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I think that is the solution, Jerry, narrowing up the grille opening will help, for sure! Have it mocked up at 33" now, down from 45" and will probably go smaller. Also took the height of the opening from 9" to 6"...., all this is just in the mockup stage now, still lots of adjustments to make!Quote:
Originally Posted by jerry clayton
Thought about that, but then it would just get that Pro Mod look, a vague resemblance of stock... I think the key is going to be smoothing out the sharp angles, doing away with the massive OEM wide open front end, a bit of a belly pan extending up underneath the frame, and of course a spoiler or air dam below and behind the bumper to keep the air out from under the car and getting it air borne!! Blow overs are ugly!!!!!! Think it's time to build the 'glass bumper and start finalizing the fit on some of the new panels on the front end, then study the headlight area and do something with it. Problem right now could be just too many things to look at at once, finishing up some of the lower portion should help getting a good visual of what the headlight area will need.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
Narrow the whole car about a foot in the front(or more) and only about 6 inches at rear of roof then bring rear quarters in a foot at the rear bumper area. car will still look stock sideways and stock appearing front and rear
Dave if you stay on the same approach as so far, it will look stellar! Some things end up being tradeoffs! The lights are definately part of the original style to that era vehicle, so it would be nice not to lose too much of that look, just not sure what the trade off is one the track side, vs. the resale side?
Well, once I changed the opening size and radius on the fender, probably cut the number of interested buyers by 60% anyway!!!! Many people consider the sheet metal on a tri-five Chevy as some kind of shrine, and it's a sacrilege to alter it in anyway from stock!!!!:eek::eek: Around here, some things are sacred, but a '57 Chevy sure isn't one of them!!!!!:LOL::LOL::LOL: Heck, I never thought they were that good when they were brand new!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by stovens
Heck, Dave; now that you can buy brand new tri-five bodies they shouldn't have any problems with modifying the old ones. It's a blank canvas; build it your way!
Yeah, that's pretty much the way I see it too Falcon! I've told a couple of the purists they could just pay me what the car cost me, plus the time and materials I've put in it, then take it to their garage and do it their way!!! That ends the conversation! I've never been one to follow the crowd or the current fad, I've always enjoyed the challenge of changing things around on cars. One more of the reasons I like CHR, nobody puts you down for what you do, but rather jump in with some very interesting and workable ideas and solutions! I think people miss out on a lot of the fun of building cars when they become overly concerned about other's approval of their project! I really enjoy getting input on my builds and it's really great getting so many good ideas on how to proceed when I get stumped how to proceed!Quote:
Originally Posted by falconvan
Messed around with the front end a bit more today, re-did the light bar (or whatever Chevy calls it) that attaches to the grille and holds the turn signals. After narrowing down the grille opening the light bar was way to long so I gave it a little trim. I cut the entire center section out of it (the part that had the bowtie) and riveted it back together! Now I'll get it smoothed out and use it to make a mold out of and replace that heavy pewter bar with a light piece of 'glass!!!
So I've kind of decided to include the light bar in the grille, maybe I should consider using some sort of mesh grille as opposed to a tube grille???? Just another option.
PS, yes I took pictures but I left the camera in the garage and already have my boots off!!!!:LOL::LOL::LOL:
It's agood thing you don't care about other peoples approval!
Added a few more pieces to the front, the top and bottom for the grille opening. They are both made of 20 ga. with a 90 degree bend in them for strength. The bottom piece will be bolted to the 'glass bumper. To make a decent looking edge on the bottom piece, I welded in a piece of 1/8" rod, once the welding and grinding is done it will add a lot of strength to the top edge as well eliminate the sharp edge of the 20ga piece it's welded to. I have a piece of 3/4" aluminum thin wall (6061 T-6) square tubing behind the upper piece that is attached to braces on either side of the grille opening. The 20ga will be attached to it with adhesive, the square tubing will have braces to the front of the frame and used for attaching the hood hinges. Still just having fun with the car, and putting a little time in on it as opportunity permits.
I also did some modifying on the light bar to make it fit the opening. I'm thinking of a diamond pattern aluminum mesh grille, with the light bar (done in fiberglass) attached to it.....
Starting to take on shape I like the "look" of the bumper being sucked in.
