visual appeal

[earthman]

The shoebox ex cop car is making tentative trips around the neighborhood and i can already see it is not turning every head when i pass by. To start, black (and rust) isn't an eye catching combination. I require smiles and waves when i drive my vehicles so something has to be done. Complete paint job is not an option as it would detract too much from it's natural shabby chic character. Some startling graphics are what i am thinking. I may resort back to giant daisys because i already know that will work.
....... Another thought is sheriff's stars similar to the ones that used to be on the doors. Moved forward and tilted forward, half on the door and half on the front fender with streamers down the sides like shooting stars. Great idea huh?
So i am open to suggestions. The cartoonier the better. Thanks. ( has wide whites now)

 

[Willowbilly3]

I saw it once in the 60s, folger's coffee can on the roof for fake gumball machine, stars on the doors with a picture of Mickey Mouse in the star.

 

[BlueNorther]

don't make it look too real, or they may get you for impersonating a cop.!!!!!

 

[GJunktionMike]

Chop

 

[BigIrish]

You know, I think it might be the shoebox shape in general. It's almost too clean and modern. It doesn't have the fat fenders (or no fenders) or huge chrome or crazy motor hanging out like alot of hot rods

So non-car people may not really notice it.

I think they need a 60's custom type paint job to stand out - like metalflake roof, etc. Doesn't have to be nice, maybe paint the body some flat color/primer and paint the roof something shiny?

Of course some loud pipes and NAWZ can't hurt either.

 

[Magnum]

ya know... I'm pretty new to the "rat rod" thing, but have always liked hot rods, & never liked washing & waxing my ride... today I have a mile of gravel road... so no $10,000 paint jobs in my future...

IMO, the "shoebox" is too conservative in lines... I think you need to either paint her up like a cop car, or something more "SHOCKING"

the trouble with rust brown & flat black, is they don't grab the eye... & the conservative shape leaves you driving by without getting anyone's attention

some bright yellow / orange flames ( or similar ) would pop on the vintage canvas...

... many years ago, I had a rusty old brown Nova... I paid little to nothing for it, as the floor was gone in the back, it was a base package car, & nothing stood out... it did have a rebuilt 350 & a good auto tranny... I started by masking off the chrome bumpers & windows, pulled all the trim, painted the car primer black, threw on a set of cheap air shocks, & painted a bright orange wedge from a point on the hood, to the width of the trunk lid in the back, across the hood, roof, & trunk lid... a set of N-50 15's in the back, & a set of Keystone classics all the way around, & I could not avoid seeing anyone on the sidewalk with their jaws on the ground... way different cars, but you get the idea... I rattle canned the paint in my driveway, did nothing to the couple rust holes in the rear quarters ( the flat paint did a nice job of hiding them ) & when I sold it, I doubled what I had into it, & drove it 2 years... EVERYONE in town knew the car...

not that you need a bright orange wedge... but I think you need some serious contrast, to grab everyone's attention...

of course if it were really really loud, that would do it as well... as grab the attention of the local law enforcement

 

[sgtpontiac]

Here is shot of our "brand new"....Police car...

Circa 1950...

 

[sgtpontiac]

And by the way....

No neither of those guys are me !! I wasn't born for another year!!! [cl

 

[IAM-LDS-2]

The shoebox ex cop car is making tentative trips around the neighborhood and i can already see it is not turning every head when i pass by. To start, black (and rust) isn't an eye catching combination. I require smiles and waves when i drive my vehicles so something has to be done. Complete paint job is not an option as it would detract too much from it's natural shabby chic character. Some startling graphics are what i am thinking. I may resort back to giant daisys because i already know that will work.
....... Another thought is sheriff's stars similar to the ones that used to be on the doors. Moved forward and tilted forward, half on the door and half on the front fender with streamers down the sides like shooting stars. Great idea huh?
So i am open to suggestions. The cartoonier the better. Thanks. ( has wide whites now)

Admit i am a little slow at times , but I'm not shy , are legs being pulled here ?

 

[bob w]

Donk it! Or, hire a Graffiti artist to work it over. I'm semi-serious about the second suggestion.

 

[CR55]

As said earlier...CHOP IT and radius the rear wheel well!![cl Nothing better looking than a shoebox[cl

 

[maverickmk]

I'm leaning towards some weathered cop stars on the doors and some cool wheels.

 

[05snopro440]

I'm leaning towards some weathered cop stars on the doors and some cool wheels.

I agree with that. If you want to get noticed put some real annoying mufflers on it. Or just take the mufflers out! [cl

Seriously though, my truck sometimes doesn't turn heads until I drive past, and then their necks snap and you see the confused "WHAT THE F*** IS THAT?" look on their face. Sometimes you can even read their lips. I find that entertaining too...

 

[cycledog]

Well....there used to be a shoe box around here a few years back with duck decoys attached all over the body.

 

[earthman]

....I really appreciate everyone who took the time to comment. I get very little opportunity to talk cars around here.
.....I thought the patina would turn heads because nobody drives anything rusty anymore. Chopping the top isn't going to happen for a couple of major reasons. Skill or cost to have it done Flames would work of course and look fantastic but.......it's been done and it triggers my don't follow the crowd reflex. Can't get with the police car look for much the same reason. Have seen several done like that and the predictable comments would get tedious real fast.
.....For the loud pipes suggestions i would love some cracking glaspacks like the old days but will see what happens there. As common as they were back in the day it is going to be difficult to route dual pipes on this. Right now it is silent and floats smoothly down the road like a Rocket 88
.....Bob suggested grafitti and i had considered it because it is cheap and easy. Could just park it in south Phoenix overnight and it would be looking something like this.



I had a VW rabbit that had been rolled and hammered out good enough to get the doors to close. Spray canned flat robin egg blue with random huge white and yellow daisys even covering some of the glass. Yellow wheels with 14" Dodge Aspen wheels in the back. Women would leave notes on the windshied
.....Nope not pulling legs here LDS but i understand how you could consider it.

 

[21willys]

I used to cruise a shoebox with dual fours sticking out the hood. She got some attention.

 

[user 13565]

http://www.freshnessmag.com/2013/07/25/chris-brown-lamborghini-aventador-with-fighter-jet-camo-custom-paint-job/

Like This?

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

So... you get a graffiti artist to paint a crooked, flaming sheriff's star with lonnngg tails. Put some daisies confused on the roof and... I lost my train of thought...

.

 

[earthman]

Makes a great mental image 21.

That is startling paint Hans. I think it looks fantastic.

 

[earthman]

Fired up some new neurons and got lost didn't you Crank.