1952 F-6 Build

[DozerII]

Looking really good Torchie[cl

 

[Torchie]

Lookin good bud. You planning on putting running boards on or at least the steps between the cab and rear fenders?

No steps or running boards endicott. That's why I had to build the rockers and lower box extensions to give the bottom a finished look.
I am going for a early (Pre war-early post war) custom feel and one of the things that they used to do to give the customs a more modern look was to remove the running boards on cars as well as trucks and then make some sort of panel to cover up the frame.
Torchie

 

[05snopro440]

It's looking awesome, torchie! You're hitting this one outta the park!

I like the look without running boards. Especially since you narrowed the rear fenders and have gone more than the extra mile to make it look right.

What's next on the list?

 

[Torchie]

It's looking awesome, torchie! You're hitting this one outta the park!

I like the look without running boards. Especially since you narrowed the rear fenders and have gone more than the extra mile to make it look right.

What's next on the list?

Thanks Gang. All the positive vibes help keep me going.
Even with narrowing those rear fenders they are still pretty wide snopro but the tire fits in the fender better.
At this point I am going to go back up to the front end of the truck and finish up some odds and ends that need to be done on the hood and front fenders.
Also start to work on fitting the bumpers. I will need to modify the brackets of the Plymouth bumpers and want to get all of this type of stuff done before really going after the final body work. And depending on where the rear bumper sits I may have to make a lower pan for under the tailgate.
I also need to address the fact that I can't get the Olds engine to fire up. I have been messing with it off and on while finishing up the body mods and so far. No luck. I don't have a lot into the engine but the adapter plate,pressure plate, engine mounts,ect. have added up so I would like to stick with this type of engine.
I have been having issues with my real foot and had to have a biopsy done today that was not planned on so I have to take it easy on my foot for a few days.
Torchie

 

[Torchie]

I know that some people have had a hard time wraping their head around the "No running boards" part of this truck build. That's cool as I appreciate every ones thoughts and ideas. To me it means that they are taking the time to think about what I am doing and what they would do differently. And I take that as a compliment.
Here is a couple of pics of what is arguably the most famous custom truck ever built. The Rod and Custom Dream Truck. If you don't know the history of this one google it and sit back for a good read.
In it's earlier versions it too just had the running boards removed. Big old rear fenders just hanging out there in the breeze like mine.
But to me the bottom of the fenders and the cab and that area in between the two look unfinished even with the addition of the custom exposed exhaust.
So my solutions was to build the rockers and the lower box extensions.
I think that once I get the front and rear bumpers on as well as a few other items it will help to balance out the truck visually.
So we will see what follows......
Thanks for stopping by.
Torchie

 

[endicott_jb]

Keep on truckin torchie. Truck looks fantastic and I'm definitely diggin it. I was just curious on the side steps cause to me it looks "bleh" in that area. Of course, it could just be because I'm so used to seeing gendered trucks have the step right there.

 

[1952B3b23]

Looks great Torchie. I really dig the styling of your truck! [cl I saw in one of the earlier posts you make mention of using Plymouth bumpers. Which are you using?

-Chris

 

[Torchie]

Keep on truckin torchie. Truck looks fantastic and I'm definitely diggin it. I was just curious on the side steps cause to me it looks "bleh" in that area. Of course, it could just be because I'm so used to seeing gendered trucks have the step right there.

No problem endicott. I have had some others on another site question this feature as well and so this was just a way of explaining where my thoughts come from.

Looks great Torchie. I really dig the styling of your truck! [cl I saw in one of the earlier posts you make mention of using Plymouth bumpers. Which are you using?

-Chris

I am using the 1949 Plymouth rippled bumpers Chris. A go to for many of the customs back in the day.
Torchie

 

[1952B3b23]

Im a big fan of those bumpers too. A solid choice on your part [cl

-Chris

 

[Torchie]

Im a big fan of those bumpers too. A solid choice on your part [cl

-Chris

Here is a pic to show the front end look that I am aiming at Chris........
Torchie

 

[MercuryMac]

Torchie, that famous truck that you posted, doesn't work for me. The bent exhaust pipes, trying to hide the 'no step' is the least of the poor 'vision' issues on the 'famous' truck. The radiused front wheel openings, the pancaked hood, and the grille, are all details that take away from the overall good looks.
Your truck is not just a little bit better, it's quite a lot more handsome.