Thanks Charlie, now as long as it will smooth out the air flow around the front end it'll all be worth it.Quote:
Originally Posted by cffisher
Still looks like a classic! :) Nice work Dave
Thanks Steve! I've got to mock up some brackets for the grille bar, when holding it in place it looks even better!
My pal Lyle was up today and we got to discussing aero on the '57... For the under the car area, he suggested a NASCAR style splitter instead of an air dam or spoiler??? Those big tanks sure do go through the air nicely!!!
Yeah but it just won't "look right"... imho.. Or maybe make one that is removable and kept for racing duty and run something else for cruising duty..
Yeah, it would have to be a removable piece! To get it low enough to work right, it would be totally unusable on the street! Think I'd stick with the small spoiler we discussed earlier for the street.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Just what you needed!! MORE WORK! LOL..:LOL::LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
He ain't doing anything else anyway, Snow coming he can just stay out in the shop :eek::whacked::LOL::LOL:
I hadn't considered that! Can you imagine him after a few weeks with cabin fever! :eek::LOL::eek::LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by cffisher
He'd just look a little more like Grizzly Adams. :3dSMILE: **)
Yup, should be a good winter!!! Lots of stuff to stay busy on, and for the first time ever, it's all my stuff!!! That makes it even more fun without having some customer on my butt about how slow I am or how expensive everything is!!!!
Dave ...Texas 2013?
That looks killer, Dave! Nice to see a tri-five with some fresh ideas!
Thanks Falcon, some work done and lots more to do, just like always.
Steve--you mean for the Texas Mile??? don't know yet, lots of work to do.
I'm enjoying watching your thread Dave. Like what your doing with the front. Wish I had frenched Dustin's bumpers. It really makes for a clean look if your not going OEM.
David
Thanks David. Frenching everything and smoothing out lines is about the only way to clean up the front end without getting all radical... Nothing new though, narrowing bumpers and changing grille openings to something smoother goes way back to the 50's and 60's Kustoms.. My first experience was watching an old customiser who lived in our town doing this, worked for him cleaning up the shop and being the general Hey Boy before I was a teenager. Didn't know I'd be doing the same stuff some 50 years later!!!!
Dave I like that new front style maybe even a bit more then factory . Over these few years I've seen you shape some nice metal .
Thanks Bobby, your work comes out quite nice also!!! How's things going in the land of Cougars and Mustangs??
Here's the light bar pieced back together. Had to narrow it down a bit to fit the new grille opening. The large piece behind it is the center portion that was eliminated.
Interesting! Can't wait to see it fit together..
Still on for the salt flats? Let me know would love to see her fly over the desert!
Be nice when I see this on a roller Dave , The changes are perfect for the Tri 5 >
,
Steve, still planning on Bonneville unless someone sees the '57 and decide they like it more then I do!!! ($$$$$) Then, we roll the Ranchero in and start getting it ready for B-Ville!!!
Bobby, Thanks! Trying to make things smooth so it'll go through the air better. Still have a number of things to do on the body before I get going on the chassis.
Not doing much on the car, building the fixtures that will hold the main frame rails and front and rear crossmembers. I built 4 of them, 2 for each main rail and built in about 1/2" of adjustability vertically so I have lots of room to get the rails perfectly level on the chassis table. Still have two build the ones for the front and rear crossmembers, then I'll be almost out of excuses and will have to part with the big $$$$$ and order up the moly tubing!!!! Also shortened up the light bar for the grille another 3" to get the proportions to look correct for the opening size. No pictures, my digital camera decided to die!
looking good Dave, shame about the camera.
.
Thanks Steve, I want to get a new camera anyway, but it probably wouldn't have been til after the New Year sometime!!!!
Santa can probably get a really good deal on a new camera before the new year! Enjoying watching the evolution of the '57 Dave, and we've simply GOT to have a photographic record of the engine mock up when you finally succumb to the Blue Oval Fever :LOL::LOL::LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
YES! Say it with us... Coy - Yo - Tay !! LOLOLOL..
Yeah, would like to put a new Coyote in it, but scared what the market would be on resale. Think this one will have to have an LS and a Coyote for the Ranchero! Sure am enjoying building this one for some strange reason, guess that's a bit strange for a Blue Oval guy like me!!!! Really getting anxious to start on the frame and suspension!