My take on a shoebox custom – or – The never ending story
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I guess I haven’t really introduced myself here or anything. The name is Martin and I herald from Sweden. You could call me the typical lurker, been sitting on the HAMB since sometime during 2007 when I really started to get involved in the Custom car scene with the purchase of my 1950 2dr shoebox Ford and have been on here since the CCC-site started.
My main interest in custom cars would be the so called “Golden Era of Customs”. The time before the fancy shows with the points craze that made builders make both some stylish and sometimes very absurd cars..I thought I would see if I could start a type of build thread here or just post a picture from time to time during my build process of the shoebox. I have never started a build thread before but here goes. Enjoy..
Let’s start off with a few pictures of how the ford was when I purchased it. What became evident pretty quick was to make the chassis and drive train road worthy. That involved fixing the brakes, fuel lines, brake lines, rebuild the Flathead. As well as fixing the steering box, gearbox and the changing to a 8″ maverick rear end with a 3:54 ratio.
You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
Pretty much when I started to get the chassis dialed in the first big boom hit me. The flathead that came with the car had some pretty serious freeze cracks in the lower water jackets.. That block is now sitting in my shop awaiting to become a coffee table or garden decoration.
But a flathead was what I was after so I took everything that wasn’t worn or broken from the old motor and got some help to rebuild me a new motor with some goodies mounted. In the same process I cleaned out the engine bay to make it ready for the new flatty and re-wired the whole car with cloth covered wires. Gotta love the small details that makes a build.You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
After the shoebox got through Swedish car inspection and I was pretty much satisfied with how it rode I started to think what kind of customs works I wanted done on her. Started with to take away the handle on the trunk and french the headlights with a set of 1952 Ford bezels and remount the standard side spear but with a little bit shortened on the door.
You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
The interior has also been updated and the headliner is about the only thing left to do. A custom made carpet with some nice outlining is something I am thinking about.
The seats and panels is 1″ oxblood vinyl tuck n’roll with white piping and black vinyl to mix it up.
At the moment I’m half way through on a custom made grille that Håkan have helped me in creating, taking inspiration from a photoshop done by Rik. The plan also involves a set of 1951 Crestliner trim, the incorporation of some bits and pieces from a 1952 Ford, a set of Lincoln pushbuttons and the change to 1951 ford bumpers.
I’m aiming for a clean custom in the golden era style or something like that. Like a factory concept car, a 1950 shoebox meeting the 1952 Ford.You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
Looking real good so far. That interior is gorgeous! You gonna do one piece rear side glass, or are you like my one friend and like the rear 1/4 window look?
If it's about anything, then it's gotta be style.
Really great to see you posting the progress on here Martin. I really look forward to see it progress over time.
And yes that interior is really nice. The color and pleats are perfect.Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Thanks for the positive response! I really like the interior myself. As the owner and driver you gotta have something nice to look at while driving the car right? Can’t stare at the exterior while in traffic 😉
I just have the headliner left for the interior as said. The idea for that is white with oxblood piping going in either the direction of the car in like three or four rows or across the car where the headliner bows is. I’ll see how I will solve that one. Gotta fix my dented roof first!@Porky: I haven’t really decided yet. Rik also suggested the idea of a one piece rear side glass. And Pat Ganahl have made quite a good how too guide on the subject. I haven’t really decided on where I stand on chopping the car or not however. I will see after this year when more of the custom stuff has gotten on the car what I want to do with her.
I’ll add a picture here to show how the custom grille turned out. The upper lip of the grille will get some treatment to take away the “beak” and get it into a one piece with a more rounded character. A set of 49 merc horns is planned to couple with the 51 bumpers also. I think it will look pretty neat.
You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
Lookin real good Martin, I like everything so far especially how you stuck to your guns on the flathead. Most guys would of just thrown in a 350 after their flattie was cracked. Really glad to hear your engine choice and the way you rewired it with cloth. Also….. im loving the interior.
A small update on the shoebox project. The upper grille shell have gotten some attention and have been made into a one-piece with a more smoothed edge then the cal-custom piece. It was some work to get the piece to mate with the rest of the grille parts but it turned out really really well! I’m quite anxious to get it back from the chrome shop and have it mounted.
You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
Wonderful work on the grill Martin! This really harkens back to the early days, when people were using their imaginations, rather than more recent times where we have seen the same 3 or 4 grill treatments ad infinitum, on any number of makes and models of cars.
I would go for the imaginative when it comes to the wheel covers too. There are many, many neat choices out there that have seldom (if ever) been used and would stand out from the typical Cadillac units that we always see.
Trend Books Custom Cars Annuals
www.trendcustomcars.comThat top bar is going to look so good once plated. Glad you are making it one piece.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Thanks for the nice comments Justin! As I think I mentioned earlier in this thread the whole idea is of a somewhat custom/concept car, a “what if” the ford concern had a bunch of concept cars and this could have be one of those. The grille is really quite the looker, love it. I also agree with you on the constant reappearance of many custom grilles, not that they look bad but many is so common nowadays that they kind of sets a standard on custom cars. Much has been done regarding custom grilles through the times and trying to be original ain’t easy that is true.
I couldn’t let the top bar remain a three piece for to long Rik, it broke up the lines way to much and took the attention away from the rest. It was also way to pointy, I’ll see if I can remember to make a then and after picture. Me and Håkan is working on implementing the -49 merc horns onto the bumpers at the moment. Håkan sure do have a keen eye for good lines and workmanship!
As with the wheel covers I just finished painting the -52 Mercury units last week that I’m planning on using.
You'll never be late
If it's a "V8"
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