51 Ford

idrivejunk · November 08, 2020, 03:31:25 PM

Quote from: "GPster"I just looked at those 14 extra pics. Try taking the headlight /grill and turning it upside down so that all of the openings on the front view have the longest opening on the bottom. Just to see a little symitry (I think that's a word). GPster

Symmetry, heck yeah. I did go through an inverted grille phase when playing with the 51 grille. The question I have is do you really want the eyelid thingys over the headlights to be below them? :?

I started off making the valance slot in frown orientation, boss had the idea to make it smiley. I have the computer on and will try anything, let me see here...

idrivejunk · November 08, 2020, 03:59:58 PM

Here. All I did was flip the grille slots. In reality it would be more complicated. I think it wipes away the familiarity factor that makes the 56 grille swap work and am subliminally reminded of a Mitsubishi logo by the result.

idrivejunk · November 12, 2020, 08:30:52 AM

Hope I didn't say something wrong or hurt anyone.

Newest request was early Beetle tails. I like it.

Didn't find a way to incorporate the housings but the ovals might be a good size.

Don't have any idea if F1 man saw the other version but it still looks OK to me without modifying the molding's shape. May cut the old latch panel to show it. I think I am at 86 tail images now. I have improved but these edits don't seem to have much effect. People want cut metal to say no to instead. :?

Finally ready to move on, from the valance. Reached that point yesterday. Needs eyeballs but the Mopar-eating grin is in.

Yes, the grille hangs crooked on the two bolts I stuck in. And yes the stock hood opening molding is missing part in the dark area but the idea is probably a dud anyhow. I am about to shave the new latch panel and hood sides next and I plan to build a rear fascia but leave potential tail light locations blank and keep it screw-on for the time being.

kb426 · November 12, 2020, 09:34:10 AM

I looked at the blog. The only thing I wouldn't be happy with is the original style lettering on the tailgate. I think that would be a detraction to the styling you have going on with the rest of this. Eventually this will come down to the customer's choice and could be a polarizing design for some. Welcome to the world of hot rods.

There is a youtube channel that used all the pics from my 51 build thread. The last time I checked it had a million six views. In the comments many panned it because I didn't restore it.

This truck will be very striking when finished.

I'm curious how the interior will be blended to match the exterior.

idrivejunk · November 12, 2020, 07:40:43 PM

Quote from: "kb426"I looked at the blog. The only thing I wouldn't be happy with is the original style lettering on the tailgate. I think that would be a detraction to the styling you have going on with the rest of this. Eventually this will come down to the customer's choice and could be a polarizing design for some. Welcome to the world of hot rods. There is a youtube channel that used all the pics from my 51 build thread. The last time I checked it had a million six views. In the comments many panned it because I didn't restore it. This truck will be very striking when finished. I'm curious how the interior will be blended to match the exterior.

The tall letters were an F1 man want early on. To quote him exactly later... "There were a lot of things I thought I wanted.". Said with the

tone.

I happened to like the big letters, primarily for the absurdity factor. Satire on the foot wide apiece chrome plastic letter monstrosities I see in traffic on Rams.

But also, to me they would look cool on a more, oh... track-oriented theme, on a more youth-targeted version of an old Ford truck done in loud hues. I just threw them in the mix because well...

When I have conversations early on with customers and I get my initial feel for what they are after. I try to get each one to make engine / tire noises, see? What ideas I capture in mind then, I try to push the whole time. Not so much to show that I listened but because those tidbits are like unprocessed high grade ore to me. I want them to get what they wanted.

I see how decision making gets laborious and how embellishments blur that raw want, but that is what I wish to preserve and to render in steel. So thats why the tall letters are there, pardon my mantra tangent and don't ever tone down a dislike on my account.

I concur with your other statements. Bear in mind that web "bot" hits count when a site wants a big number. That being said, and also that your F1 is totally cool, more my style

... stock door handles are staying. With one hand, the purists from down at the feed store can hang onto those and ride the running board still but um... they might want to hold onto their straw hats with the other.

idrivejunk · November 16, 2020, 08:32:49 PM

Having pretty decent luck making a couple slices and knocking hood side vents flat (one at a time) then welding them up with a small patch at the opening. I figured the labor would work out close between that or splicing in one big new rectangle. This way disturbs less metal, and in smaller areas at a time. Didn't bother to work out the linear feet of weld comparison, just figured I would try it this way first and its not giving me big trouble yet. Two vents are welded and rocked outside, out of the six. Plus trim holes. Last vent that side is tacked up. This will have to look nice from both sides since its the hood.