 

[Torchie]

Torchie, that famous truck that you posted, doesn't work for me. The bent exhaust pipes, trying to hide the 'no step' is the least of the poor 'vision' issues on the 'famous' truck. The radiused front wheel openings, the pancaked hood, and the grille, are all details that take away from the overall good looks.
Your truck is not just a little bit better, it's quite a lot more handsome.

Thanks for the kind words Mac......
I never said it was the "Best Looking" Mac. Just the "Most Famous."[ddd
The coolest things about the Dream Truck is the facts of who worked on it and that after being wrecked it was found, redone, and still survives to this day.
And yes. It also does suffer from what I like to call "Design by Committee." Too many visions of what it should look like, but I think that may have been part of the plan in having all the "Chefs" add to the soup.
It was also built at the start of the "Over the top" era of customizing(1953) and modified more after that.
Still I wouldn't kick it out of my shop for leaking oil.....
My custom is a throwback to an earlier era in customizing when things were more subtle and you had to look real hard sometimes to realize that changes had been made.
I know that I have been nit-picky on some of this but I don't understand the point of calling something a traditional custom when in truth they are barely giving a nod to the great ones that came before. Just my odd sense of things I guess.....
Still we continue forward.......
Torchie

 

[smallfoot]

Those that have followed your build here can all say that you've stayed your own course on this. You being nit-picky about the way you want it to be doesn't do anything but make watching the progress more interesting. We've all been entertained thru it all! Without benefit of all the special tooling that large shops have, you still succeed to do what you intend to do every time. I've got to give you credit for that. Lots of us here are in the same boat. We do what we can with what we've got. We make our own devices and tools sometimes to accomplish that. To me, that's staying in the heart of rodding....bravo! I bet you smile every time the light comes on in the garage and your build appears from the darkness. [cl[cl[cl[P

 

[Torchie]

Thanks smallfoot.....
Sometimes I smile. Sometimes I just shake my head.

Started to mess with the bumpers this afternoon. Put the some what bent 49 Plymouth rear bumper up to the rear of the truck and wasn't happy with the way that it looks. Pics 1 - 2. Way too much bumper corner hanging over the rear fender.
So I took the front bumper and put it up to the rear of the truck. Pics 3-5. This looks better. Weather or not I am able to use the bumper over rides will depend on the final mounting height of the bumper.
Tomorrow I will try the rear bumper on the front end to see how that looks.[S
Torchie.

 

[Bamamav]

Front on the rear fits good. Curious to see how the rear fits the flat 41 front end. I know it was common to use front bumpers on the rear and vice versa back then. You might need another front to make it look right.

I know the era you're in......
I'm not that old, 57, but I have read a lot and seen pics of the early Harry Westergard, Barris Bros, the Alexander bros, etc, to know the style you're capturing here. Before angel hair, mirrors on the floor, et al. When a guy had one car/truck that was his transportation, but wanted it different than anybody else. Mods were done as he could afford them, sometimes, pay day to pay day. The idea that less is more, smooth everything, get that flow from front to back. Simple paint, simple interior, a few horses under the hood. Before weird paint jobs, garish chrome gee gaws, shag carpets and fur everywhere......

I think Spence Murry's dream truck was done with ideas from readers of Rod and Custom magazine while he was editor. To me, the worst thing on that truck was the quad headlights. They were just starting to appear on the new models then, and the idea was to incorporate new Detroit styling onto the older model. To me, quad lights just interrupt the styling. Look at the 57 and 58 Fords.....the 57 looks better with the single lights. Just my taste, yours may vary......

 

[Torchie]

Indeed Bama....
The Quad headlight thing on many customs is a Make or break for a lot of custom lovers.
So I went back out and messed with the bumper some more and managed to get it hung (Industrial Strength Wire ties) for the time being with out jacks.
Looks good to me and at this height I can still use the over rides and lower the tailgate.
By using the front bumber in the back the cornes sit much better and are tucked in mor.
As was anticipated regardless of the bumper used I will have to make an extension panel that will fit under the stock rear box brace. It will fill in the area that you see in the last pic.
I don't hold out much hope for the rear bumpweer to look right on the front end but I will mess with that tomorrow.
Good night everyone.....

 

[Torchie]

Just for fun.....

Vroooom. Vroooooooom........
Torchie

 

[Old Iron]

Vroooom. Vroooooooom........
Torchie

Yakkitti Yakkitti Yakkitti [ddd

 

[bob w]

Lookin' good Torchie.

 

[soltz]

Looking really good torchie, love the bluewalls