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Post by lo51merc on Apr 13, 2023 10:20:36 GMT -5
53 Ford Coupe major custom? It is just a custom, not a Ford dream car. It's a "what if" originally printed in "Hop Up" magazine from March of 1953. I found the first picture in froghawk's archive and he helped me with ideas and information. I bought these 'cause I'll need two to build it.  Hosted on Fotki Hosted on FotkiIn the picture below I've continued the artist's horizontal section through the door. Don't know why he didn't do that. In the second drawing I've moved the vertical section forward to preserve the rear fender design element. The third drawing is mine using the original artist's dimensions for the horizontal and vertical sectioning, and stretching the nose as well. In 1 to 1 scale this will give me the same wheelbase as the 55 T-Bird.  Hosted on FotkiYour comments and suggestions are welcomed as usual. Thanks, Gary |
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Post by 41chevy on Apr 13, 2023 11:46:10 GMT -5
Do you plan on pie cutting the hood to bring the front down?
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Post by lo51merc on Apr 13, 2023 16:06:45 GMT -5
Paul, If I get that far, I will most likely do something there.
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Post by froghawk on Apr 13, 2023 17:37:14 GMT -5
Wow, Gary, I like your adjusted drawing much better than the sketches in the Hop Up article! That little car has great proportions. A subtle thing that's an issue with the early T-bird is the pinched space between the wheel opening and the rear edge of the door, and you've fixed it on your concept. Nicely done! Looking forward to seeing some plastic get cut!
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Post by lo51merc on Apr 13, 2023 18:18:22 GMT -5
John, you noticed the space between the rear lower corner of the door, and the wheel opening. Good eye! And just why I did it that way.
Well,I had fifteen minutes to myself today so I spent it with the body in my hands. It looks like a lot of thought will have to go into the horizontal sectioning if I want to save the rear fender styling device. That whole lateral line is gonna be real tricky to pull off. My plan had been to section the 2 bodies exactly the same. That way when I do the vertical section I'll be able to get the front clip extended using that second nose. I'm gonna have to give a lot of thought before I make ANY cuts on the plastic. I ain't going to buy any more of these kits.
Gary
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Post by Dave from Pleasanton on Apr 13, 2023 19:41:42 GMT -5
Can't wait to see the plastic fly Gary. Really ambitious but should look really great if you can pull it off. I'm rooting for you. As to the door, he removed the area below the door and then rolled the door under on the bottom. He also changed the non-functioning side scoop into an actual scoop and it looks quite different from the stock version. I can't tell for certain but I think that the door stayed stock (other than the roll on the bottom).
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Post by sharp on Apr 13, 2023 21:06:38 GMT -5
WOW that's a lot of cutting! Can't wait to see it come together.
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Post by RodBurNeR on Apr 14, 2023 0:37:15 GMT -5
ohhhh yeah let's see it!
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Post by Mr. Metallic on Apr 14, 2023 8:56:06 GMT -5
Mr Slice and Dice. Looking forward to seeing this take shape
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Post by skip on Apr 14, 2023 9:12:29 GMT -5
Gary,
This is a Kool-Kustom-Kar in the making, can't wait to see the results of all
the "Plastic Surgery"!
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Post by Skullo on Apr 14, 2023 16:47:00 GMT -5
You have my attention. I owned two 53s and a 54 in the 1/1 scale. all two door sedans.sold the last 53 before I moved in 2012.
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Post by lo51merc on Apr 24, 2023 16:25:34 GMT -5
I have pictures coming soon. But now I've got a worry/question/comment. Up above I mentioned about ending up with the wheelbase the same as a 57 T-Bird. I have the vertical section and reassembly finished, and compared it with a 57 Bird body and it is longer than that. But I haven't figured out the actual dimension yet. I checked the clearance underhood on one of my built 53's, and there isn't much room to lower the front of the hood. Gonna see what happens as I progress with the build. (Curbside maybe?  ??) Oh, and this last one. On my actual plastic body, a 4" section will be extremely difficult to pull off in the usual manner, slicing it out of the middle of the body. Hypothetically I could remove .160" from the bottom of the body all the way around, and move the wheel wells up. Any thoughts? I'll try to get pictures posted in a few hours. Hmmmm, section and shorten the interior, the firewall, the inner fenders, the radiator and support possibly, and, and...... Gary |
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Post by lo51merc on Apr 24, 2023 19:24:30 GMT -5
This picture is showing 3 of the 4 cuts to shorten the body. I decided it would help me if I removed both the door vertical sections of the body and the equal amount from the top, directly above the sides. It was much easier for me to sand all the surfaces as units and squaring them all went extremely well. The cuts shown only go part way through the plastic.  Hosted on FotkiThe front and rear placed roughly together after the sawing was done. Shorter isn't it!  Hosted on FotkiAt this point the sections are glued together. The joints are heavily reinforced.  Hosted on FotkiI've started sanding to blend the pieces together. It's amazing how the thickness varies, but they're all aligned from the inside. Does it resemble my drawing yet? Remember, it's not vertically sectioned.  Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki |
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Post by lo51merc on Apr 26, 2023 10:56:43 GMT -5
Yes, the body sides are high, since it's based on a full size Ford, right? But remember, the Corvette Waldorf Nomad was based on a full size car too.
I may pass on the sectioning with my model too. Lowering the top half of the body will create problems with the engine height under the hood. Especially so if I have to pancake/lower the front of the hood too. I might just have to eliminate the top of the engine and radiator too. Also thinking of gluing the hood closed as well. I might even remove the vent windows.
Just possibilities.
Gary
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Post by 41chevy on Apr 26, 2023 23:21:10 GMT -5
Could run '53 Corvette style side draft carb(s) and possibly lower the engine a bit. Swapping out the flathead in my 53 build I found t easy to do a bit of grinding to lower the engine about 1.5mm
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