That was after lunch. Spent the morning taping posterboard scraps together into a tail panel pattern. Took all morning grinding Monday mental gears with ruler in hand and glancing at rendering and front of truck a lot. Like a chicken with my head cut off.

I'll have you know I put eyeballs and smile on a progess pic and sent it to the owner.

No response

But I asked the boss first.

jaybee · November 16, 2020, 09:14:52 PM

I like the bumperettes, I don't recall having seen anything quite like that before.

idrivejunk · November 16, 2020, 09:49:46 PM

The thought originated in the fact that I fixed bent Mercedes from 00-06. Look at any of them. I am just glad there was a lure in the mental tackle box that caught some supper.

I hope they end up as cool looking out back as up front. They will just be straight and short with funny shaped ends. I will have to leave the outer end undone until lamps are selected. Round or oval lamps require matching bumper end shapes to look right. To me, or so I found doing pictures of it.

I brought in an old license plate and was getting confused laying out the tag indent area. Been long enough since I did that big batch of revisions that I was remembering my original good thought / poor design rather than the actually do-able one in the rendering. So my pictures helped me today. Once I looked at one, I remembered nothing about the bumper panel is curved or rounded except at the ends... just the roll pan below, and just on bottom.

So it won't look much like the front. My curved bottom roll pan is supposed to help tie that in, when seen from the rear at street level at least.

Glad you guys think that it is worth "Something new under the F1 sun" points. The hood top vents ought to snag a few of those as well. My plan is evolving on that as well. I think I can just bend the skin down to make the sides and have a better hood when done. I still think the shapes there could use some refinement. I think also that I must be at that point where the customer has to see the completed truck with ugly holes in it where unmade decisions go before I can get any answers.

kb426 · November 16, 2020, 09:56:29 PM

It just crossed my mind that some customers are handicapped at making decisions about some things on their car. I would guess that's why artist's renderings are so common now. Once again, not everyone can visualize the description in their mind.

idrivejunk · November 18, 2020, 07:46:18 PM

I think you are onto something there.

It hasn't occured to me much, to put myself in their position... but some. Dies not compute. Unfathomable. Closest I can imagine is being given an unlimited budget to build my own dream ride. That still leaves out paying somebody else though. Thats another matter and a different result entirely. I feel like all the customers can do is pray for diligence on my part and I strive for that. But I get just as lost in a heap of color swatches as the next fellow. So anyhow...

These splain themselves pretty well but if you have a question... :?: Be glad to oblige.

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chimp koose · November 18, 2020, 08:31:08 PM

kb426 · November 18, 2020, 08:45:40 PM

What did you use to bend the original hood parts down into the vent? It's looking good.

idrivejunk · November 18, 2020, 10:48:55 PM

Some locking pliers with like 3" wide jaws. Mashing them hard, into the line while bending. Pretty thin stuff, thinner than the bare 18 ga you see there. The resulting radius is adequately sharp considering the consequenses of trying to make it more so. Came out straight enough to please the eye for the most part. On the inboard side, with the stamped line it was trickier. Long straight square dolly edge behind, and a light slapping spoon helped iron that out. In the long front corner I utilized a 5" C clamp to get started.

It was over in a flash, it seemed. Once I had the layout down and thought it out. Took me a couple days to get the vents on just one side shaved to my satisfaction but an afternoon got me this far on the top. Now I just need oh four feet of presentable corner weld from the bottom and this side of the outside stuff is done. Still have not swapped my hinge brackets with temporary brace over so the hood has never been bolted on yet. And its a little smushed on one back corner. So it will take a spell to wade on through all that. I may allocate Friday half day to whipping up the back bumper panel as a diversionary maneuver.

idrivejunk · November 19, 2020, 01:51:01 PM

My hemming pliers.

Don't even have any writing on em. But still, I lied. 4". Unmodified.

Been awhile since I walked you thru the front shop. Missed a shiny blue Mustang body but hey. Heres some ponycars and other equestrian kin. Theres always two of something.

idrivejunk · November 19, 2020, 07:27:14 PM

"...aaand there ya go.". Thats off McCloud.

I used a 3M reinforced weld grinding wheel on an unguarded tool as usual and followed with a 4" cutoff wheel on a guarded tool for reach into the corners. The unfinished area, when welded, will likely require some burr work. I could finish that area and leave blank but don't even know what angle to put the vent grill panel at. Powers that be conflict on that. So for now thats one outside of hood done enough. I cut the side vents on the passenger side. Thats probably next but that inverted scoop thing was so easy and rewarding as to be a fun project.