early style that I speak of. Before the speed boat styling. It just needs a chopped padded top and maybe a set of Appletons to be there. After that you can kustomize it more and go over to shave the car and also mold fenders etc. But hey! Just my 2 cents...
J.B. I do agree for the most part.When I said my bit about exiting the thread,I was specifically talking about Jesse Lopez car.That is why I wrote "THIS CAR" in Capitols.Didn't mean to get a debate started.
I lowered the front 1.5" and the back 2.5". I like the stance, but it may go a tad lower all the way around eventually. I do want to chop it, but want to keep the top functional...Dunno what I'm going to do there as padded tops were non-folding, correct? As for the trim, I LOVE all the trim on 41 Super Deluxes. I know most guys strip it...I'm going to leave it except for shorting the hood sides and the hood has already had the center strip shaved. Also, it already has a pair of 112's on it Here's my inspiration, I LOVE this car
Jeff, I just wrote my take on the years for different styles of the "stance issue", ha ha.. There are always exceptions, so this is more of an overview. And where to discuss this if not among friends in a thread where the stance is as important as the accessories and other period body mods?
Oh, I didn't mean your car. I just meant that you only needed a chopped padded top and then you were already there. Like step one. Then people could choose to do more kustomizing (in those days) or just keep it like that. Damn, I need glasses... Talking about tops. Personally, I don't know of any foldable tops with really good looks, but would love to see some. BTW, I REALLY need someone that can make a nice period model Gaylord-style top. Any suggestions?
J.B. - As far as making a top for you, I'd recommend Paul Reichlin at Cedardale Upholstry. He did the top on the green Tom Black 40 Merc, and it is beautiful. (there's pics of it recently in your Merc thread).
Here is my truck I am working on. Sorry for the shitty pics but its tough to get good ones in my single car garage and the driveway is sloped so I can't push it outside ( well I could but it would end up across the street in someones front yard) for better pics. It's not perfectly traditional because much to Jeffs dismay it does have bags (sorry Jeff)but other than that I am trying to keep it close.
K13 your truck is looking Killer,thanks for posting.Are sure you want to bag it? It's all good man,just bustin balls.
I LOVE padded tops...but the reason I wanted a convertible was...well, because it was a convertible. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I am REALLY green when it comes to customs, I really don't know much about them but I am learning. I do know the look I dig though. Maybe by the time I get to the chop, I will have different plans Maybe I'll start a thread asking for pics of chopped folding tops...
Thanks, but that car needs a ton of work...like a new engine and a full interior It's a real beater as of now. I have a Merc flatty to dump in it and some NOS plaid seat covers for now, but Jamie REALLY wants to drive away in the 34 roadster. It'll probably be there though, the Bridesmaids can drive up in it along with a big blue smoke cloud!!!
I read the first post and I explained that my truck isn't to the letter of the law as a traditional build. If I hadn't said anything you would have had no idea that it had bags. To say my truck has a minitruck stance is laughable or you are showing your complete lack of knowledge on the subject of stance. Right now it is sitting with no suspension and it is still a good 4-5 inches off the ground it will come up another 4 at least to normal height. I have my reasons for putting bags in it and I don't need you telling me where I can and cannot post pictures. And when J.B. assigns you as the thread police for his thread I will take them down. Go back to lurking!!
Whoaa who died and made you the boss?? Take a pill buddy. The only problem I have with K13's truck is I havent seen enough of it!! I didnt think there were any hills in Alberta unless you were in the Rockies Chain it to the shop or something and roll it out to take some damn better pics !! Please
Maybe I'm missing something here, but how would you even know that truck has bags by looking at those two photos? If he hadn't told us, you wouldn't know, or am I wrong? I'm not defending the use of bags, or promoting their use, especially on this particular thread, but c'mon... Perhaps you can share a photo of your own ride that fits the criteria that J.B. has specified, before you go ragging on someone else's ride? This thread has some pretty cool stuff on it, thanks to J.B., Jeff, and many others, but the mini-truck reference and drama is simply unnecessary.
Thanks! It is not really the getting it out that is the problem I have some heavy concrete blocks I block the tires with and slowly roll it out but getting it back in is a mother fucker especially in the winter when it is icy.
Did someone mention the word stance? This car was Murdering on the streets of Los Angeles with this stance.
I love this thread and the 48-52 style. Just wanted to say thanks to those who keep it going. My own kustom doesn't quite cut it for this era but I immensely enjoy the earlier style cars.
If you arent going to paint your car for another year or so, Jeff.... you should get some white primer
Well that would be pretty sweet. What's on it now is actually paint but it's just a semigloss.No new paint for me for a little while.
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