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To my eyes back in the early 1960s, it looked like a candy mix, and DEFINITELY not flake.  It was entered in the Toledo Autorama back in the late 1950s, and I remember one of the other judges (maybe the MOST respected body men in Toledo) coming up to me grinning and bleary-eyed on Sunday morning.  He'd spent all night going over the Grasshopper with a portable spotlight because he knew "there's no such thing as a PERFECT paint job".  But the A brothers looked like they'd pulled it off.  About 4:30 in the morning, armed with his light source, he told me he'd found a small run/puddle on the top of the gas tank, hidden from any public view.
He could then go on to judge it "best paint" without the worry that someone somewhere had achieved the impossible -- the "perfect" paint job.

As a Newbie here with his own 1940 Chevrolet Sedan, I welcome you back both as a kindred spirit as well as a source of advice.

Quote: "I think I've heard every lie a bodyman can tell in the last six months."

Wow -- in six months you can't even BEGIN cataloging the fantasies that the subculture of life that POSE as bodymen can spin..  When you find a RELIABLE bodyman (and they DO exist), you'll know the difference and begin a collection of people you want to hang on to for life.

Or if you're talking about the hinge pins for the doors, Chris and Ray at Shoebox Ford in Oklahoma usually can help you out.  You can talk to them at (405) 732-6027 or check them out at ShoeboxFord.com.

Hope everything's going okay -- I had the operation back in '75, when they split you in half to get to the gall bladder.  'I'm told that today they go in with a "bikini cut" so you're out in a couple of days and you can still profile at the beach.
We'll all be happy if you can just still cruise Kalamazoo with a tray of cookies.

Hang in there, Topless, you've got a lot of groupies prayin' for you!

Wildroot -- "You better get Wildroot Cream Oil, Charlie, start using it today."
Brylcream -- "Brylcream -- a little dab'll do you -- Brylcream, you'll look so debonair -- Brylcream, the gals will al pursue you -- Simply rub a little in your hair."
Packard -- "Ask the man who owns one".
Jordan Playboy (A Car – circa the 1930s) -- "Somewhere west of Laramie".
Chrysler products (circa 1957) – "Suddenly, it's 1960"

I worried about that before I found Cooper tires in modern sizes with black wall versions.  Before that, I had located "blackwall tire paint" at a number of farm (tractor tire) websites.  The experienced hands at those stores/websites said their tire paint wouldn't come off in a category 5 hurricane.  Never had to test their claims after I found out about Cooper tires.

Sorry -- with all the talk about BUMPER guards and station wagons, I thought I could shed some light about what a grille guard was.  

I too had a high-point (as in 100) '55 convertible when it was on the showroom floor in 1955.  By 1957 I'd nosed it, shaved the trunk, and put a station wagon center piece into the rear bumper.

Sorry if I offended you.

Well, it was worth a try.  Hope you get an answer on tightening the springs.  If not, there'e always the prop rod.

Right -- it looks like you have the optional 1955 Chevrolet GRILLE guard.  The bumper guards were standard, and the station wagon's were only different in the rear (to allow for the license pate being mounted on the bumper instead of the trunk lid).

The grille guard rode above the two bumper guards in front of the grille.
More than one custom in the 1950s used the '55 grille guard as their only grille bar.

Nice piece.

I'd always heard that F100's had serious problems with the hood hinges and alignment.  I know there are a number of conversions that reverse the opening so that it hinges at the front.  The owners I've talked with that kept the original hinges usually had a "prop" rod (a cut-off broomstick) and a a set procedure for lifting and lowering the hood so as not to damage the surrounding surfaces.

I googled "F100 hood hinge" and got reacquainted with the problem and a few of the aftermarket solutions.  Here's one of them, hope it helps.

http://www.classicperform.com/tilthoodford.htm

My glass man agrees with PhatRat -- use masonite (or the equivalent), make sure it fits and everything works, then take it to YOUR glass man.

And always save the template for those nasty occurences down the road.

Charlie Chops 1940 wrote:
Who in the hell are "They" Charlie

Count me in among the clueless, Charlie.  I've been following the adventures of Denise and the Big Olds for a couple of years now, on this board and others.  I have NEVER encountered a detractor, only admirers and envious wannabees.  Whoever these "detractors" are, they've gotta be clueless about class, style, and why cars have a wheel at each corner.

Oh yeah -- they must not like cookies, either.