SHORT SKIRTS - with 19 pics (caddy skirts gone long)

I fell in love with a new car this week. Customer built this 54 Caddy last year, and decided his skirts were a little too short.... brought it to me for the remedy.

Owner built car, bought it in Temecula (spelling ?) California. Really is a nice ride, and I have simply fell in love with it while its been here, gotta get me one.... put it on the list.

Any way here are the pics....

Tape line represents where I wanna be...

 

Stripped paint and undercoating off... what a chore. Blued, braced and laid out, ready to cut.

 

Added 3 1/2"....wrapping bead around took some time and massagging, should have taken more pics..also will have to cut lock assembly, move up, and length handles rod.

 

Nice..
Hey Vendetta, ever think about cleaning up a set of 53 Chevy skirts?
you know..they never went down far enough to match the body line opening , they kinda got that "hacked out" look to them.
ever think about making a set of 53-54 chevy skirts a bit longer to fill that gap?
Nice looks like your on the right track..gonna look good once finished.

 

Thanks man, you can call me mike too by the way, ha

I can tackle the chevy skirts... bring em over!

Here they are tacked up, welded and roughed in.

 

Sorry Mike..I have a bad memory..i havent got a face to go with the name yet..pm me what you think i could be into for something like that.

 

Not a prob, just figured a guy nice enough to throw a compliment my way, should at least know my name.

Thanks again, and hit me up with your ideas for the skirts your talking about.... thing is with this, it was nice to have the car here to ensure a proper fit.

 

nice work

did a set like the chevy skirts you are talkin about.
check out my thread on the pontiac chop. made them curve to match the quarter and lowered to meet the rear quarter

 

Finished product, turned out decent, and accomplished what we were going for.

I love this car, wish it was mine!

 

here you go... a side by side

 

Dam..ooooo i like that!
I sent you a PM mike but the freakin server went stupid.. I'll try again

 

Looks waaaaaay better with the lower skirt, killer job !

 

HUGE difference! Sometime's the simplest thing's do soooooo much..
Excellent metal work as well...
I love the car as well, Nice and straight looking..
ya need to talk him into some white wall's for the 'Ole girl..

Tony

 

Thanks guys, I agree... little things make a huge difference on a car like this. Thanks again

Heres another I forgot

 

Oh so sweet!

 

Nice! REALLY IMPROVES THE LOOK.!

 

Amazing what a change like that can do........

 

that is one of the nicest improvements i have seen on that year cadillac. thanks for sharing...cadillac dave

 

Thanks guys...

 

Looks great!

Gotta ask a question though... what did you use the bluing for?

 

Easier to see scribed lines... markers are too fat. Better lines, better fit, better results I have found.

Thanks for the compliment!

 

beautiful job,,,adds SO much to the car,,,

 

Wow,that really changes the look.Excellent work!

Fuzzy

 

Very nice, that Caddy looks good with chrome smoothies and blackwalls.
Are you gonna match the paint too? It'll probably be quite hard.

I extended the skirts on my 54 Chevy. I was working on the brakes one day and I laid the skirts on the ground. My driveway's red brick and the car was red primer, my wife came home and drove right over one of them and crushed all that hard metalwork, oh well, I can make another set.

 

Vandetta
AKA Mike
I measured my 53 today
about 1.5" needs to be added to the skirt. Looks like the original skirt could be left alone, and just add a curved portion to the bottom. (curved to match the roll on the bottom of the body)
That way no messing with the latch mechanisum or any of the fit up of the skirt would have to be messed with..simple down and dirty ,,rolled welded smoothed, repainted..installed ..wamo sweet!

I may try to mock up something..when i have enough time to do it.
just to get an eye for it.

 

sorry to jack your thread man
but is this what you are lookin for von rigg?
all i had to do was lengthen the attatching rod as much as i lengthened the skirt.

 

Paint shouldnt be a prob, as he has some left over from the paint job.

Thanks for the compliments guys... customer is picking it up tomarrow, hope he is as pleased as we all seem to be.

Von Rigg... your skirts shouldnt be a problem, just keep in touch and we'll get something worked out. I am in southwest Michigan, 49101, about hour west of K-zoo.

 

Is the ride height going to stay the same or lower by 2-3"??

 

Yep Flop something like that..


Mike, I have this filed away in "things i gotta do"
and I dont get out to the kazoo area much any more..but im in no huge rush..
are you ever out this way for shows or any of that?
maybe we will run into each other somewhere in between.

 

That is sweet.
Can't seem to get going on our 54 convertible. Engine is all done and new but it's still in primer and milk crates for seats right now but it might be for sale........hmmm....