Thanks Dr. Dave, always appreciate your thoughts and in this case I think you've hit the nail on the head so to speak! Had some eye surgery so not able to do anything right now except study what I need to do and You've given me another way to look at it. However I get it done I think the lower hood line will help the overall look. Assume you are staying busy, sure missed not being able to go to the Bayou Roundup!
Stinks you won't be able to get to the Bayou. Someday I'm gonna get to that show. Been pretty busy around these parts, mostly cleaning out and organizing my shop before I start anymore big projects. LOL Yeah, I think doing something to be able to go further back with the taper back of the hood (if that makes any sense) will help tremendously....wether you cut back further into the top of the hood or section it....or maybe a bit of both. Just looks like its too prominent right there at the top where it starts to roll down.....stands too straight up and down, you know?
Thanks for your thoughts and understand exactly! I think I'm going to take a little different approach and go ahead and make the front of the hood first sloping it back toward the windshield and once I have that formed the way I want it I'll reshape the rest of the hood. Won't be able to do anything for a couple of weeks so I've got lots of time to think about it! Be great if all of us could make the Bayou roundup next year, maybe my boys will be ready by then!
Finally got a little more done but obviously a long way to go! Decided to section hood 2 inches which resulted in a 4 inch drop (hope that makes sense). Began filling in new pieces And finishing Ready for Dewey!!! Before and after Still have some fitting issues to take care of and after that will make the apron and mount the grill, hoping a lot faster than I have been so far! Also a good friend of mine is working on the 53 Buick stainless headlights and says he is almost finished. I don't even want to guess the hours he has put into straightening these out, I know I would never have the patience to do it! great to have good friends. Thanks for looking.
That's gonna leave a lotta people scratching their head wondering what you have done there. I think you pulled it off quite well!
Thanks Dr. Dave, always appreciate your comments! One thing I thought I would do is round the corners on the hood but after putting the hood back on I don't think it would look right. Appreciate any thoughts on this and I may just wait until I get the headlight rims back and put it all together and see what it looks like. Are you headed to the LSRU? Bad time of year for me but I have registered for Dewey so hope to catch up with you there.
What are your plans for the top corners of the grille shell? Looks like you set it back a little bit so there is no longer a lip at the fenders, is that correct? I lean towards rounding the hood corners. Or, of course it would be a lot more work, but you could cut the top of the grille shell and mold it to the bottom of the hood. Hmmm... Yes, we are headed to Austin and plan on being in Dewey as well. One of you pics above said ready for Dewey....does that imply you will be bringing the Merc?
Was just kidding about taking the Merc to Dewey this year, at the rate I'm going I might make it by 2025 but I will be there assuming weather holds up. Looking forward to catching up. The lip is gone, good eye! If I do round the hood I'd round the fender edge to match but think I'll wait until I get the apron and grill installed and hopefully have the headlight rims by then.
Not getting as much done as I'd like but between grandkids and other interests I don't seem to have as much time as I think I will! Cut out the apron pattern, bead rolled and lipped it: Decided the grill opening was too tall so slit the bar and widened, filled gaps where needed: Primed it and reassembled- the rims my friend reworked for me turned out great but I'll never know how much time he spent on them, really appreciate his help! Next I'll permanently mount the grill, cut and fit the bumper, then plan to start the top chop. So far so good, thanks for looking!
You are making more progress than me....been redoing our kitchen so I’ve accomplished nothing in the shop for months. Haha Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I really don't envy you your project! Any plans for the Bayou Roundup? A couple of us are going from here, never been to it but looking forward to it.
We had talked about going, but it's not going to work out this year. Looks like it would be a fun time!
Still slow progress but at least getting something done! This is the gap created by pancaking hood. Wanted to keep center section so started with that Narrowed and tucked bumper but eliminate guards Trimmed to mold around fenders. Trimmed and molded rear bumper the same. Tried at least 10 different taillights from a 49 buick to cadillacs to LED lights and didn't like any. Happen to see a Merc. posted here with taillights I really liked and posted asking what these wonderful lights were from to which Dr. Dave posted the obvious, a '51 Merc.! Trimmed the housing and installed, I wanted a flush fit and hope to find some plain red lenses- I thought I had seen some a couple of years ago on a Merc. but if I cant find any I'll try to make some. I like the look and appreciate whoever posted the original. Slowly getting done! Next is pancaking the roof and chopping the top. I plan to take a total of 4 inches out of the top, probably 1 inch pancaking the roof and 3 inches chopping it. I won't do anymore that that as I want to be able to comfortably fit in the car. As always thanks for looking and appreciate any comments/suggestions.
Thanks Dr. Dave, you've been a big help and I appreciate it. Hope you have a great time (and why wouldn't you?) at Stray Kat- really bummed the weather turned so bad here but we aren't as bad off as many others.
Looks like rain today on the way in. This weather has been crazy this week. We had “pop up” tornadoes yesterday...whatever the heck those are....didn’t even have a chance for them, total surprise. Got 5 inches of rain the last two days. Hopefully get to Dewey and after tonight the rain will be over for a couple days. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looking good!! Glad to see you still making progress! Will you lean the a pillars back or will you stretch the front of the top to bring the top of the a pillars forward?
Always good to hear from you! I'm going to do both so I don't distort the angle. I know I need to be careful to keep the side slant uniform so I don't bind the window, hope that makes sense. Really hoping to get a little more time to work on this as I'd like to have it done in time for the Gulf Coast Cruise next year. How are your projects coming along? Really like the A! Hope to catch up with you soon.
Makes sense to me. Not much going on here in the shop lately. Hoping to get to work on the A next week and fiddle with the rear spring a bit though. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I've been looking at the A posts and may change the way I'm going to finish the chop. As I said earlier I'm going to pancake the roof which will involve cutting off the roof top panel so it would seem to make sense to cut the front half of the roof off about midpoint of the door and then move forward and weld back in place. This should minimize the stretching I would have to do to the posts- does that make any sense? We're going to try and make the Luckenrod show this fall, any chance we can talk some of you into coming down? It's Sept. 14th, should be fun.
doing a great job! Thankfully there are guys like you that have the ability to rebuild cars many would pass on.
Thanks, while it gets frustrating sometimes I really enjoy working on old rods and customs- I hope I can until they haul me off! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The Jalopy Journal
