Sunken number plate trunks
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Sorry, don’t have any more info on that Cad but I guess that I am as eager as you on learning more about it so please post if you find any more pics. My thinking on the window frame was only to add some input on the sealing issue but now when you mentioned it and if you still leaning towards a coachbuilt/concept type of custom then maybe a shiny surrounding would be something to consider.
Back to your original question if inset licence plate was common before WWII. I was looking at a custom LaSalle built by Frank Kurtis at the Kustomrama site and by coincident I saw a DeSoto with an inset licence plate. That car, built by Kurtis in -36, was supposedly one of the first.You are always one step ahead of me Bert. I was thinking last night that the coach built style that I am trying to achieve would definitely had a chrome surround. Despite the fact that I love the Westergard style and that I am trying to rid the car of excess chrome.
Subsequently I searched eBay for a frame and have found the absolutely perfect one, rounded shoulders, wide opening, lies nice and flat, (sounds like an old girlfriend I had) …. Now I just have to spend enough money to own it. ( that definitely sounds like every girlfriend I ever had).
Coffee is finished back to the 53.
I should do a few pics of the metal work I am doing on the 53 after all it is a true factory custom. This one has bad sills and so I am presently doing open floor surgery. The whole cowl, doors and rear tub was sectioned and the wrap around windshield frame, door tops and rear panels plonked on, spot welded and brazed in and heavily leaded. One side was 15mm different to the other. Having to rejig it all to make it open and close properly. Some of the welding was very crude. . . Despite the Eldo being the most expensive American car on the market. Still I am loving seeing the direct relationship to the earlier customs that made the 53 Eldo possible.Donn Lowe created this one on a very nicely built 1936 Ford coupe. Not sure what he used for it, but it looks very nice. And with a dark colored plate it would look even better I guess.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Not many of us will ever get a chance to study one of these Motorama beauties up close for obvious reasons so yes please, show us some GM customizing. Maybe it would be more appropriate to post them in your “factory customs” thread.
Quite excited that last night I found a factory, Cadillac Styling studio pic of a one off 38 V16 Cad built for GMs Willian Knudsen. Has a sunken plate. Does look as though it has a chrome edge. Date on pic shows 6 29 38 . The car also has recessed taillight instead of the large incongruous standard units. Just goes to show that the Cadillac guys were customizers at heart. I took a pic on a my ph from the book but can’t get pic monkey to work via mobile. Pic will have to wait till I get home in a few weeks.
Quentin, sounds very interesting. If you can… Email me the picture you took. Then I will add it tomorrow morning.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Even better found this. Here is a link to my good mate, Yann Saunder’s Cadillac database. Hope it works ok
Quentin…Enbloc has the guts to start cutting a real nice car up! but the result is great! i wanna start cutting my caddy soon!
Check it out on the HAMB.
-palle
Thanks Palle. That is a really great tutorial that Enbloc has done. Will make it a lot easier.
I am working seven days a week on my mates 53 Eldo here in Perth. Replacing sills and floors this trip. Lots of metal work and welding and grinding, but getting there. Another week and it can go onto a rotisserie so it can get diamond blasted ( glass beads). Sills were rusted out, so couldn’t take it off chassis till sills were replaced.
Hopefully next trip over to Perth I will get a start on the 39. I have warmed up the “old school engine guys” across the road to get it running and with brakes next month. The 39 has a 41 engine in it and it does turn over so I am hoping and praying that it might be a runner.
Thanks again. QThats a good one Palle.. I completely forgot about Enbloc’s set in license plate.
Perfect stet by step plans.Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Chrysler took it one step further on their 1941 Thunderbolt concept car, it had inset licence plates both front and rear.
We’ll done Bert. I had forgotten the Thunderbolt. That is the best example of the style I want to achieve. I committed to cutting the opening and making the inner box same as the enbloc style and then have paused before I weld it in cos I think I may decide to go for the wider plate style after all. I missed out on the eBay conv window frame that looks very much like the Thunderbolt chrome opening. They do come up so I will keep looking. I
Did a big days work on Sunday and threw my dirty overalls in the wash . . . With my smartphone in the back pocket!!! Went through the whole cycle. Damn. Trying to get it fixed. Got lots of pics to post on it.
I will ditch the whole bulky lock handle and was looking for a remote lock. Popped the hood on my Hilux and the hood lock release is perfect (though probably not traditional). It is remote cable operated and springs up just like you would want on a shaved deck. Is it custom sacrilege to use a Toyota part ? My 57 Biarritz has a factory electric lock popper and screw down but they are bulky and not the most reliable.Hey Quentin,
The sunken plate openings you’re interested in were in vogue at least by 1940 or ’41 from all the the pictures I’ve seen. I met George Bistagne who built with his brother the great ’38 Ford Convertible early custom that you can see on Rik Hovings web site, I met him at the Grand National Roadster Show a number of years ago and I asked how the recessed plates were done.. He said Roy Hagy was doing them before the war and showed George how to do the sunken plate openings. George drew a sketch for me at the show on how they did them. I lost that sketch, or at least for now I can’t find it, but this is known – Yes, round rod was bent to shape and the surrounding metal was leaded into shape, they put in glass and backed it with the license plate. No lights, but if I can remember correctly, they did provide something to catch any water getting in.
Anyhow, I wanted my period custom ’36 Ford 3-window coupe to have a sunken plate. The shop that did all my metal work refused to do it the “old-school” way for a number of reasons, mainly because no provisions for lights that I wanted and they could come up with a tray to catch the water. I for sure didn’t wand a recessed “box” for my plate,it had to look like it was done back in the ’40’s.
I don’t have any construction pictures of my recessed plate since it was done during the week while I was at work while I tried to earn the $$$ to pay for all the work. But I’m attaching photo’s of the various pieces to do the job. The shop that did my work was GMT Metal Fabrication in Huntington Beach, California and we worked out all the details before actual work on the recess was started. Basically, they put in a 1/2″ roll to sheet steel, constructed the top, bottom and sides, then hand formed the corners and welded them into the rest of the pieces. Then, the whole assembly was worked in the shrinker to give the whole thing a “crown” to match the crown or slight curve that the lower rear body panel has.
When it was finished it looked simple enough, but it took a lot of thought, hand skills and finishing. It turned out great. I’ll have 2 light openings and a tray to catch water. Check out the attached photo’s. Also, I’m not putting any glass or clear plastic covering since it has always been illegal in California. I don’t need any more hassles from the police that I might already get since my car will have a 4″ drive height, no air bags or hydraulics.
Hope the photo’s help and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.
Also, hope to get all the photo’s in this reply, if not, I’ll post another reply with the rest of the photo’s.
Good luck,
Manuel ReyesThanks Manuel,
Your recessed plate fabrication has addressed the issues that I stumbled on. I really want to have a rounded edge (rather than square edge), lighting and particularly drainage could be a significant problem if not worked out. Yours covers these. I am certain that, like Calif, Australian states have similar rules about licence plates not being covered. But I do love the under glass look though, so I may still make provisions for this. The production 53 55 Corvette is the precedent in Law if it comes to it. Gotta cover your bases these days. You are guilty until proven innocent.
You also went for the longer size 14″ plate over the 12″ plate. I will do the same.
I have come back home to Brisbane from Perth for the next two weeks to be with my kids over school holidays. Can’t wait to get back to Perth to start playing on the 39 again. Here is the Huth 39 Merc that sold at RM Scottsdale recently, A little further recessed, but the wider, earlier plate as well. Q
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