Projects Looking for some advice on my new hot rod

Looks like a good build, just needs some cosmetic work.
The rear wheel well being black is distracting, do you have the green paint code to match it up.

 

I'd go with 16 inch steelies throw some ford deluxe hubcaps on there. If you feel the need for a wide rear tire you can get the Radir brand "cheater slicks" however wide in a 16 inch wheel. Put a '32 ford truck dash in it. Definitely ditch the diamond plate or at least cover it with some carpet. Lower the headlights. And if possible, the more carburetors the better!

 

Damn.... Everytime time I see a Pic of this beauty I wish I had known it was put up for sale.
It would be taking up valueable space in my Shop!

 

He didnt build the car .He bought it about 8 years ago the way you see it from a retired gentlemen that built it .

 

I like your thinking

 

awesome thank you

 

FIW, I'd go to the excellent Photoshop thread here, and let the "Gurus" give you some ideas to look at...: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...-to-end-all-photoshop-threads.300531/page-598

 

The car has good bones, it just needs some stuff removed to update it. Tires and wheels for sure, those are off road ones on the car now. Next would be those door panels. I could live with the rest of it, and that Caddy will run down the road just fine. I had a 70 Caddy with the 472 and it would light the tires up with my utility trailer in tow.

Aside from a few things that jump out at you, it really is not all that bad.....I like it. Oh yeah, the steering wheel and diamond plate would be next to go on my list.

Don

 

Changing up some stuff on a customers car. Yes, it's a glass car, but just giving you a comparison on how much you can change the looks of a car with the right wheels and tires. Went to 8.90/16 on the rear and 5.00/16 on the front.

 

It's a solid car with a ton of potential. Keep us posted on your progress!

My 2 cents;

• Bob that rear frame to place the spreader bar under the tailpan. Without a gas tank, it's hanging out in the breeze like a ladder.
• Clean up the decklid. There's way too many shapes, things tacked on (Pep Boys) and not "working together". Deep six the lights, shed handle(?!), and hood hold downs(?). Lower the license plate, add a vintage frame and light. Pop in a pair of teardrops, 48 Chevy, etc. taillights.
• Interior is a clash of color and styles. I'd replace everything. Sell the Ferrari buckets for a bench. Lose the Italian restaurant door panels, diamond plate and dash. I'd go black roll and pleat(Graffiti Coupe), Bell steering wheel with chrome exhaust pipe column. 32 style dash with traditional Stewart Warner's.
• Back dating the Cad would really help. Needs valve covers and some chrome parts for contrast.
• With the Cad V-8, I think steelies with 56 F 100 caps/rings might be more suitable (mid-late 50's build) than wires or 40 steelies.
• Rear window needs replaced. I'm not fond of the two tone green/black. I'd be tempted to carve out a new mailslot window, then shoot the entire car black, even if it were temporary satin for awhile.
• Chrome front shocks, spreader bar, etc. would add some zing. Chrome axle, hairpins could wait til later.

 

Sorry, but that tyre wheel combination IMHO does nothing and detracts from the look of the car. Change them and step back, hopefully you'll be a lot happier.

 

Nothing more to add, the changes I would have suggested have already been made. Interested to see how she looks after making some of these modifications.

 

I could live with that car after a tire change. Others above have told you the size. Get rid of the diamond plate kick panels. Paint the trans tunnel and steering wheel satin black. While some would change the interior to the traditional pleated interior, I kind of like the door panel material. There was a time things like that were in (as well as animal prints). The handle and latches on the trunk are old school as well, but it would look cleaner with them removed. That will require some body and paint work, I would leave them there until I was ready to paint the car, which might be never. It looks like a fun car, have fun with it.

 

In light of all the great suggestions already made, I just gotta say that the two-tone paint scheme (& color choice) aren't doing anything for that car. All black, all green, or altogether something different (my choice), would make a world of difference.
Great car with unlimited potential, make it your's.

 

600's front and 700's rear. Just something to think about.

 

Wow that really makes a big difference

 

I like the door panels also its funky but i like them .Im already working on covering all the diamond plate

 

An alternate source for 16x4-ish wheels with 5x4.5 bolt pattern is 40's to early 50's International pickups.

 

Thank you

 

I like this wheel and tire combo .

 

Thank you for all the great advice .

 

Well I think it's all be covered already. Pretty good starting spot just needs some different tires and some ugly stuff moved around. Plenty of potential.

I'll add that they make reproductions of the 40 ford wheel in your correct bolt pattern and that a ton of guys run the excelsior radials.

So what would I do?

Glad you asked!

Step one, check all the fluids.

Step two, film a big smokey donut in the nearest appropriate space

Step three, post what size those radials on it are so we can get a feel for there actual size.

Step four, post a direct side profile shot so we can mess with it some

Step five, buy some gently used radials that are the correct height and width. They won't have the correct shape but it will be a lot closer than those floatation devices your running now. For a hundred bucks you can change the stance and see what you think for a couple months. I bet with a shorter thinner tire up front it even steers way better.

Tires comparable to a 5:00 or 5:50/16 up front and a 750/16 in the back are what your going to want to start with. It's the set up 99% of the cars that sit correct are running.

Step six, piece together a set of 40 style 16 inch wheels. Weather they are international or re pops or whatever. Then get some Firestone bias Plies and tubes.

When you've got that all together swap em over.

In the mean time I would pick away at the ugly while driving it, you can't see 90% of it at 55mph But you will notice the rake.

If I saw that car even with those tires in the parking lot at the store I'd think it was pretty dang cool. I think when your at a show, especially one that's more of a niche gathering, your more prone to pick apart stuff that if you'd seen it at the Friday cruise in you'd think was the coolest one there.


Oh! Edit: post a photo of it with the tires and wheels off it sitting on jack stands roughly where it sits with them on. This can really give a better look at the car with out the distraction of those tires

 

I appreciate the advice Tim .I already started covering the diamond plate. Im going to get a good side profile picture . Thank you for your opinion

 

I agree. The first picture looks like a great old time hotrod, the second picture looks like a streetrod

 

Do the they make a dual quad set up for the 472 ? anyone know .I was looking on the internet and didn't see any

 

I could be wrong, but when my friend was building one for his '55 Buick Roadmaster, there was only one aftermarket intake produced for the 472/500, and it was a single four. It did raise the height of the carb so that the runners tapered down towards the head, which the stock intake doesn't do (they were made flat for hood clearance) and it probably shaves 50 lbs off of the weight, but that's about all.

 

None specifically for the Caddy, but you still have options.... Price Motorsports makes an adaptor to use 429 Ford intakes on the 472-500 Caddy; http://www.pricemotorsport.com/html/body_ap-23__intake_adapter_kit.html
... And Blue Thunder makes a dual-four intake for the 429. Not strictly a bolt-on (some mods to the intake are needed) and not cheap (you'll have $1K plus into just the adaptor kit and intake) but there's a lot more 429 Ford intakes out there than Caddys...