Well now young buck...lets start with what you have to work with. From the photos it looks like the '23 style front fenders can be easily removed....but when you get to the rear, I think you're going to open up a can of worms cuz it looks like everything is molded together. If you can get all the parts removed, you're going to be left with a oddly proportioned hiboy with strange recesses on the lower rear corners. I'm guessin you will be very discouraged at that point and may want to walk away form the mess you just made. I know you want to rebuild this car so you can make it truly yours...and that's a wonderful thing, but think the project through BEFORE you start hacking and whacking. You mentioned you like traditional styled hot rods...hold that thought. What you're starting with is generally not a traditional hot rod body, but rather an assembly of assorted parts as described by Dean. That's not a bad thing, but you really have to be very careful on how you rebuild it because you can't just look in magazines to get ideas on how others have created theirs. There aren't any like yours, and you should capitalize on that, not rip everything off and paint it flat black!!! Yuck. Take it from the OFC (Old Farts Club) traditional hot rods were only put in primer as a step to a final color paint job. Guys who left their cars in primer usually did so because they weren't finished with the body work or were short on the cash. I have to think you came on the HAMB to get some direction from some of us old timers. Well, several have already posted here and we can only hope you listen and ask more questions. You will be amazed how many of us are willing to help guys like you down the right path. If you love tradition, please don't follow the flat black trend, it's not traditional.
Well put, please take the time and advice to form a plan of attack. I bet even in Red that car could still take a traditional angle. Paint can be expensive, so leave it until you decide what other route to go, but please dont paint it primer anything
I'm with the rest of the gang here - leave the paint alone for now, there's other far less traditional things on the car than the bright red paint. You have an idea of it's history - any chance you could find out what it looked like then? Some 50's style wheels & tires, then paint or uphoster that dash will be a big step in the right direction.
i appreciate everyones commets and opinions... as far as the history goes, i'm not 100% sure and noone seems to have any pics. the car was a "barn find" and the stories about the car are just that... the only thing i know for sure was that it was a "hot rod" in the 50's and supposedly someone was going to try and make it into a drag car in the 60's but it never panned out. the car is definitely different but i'm not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing! the price was right and i just couldn't pass it up. as far as the paint goes...it is far from perfect and i just don't know if i can handle the bright red. i have always been a fan of the flat colors even before they were popular so it's not like im jumping on the band wagon. there are some modern street rod parts that have to go as well such as the steering column, door handles, wheels, wood dash/gauges so hopefully it will make it a little more to my liking once i get them changed. hopefully i can get some full car shots and get some better ideas from everyone and their thoughts on what i can do...
Bright red you say? Why not just knock the shine off, mix up some candy red with some fine metallic and don't stop until you dig the shade? Or just candy with no flake. Flake or not, candy red paint is where the panties come off!!! In fact, 12 out of 10 times they come right off!
Man if you could just change a few details on that car to return it to a vintage look, and leave the weathered red paint job, it'd be a knockout and folks would get confused about where the street rod ended and hot rod began. From what I see in the pics, that would represent the best bang for your buck (and time). Don't be the guy who immediately destroys a car's best feature because it doesn't "fit their personality". Most of those guys don't have a clue what they really want and go from car to car, disassembling and flat blacking, leaving a trail of unfinished & ruined cars in their wake. For what it's worth, you might be suprised at what a little bit of touchup and buffing would do for that paint. Good luck, keep us posted
I can vouch for that! If you know anything about the famous Ala Kart, you may know that the back half of that body is touring car, just like yours. I always thought that was the best feature of that car. I think a custom sheet metal bed could really bring this car around.
well the pick-up bed is definitely going to happen... do you guys think i should go for a shorter bed, maybe 18-24 in or a longer one 36-48 in? i already have one in the works. i guess the biggest thing i dont like is the ride height, but we will see once i get it home.
my $.02 you have a good starting point for a sweet looking rod. add the small pu bed go fenderless how about some lakester exhaust add some trim rings keep the red paint and add some scallops or pinstriping make sure the thing stops----some overlook the braking safety don't make it "show car", use it enjoy it
Gotta wait and see the full side view before I pass judgment on how long the bed should be. With the height of the doors, longer should help the balance, but too long will look way wrong if it hangs out past the wheels. I really feel you need to address the area behind the wheels first to know what's back there.
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