customline

Yup. You are among the many, Harry.

I wouldn't recommend that, Jimmy. You certainly should not do what I did with this one. For a first chop, if you want something let's say...a bit advanced but not too difficult, I would try a '50s pickup like the '50 F-1 or maybe a Cameo. And don't go radical. Keep it reasonable. The '49er is do-able if you keep it mild and leave it a coupe. I stretched mine to look like a tudor and it was a train wreck.

That's how I spent my afternoon, David, on that Del Rey bumper. I'm matching it to the sheet metal and matching the sheet metal to the bumper. I'll have a few pix soon. I have something for the front also. Your input is appreciated, Dave.

He was certainly enamored with aircraft design.

Yeah, I had to stand back and really look. This old girl has a skinny butt. The "fusilage" tapers to the rear for, I imagine, improved air flow 🥴. It needed some balance back there and, well, I needed an excuse to spend $35 for a can of spray paint.

Thanks, Eric, I shall. Yeah, sorry about the gold tooth, Dave. Actually, I'm still not sure about a grille yet. It's an important element that establishes an attitude. The '52 Desoto may be the one after all is said and done. It plays well with the radical chop and lends balance to that new bumper in the rear. Maybe I should go through my bumper stash again and find something a tad heavier for the front? 🤔....

So yes, I have been thinking, and that can go either way for me. Sometimes for the better but that's a matter of opinion. After looking at every shoebox lead-sled Bing could show me, it became apparent that bumpers are quite prevalent and most make a statement. I decided to try it. Here's what I have so far. Close enough. I have others that might be more suitable but they all have bumperettes and this one is clean and shaved. For the rear I needed something that would look like it belonged there. I found it. It's from the Del Rey kit. I cut it and spliced it with a piece of half- round and it will be bent to conform better to the rolled pan contour and then treated to some thick CA in the middle. Then I can fill and smooth it..... all that. Maybe spring for a can of Revell chrome. I'll need to tweak the ends a bit too. Overall, I think the 'niner will look better with bumpers - more complete. WDYT?

🤐

Sometimes that's hard to do, Len. Especially for Poo 💩

Yay! 😀. Nice build, David, with all the improvements and the care taken on this esoteric subject.

Gentlemen, thank you all for your interest and advice on this side trim issue. After much consideration, I have decided to just keep what's there. The winner is #1 - stock location! Lenny spent a lot of time trying to help me and I really appreciate it but after all of that, I feel the original trim is just fine. It's clean and it divides the sheet metal into very acceptable proportions. The amount of body below the trim is approximately equal to the greenhouse height. To my eye, it makes sense. I need to concentrate on the tail light mod; it still needs work and I'm not happy with it yet. Thinking about another project is distracting me now so I need to get this one in paintable condition. None of the advice and comments received is wasted. It made me think.

Yeah, I sorta had a kinda half-baked notion that could be the case 🤤

Getting the curve right is tricky, Len. I've been trying to make a template on paper. I think I'll try your suggestion with tape on the body. Thanks for hangin' 🤓

Snoring you say? You have no idea 😴. If there was a Nobel prize for snoring.... Hey, you are the side trim guru now, Len, so I'm thinking I can use some sheet say, .020, and I have .030 triangular and I just ordered some .040 triang. One or the other should work. That combo would give me a good guide for my blade when trimming foil Right? 🙂....with some very delicate molding work under high magnification. Easy peasy 😅 The full trim on a '52 Buick would also include a run on the rocker, but the ragtop example didn't use it. It's pretty dramatic 🤩

I really like the ragtop, Len. The way he placed the trim for the color break. Two-toning is a very good way to disguise the great expanse. I feel a decision coming on this. 😏 yeah. Edit: hey Len, I asked Wifey if she had a French curve template. She said "What's that?". I told her and she leaves the room and returns with a book of all sorts of curves and circles and templates of just about anything and everything...well anyway, you get the idea. Buick trim should be easy enough, huh?

Oooo....there's some food for thought there, Len ( no BBQ though)... I've been busy, you may be pleased to know. At half-time, (BTW, are you a Jets fan?) It was 49 degrees outside so I was able to heat up a fresh can of Tamiya light gray and got some of it (that the breeze didn't take) on the niner. And I got foil on the port side spear. 👇 while I'm at it, here's a few ideas for improving the side view #1👇 #2👇 #3👇 Just kidding🤣 #4👇 #5👎I think somebody spilled beer on It #6👇 I think #1 maybe. 😉..... but I kinda like #6 😛 I'm starting to think about bumpers(🤮)now, too. This always happens.

I was just reviewing and found this (don't know how I missed it 😒) and it took me several "re-looks" to finally get the picture. How in the he'll did you do that? Moving the spear up does look better but in the rear it runs too close to the wind split but it accomplishes the goal. Your side trim cred is good with me, Len, but I'm taking it slow until I have seen the big picture more clearly. I worked the rear mods a bit in the wee hours and I hope to get primer on it at half-time 🏈 🥴 🍺 when, hopefully, it reaches 50F. 🌡

Ditto! 😳

That seems to be the prevailing idea, which I agree with. My plan, however, is to temporarily foil the existing spear after priming the whole car again ( it should warm up soon 🥶 ) and reassess the situation. Let's see if the stock trim works well enough. There are other options. 👇🥴

I get it, for sure. 🥴

I think I know what you are trying to do here, Topher. Is this it, give or take?

I think maybe a bit more than that, Len. Before I do any more, I need to sand the surface spots and get an overall light coat of primer for a better visual. Yeah, I hate bumpers. You're not supposed to bump anything. Most self-respecting lead sleds sport big bulbous bumpers. I like a cleaner look.

This is what I'm using for the actual body contouring 👇. Its thick enough to use as body filler. For "glazing" duty, I use Mr. Surfacer 500. I sorta hafta purge the watery stuff, there's just no other way. ☹. But the convenience outweighs that little "drool" issue. Here's a mock-up As I look at these two photos I'm thinking that I need to re-think the area below the light pods. I gotta get some primer on it 🤔 I can't do much with the very bottom, Len, because the chassis comes into play. There's not much body below the chassis so it's a "take it slow" situation.

Thanks, Steve. The chop was not well planned out, I will admit, but I'm okay with it. Luckily, I put the box in the trash a while back so there's no danger of that, and all my other boxes are occupied at the moment 😂

I don't know how to respond to this, Len, I'm quite flummoxed (look it up). Is this about the ketchup?