Projects An Exercise in Practicality - 1939 Ford Early Custom

Three looks pretty clean and the trim flows better than the forth

 

it's called a Kustom for a reason.... The forth picture does is for me (maybe the hood molding just little longer) I been looking at my Dan Post books also... I like were your going Evan. Lincoln buttons I don't think fit this build for way your going for...37 Desoto are great (hard to find)

 

I had a '39 tudor back in '58.
Now I have a '37 tudor with blackwalls and hubcaps.
I like your house, it suits your car.
What year is the house?

 

Took the car out this morning to run errands (hah! It is a practical car!) and it runs fine, until she comes on the mains. Then she loads up and falls on her face.

Looks like we still have some jetting to do...


Gonna drop the main jets down to .043" and see where that gets me.

 

Oh, and @eaglebeak my house was built 1907/08. Yet another of my endless projects.

 

My vote is for pic 3 (For what it's worth). When did they start shaving door handles off of customs? I don't think that the Lincoln buttons would do much for the overall look.
Since you are considering 37 Desoto Bumpers $$$$$ . Why not consider the 40 Lincoln split bumpers$$$$$$$$$$$.LOL Looking great.
Torchie

 

Well, my absolute dream pair of bumpers would be a '41 Zephyr up front and a '40 Merc rear. But we're not even gonna talk about how empty my bank account would be if I went down that road.

I only mentioned the DeSoto's because a friend of mine has a set that need chrome but could probably be had with a trade deal. While they are iconic for the period I'm trying to represent, I'm not quite sold on them. They just don't say "aero" to me. If the car were a '36 or '37, I'd already have them in my garage.

As for the Lincoln door buttons, that's a no. Besides the aforementioned notion that they really don't door much for the looks, they are pretty complicated and don't really pass the "normal Joe customizer" test. While they were available in the period, they were pretty high end and you don't really see them too much early on.

 

When did they start shaving door handles off of customs? I don't think that the Lincoln buttons would do much for the overall look.

The reason I suggested the Lincoln buttons was that my cousin Chuck's '36 three window was pretty much where you are going as a late 40s mild custom. Lowered a bit in front, more in rear, removed spare tire, skirts, and those buttons. That was in 1949 when our Grandmother gave him the stock car when she replaced a new '49 Ford.

 

Wow! I love the late 30s sedans as customs! If I can offer 2 cents (Canuck coin is worth even less!), I think the side spear needs to be a tad longer than that in the 4th pic - but I like the traditional approach.



Dave

 

Interesting Terry.
I have posted something on Riks CCC forum in regards to when the practice of shaving handles came into play. Just curious I guess.
Thanks for the info.
Torchie

 

You win no matter what you do the car. Congrats.

 

Seems like the consensus is the third or fourth option, but personally I like the second. It just removes all the mandatory Ford badging while keeping all that 1939 art deco personality. Third is smoothest, yes, but also the most boring. At least the fourth makes it interesting. You're the lucky guy that gets to make the call. That is a great car.

 

Thanks guys, I'm really torn between the number 3 and 4 trim versions. I might just have to find a spare set of upper spears to shorten (yes, I'll leave it a bit longer than my rendering @rodncustomdreams) and then swap between the two on the actual car. Its crazy how much the car's percieved proportions change between a picture and real life. I'm not really looking at painting the car until the distant future, so I'll have plenty of time to waffle.

For now I'm just gonna get the motor dialed in and drive the car. For the summer, I'll fiddle with it as parts and time become available.

The car did complete one mission though. Spending the last couple weekends on this thing gave me the motivation to start hammering on my Model A again. Lakester and a period tow-car, I can't think of anything better...

 

Love what you're doing with this. I wonder if the short hood side trim looks a little odd because you still show the centre spear and front ornament in place - wouldn't that have been the first to go, and then the side piece would be the 'leading' trim (apart from the grille, but that's in a different plane)?

 

I think the addition of spotlights will also make a difference in how the spears flow.

 

way to go Evan, all good things come with time.... your heading down the right Kustom Road...

 

Love it man!

 

You can always run whitewalls on one side and the black walls on the other to please the masses........please, I'm joking - your own car - your own choice - your own fun

 

Well its been a while, so here's an update on where the Tudor is...

I sent out the flipper caps for chrome, and could hardly contain myself when I got them back.


And then the next weekend we made it to Cawley field for the annual 'not a fly-in' fly-in.

The dude was beside himself. Customs, classics, hot rods, and AIRPLANES


Since then we've been pretty busy 'round the house and at work. So aside from getting the car running tip-top...




...and fixing a few thing here and there there hasn't been much "customizing" getting done. Instead, I've just put the ol' girl to work as my commuter at least two or three days a week.


I've now put almost 600 miles on the car, just here to there, and getting more adverturous and far-reached as the days go by.

 

And here's the ol' thing around town:



And at home:

 

love your 39
saw you going down I 5 a couple of months back near Ft Lewis
looked great going down the road
nice work
Bruce

 

I gave the car a minor shave last night...


I guess now it's officially a 'custom', right?

I just popped off the whiskers and Ford and DeLuxe badges for now. I might pull the lower spears today and see where that takes us.

 

That'd be me on the daily commute. Thanks for the compliments.

 

Maybe it's just the picture but what are the plugs gapped at? They look pretty narrow in the pic. If so, I imagine that isn't helping the loading problem at all. Just a thought.

 

Great little Ford--I like it as it is in the minor shave above-on the money to these old eyes. Also love the pics of the little guy !

 

Little guys and old cars make me smile!

 

Former Tacoma( I escaped))). boy says , looks nice!!!

 

Love the car and what you are doing to it. Are you sure they will let anything that nice on the streets of Tacoma?

 

What's the Packard looking grille doing on there?
I love the original headlites. I need to get a set of whatever is needed to swap mine back. It has the JC Whitney style with sealed beams. Ugly!