51 Ford

[kb426]

Nice.

[idrivejunk]

Thank you  

Seems drastic-



but flow has been achieved, on the leading edge-



...and next week I'll be doing this job to a '20 F-250:

http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/paint-body/2017-ford-f-250-baja-forged-fiberglass-fenders-bedsides

 

Here in Ford Truck Country.  All Ford truck. All the time. :-}

[chimp koose]

Remarkable attention to detail . By the way that T fleetside drawing is BOSS. I imagine it in a few shades of gold metalflake.

[kb426]

That's a lot of work for fender flares. I was surprised at panel replacement. Front of the truck looks good. I wonder if there's something that could be done to the grille to give it "it's own look". Something subtle but changing.

[idrivejunk]

Remarkable attention to detail . By the way that T fleetside drawing is BOSS. I imagine it in a few shades of gold metalflake.

I think that T body config is nifty in a possibly preferable to drive and use convenience kind of way. Beyond that, it has proportions that work for my eye with all the stock hat room and that suprises me. We had gone through several attempts of me illustrating and fine tuning but I never did put the curve on there and that does it.

Credit where credit is due, I say. Very good imagination, CK. Not to mention patience.  

Now what else is swimming around in that flake pusher head of yours? :?:

I made an art attempt over the long weekend, drew the A from memory with no reference. Did move to a color version but wasn't happy with colored pencil for cars.

[idrivejunk]

That's a lot of work for fender flares. I was surprised at panel replacement. Front of the truck looks good. I wonder if there's something that could be done to the grille to give it "it's own look". Something subtle but changing.

The wide body kit thing is crap over crap but its a job. Reminds me of the Sunfires that used to turn up in bodyshops with siliconed-on ground effects.  The task may not be too bad, or so I thought until boss said he told them gaps will be made fine. Uh oh. I asked questions and gave suggestions and advised this morning. Can't say I am looking forward to that, it is likely to be a quagmire. Thats why me.  I'll have a week and a half. In the instruction vid, it is mentioned that with these flares only a 3" lift is needed to put big tires of whatever size, rather than going taller with the lift.

End of this week, F1 body must be ready to disassemble body for blasting and engine borrowing. Wheres a nail-biting smiley when ya need one?

Sigh.

Oh and I keep thinking how badazz it might be to leave those F6 fender lips big and hang narrowed semi suspension under there. Stainless big rig wheels, stuffed. Use the double wide single tires that are now available out back. Heh. Hubba hubba, right? Stacks, PowerStroke, etc...

OK that last sentence was a joke but the rest, hmm.

[idrivejunk]

O... K  ...

Thats sloth speak.  

Got frontal visual satisfactory on line below leading edge, untacked the down angled and now 3 piece portion and joined pieces. Bent fender structure to point at new line, tack piece back in where it reaches. These upside down welds and fill ins on that back edge will have to happen with fenders inverted.



Sounds like a grand heap of manure, I'm sure so look here again to see the whole top of grille opening flowing across evenly-




I think I better get to the valance correcting meat n taters before indulging in all that glorious welding. Working my way down. Would other folks have really left all that crooked in it?

To Bill's Grille comment... Like what? Already been narrowed and may require corrections on a couple things like the stamping being off center at the point on front. It will wear the V8 emblem there. Curious whats in your mind, if you have thought past observation, to an idea.  Always.

[kb426]

Matt, I don't have a good idea, yet. Enough of the truck has been modified that all the little things will make it exceptional. It has been given a more modern look so what would fit in with that? I can provide questions but not too many answers.

[idrivejunk]

Well, I don't doubt that there might be mesh behind the grille, that might be updatish. Then theres the funny headlights with signals in them. And I think a short rubber air deflector under the valance might look cool. The 56 V8 emblem could be replaced with some sort of Coyote or 5.0 related variation or the font could be changed to a blocky modern style. The F-1,5.0 custom emblem might look good in a grille slot...

Were you thinking maybe a shape / style tweak that possibly suggests clever freshness on old tin while making the 56 grille and dash so "bellybutton" since those changes are so common?    :?:

I can totally serve as idea machine but require parameters or some sorta spark. Then I take off running and can be tough to shut down so stand by with a rag for my venturi on that.

[kb426]

Refresh of the grille.

[idrivejunk]

Gotta share this... I think our guy outta Cali that we waited for was a * good hire and heres a sample of why. Why I think that, not why he is that way. I think thats because of 3 small kids and wife to win bread for plus having done nothing but resto-type metal work all along.

While working that Bronco rocker I concocted a plan for the rear floor. The new panel stops well short of the ends and I, when passing off the job to him, couldn't resist making a little posterboard example of how to handle this in bare minimal fashion with just a flat extension and plug welds. He absorbed it. Couple days later I bothered to look and my heart was warmed to see it nicely executed in exactly that way!





He just slit and bent the rib tops down, trim and zap at slits done. Boss can decide later if theres money to do more with it but under thick liner material, that will look fine just the ribs stsrt farther in from the ends. Its a relief to have a graduate of handle-it school here.

[idrivejunk]

Quitting time yesterday-



Now-



The difference (besides some sanding) is that I took RH end of valance loose from fender and tweaked it to meet the fender better and went back with smaller bolts. Bumperette end sits slightly different, slightly as in may not be an issue. Then...

Lo and behold... everything.... including gap height at fender and extension, has fallen into place. Except top of valance which is crooked as can be but y'know I think getting it loose from HL mounting panels and slotting holes / tweaking / adjusting may get it good enough. You can kinda see that now, with all the surrounding chaos sorted. Yay!

Having the skins cut at the leading edge allowed the panels to find their place somewhat' apparrently. Thats when that gap height changed.

Heres other peeks, gotta go

[enjenjo]

I always thought on the 51-52 the front fender and extension should be one piece. Also are you going to do more with the bottom of the hood latch panel?

[jaybee]

That looks a lot better.

[idrivejunk]

Stamping limitations are probably why it was done like it was if you ask this guy. Merging valance and extensions would be the next best thing after what you said. Would you have a stepped line there like the rear fenders do? Imagining it without the side gap, it probably needs the visual break there, and it would belong.

KB's grille talk spawned another hood nose trim variant idea that might lend some unity to the 51/6 look.  

Frank you asked and yes I did-



I enjoy curiosity. Yours.

Also, this-



I'm calling the unflushness on the outside right there within bondo range since we're needing a win. Good to go until the next phase.

Finally I bomb fogged the nose and buzzed the grille and in the final minute hung grille with two finger tightish bolts in the center. Shuffled it a little, got a handful of pics and...

got this, best one yet. You can scroll and use top and bottom of your screen to check my work. I have just been doing that stare and know just what is and ain't now. And it ain't much-

drumroll

angels sing

Thats mighty close to satisfaction. Headlight hoops sit funny, not screwed to mount panel. Valance needs 2x4 on jack under inside end of passenger bumperette but body mount not bolted to frame, no hole yet. Maybe slight difference at corners of big slot. Mud of course will help tune that leading edge. But I'll claim it.

The wide body part swap thing starts Tuesday now btw.

Bird's eye Bronco-