'57 Thunderbird Re-imagined Custom

[Lunajammer]

I've had this as a bagged kit for a few years (sample box from web). I also have a ton of part boxes handed down to me so I want to use some of those for a project. With the week off I have time to zone-in for hours on end.

 

The first place to start is to remove the parts that identify it as a T-Bird, beginning with the fins.

 

Same goes for the bug eye tail lights. It can stand to have some length cut too, especially if I'm going to rebuild it with something else.

 

With the tail lights gone, we don't need character lines forming into them.

 

With the body smoothed and basically slab sided, I can do anything I want and most things will still line up. One of the reasons I selected this car is because there are few character lines to argue with my creative choices, especially since I'm doing this without a real plan and am changing my mind as I go.

 

This is the piece I think I want to use. It's so... not Thunderbird. But the body needs to be trimmed to fit so I'll take a wedge out to slope down the corners.

 

 

 

The new tail piece has been paint stripped and is in place. To match the width of the new piece the fenders were pulled apart and plastic has been added to complete the body shape. You can see that the length of the rear quarters has returned. More fine shaping and bondo to come.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Lunajammer

[Jonathan]

That's some serious surgery there!  I'll be watching to see where you go - looks cool!

[Spex84]

Whoa, crazy! I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. That custom piece is not one I'm familiar with....looks like some kind of muscle car grille, but inverted?

[Lunajammer]

16 minutes ago, Spex84 said:

 but inverted?

I think so, though I'm not familiar with it either. Yet, there it was.

[Lowlife ! !]

 

Love where this is going, looks like a 60s custom, something spaceship like !

Look forward to more crazy body mods, hope your stocked up on filler ! !

[cobraman]

He slices, he dices ! Looking forward to watching this one.

[crazyjim]

This lloks to be interesting.

[espo]

Major plastic surgery going on here. 

[Lunajammer]

4 hours ago, Lowlife ! ! said:

hope your stocked up on filler ! !

True dat! And an arsenal of sandpaper. I actually did buy more last night.

Trying to go for a Starbird style 60's custom and really wanted a bubble top but it looks like it's not right for this project.

Thanks for the good words everyone. I welcome all comments.

[Lunajammer]

On to the front. I want to flatten it to make it easier to customize any way I want so it's clipped.

 

I also want to slope the nose so it's more sympathetic to the back of the car and try to soften the Thunderbird bones so I'm taking a wedge out of the fender tops.

 

 

A couple hours of imagineering and a headache later, trying to figure out what I wanted to do to the front end, I finally just took the easy way and stuck on a custom piece from the '49 Ford. It's maybe a little clunky but it's not outside the style era. Saves me a few days work.

 

[tbill]

I’m pickin up what you’re layin down, I dig where this is going.

[Tom Geiger]

Very interesting! When I saw your thread I thought you’d be using the custom parts from this kit, but you certainly went your own way!

That piece you used on the rear may be the custom nose piece from the 70s Barracuda turned upside down.

[cobraman]

Looking forward to see how this turns out.

[Lunajammer]

55 minutes ago, tbill said:

I’m pickin up what you’re layin down, I dig where this is going.

Ginchy.

[Lunajammer]

48 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

When I saw your thread I thought you’d be using the custom parts from this kit, 

Good point Tom and confirms what I was sort of afraid of, so I retitled the thread (while I still can).

Thanks for your insights on the rear piece. That makes sense. I was hoping someone might help ID.

[Steve H]

Mike, you’re not messing around here!! It looks.... well, nothing like a T-bird. I will be watching sir, love what you’ve done so far.

Cheers, Steve

[Sam I Am]

I'm along for the ride, and I call "shotgun" !

[Spex84]

The angle-sectioned fender tops are something I've never seen before. Fascinating!

I think the '49 Ford custom grille surround works pretty well, and looks good with the curve of the Tbird hood surround.

Now you've got me wondering if I could combine a '57 Tbird and a '49 Ford roof to make a euro-style hardtop custom...

[Lunajammer]

1 hour ago, Spex84 said:

Now you've got me wondering if I could combine a '57 Tbird and a '49 Ford roof to make a euro-style hardtop custom...

I think that's a good instinct. I considered something like that but there seems to be no way around this being a roadster. Might be different if the 'bird's unaltered. The top would need some heavy alterations though.

[Impalow]

oh, this is awesome!!!  I'm excited to watch this progress!

Nice work Mike!

[Spottedlaurel]

Some inventive thinking and effective work so far, I look forward to seeing it progress.

Will be interesting to see your chosen colour, wheel choice etc.

[TarheelRick]

Definitely have my attention.  Love watching full customs take shape.  I like the stock shape of the early 'Bird, but your changes use that shape and take it to a whole different level.  I have a couple customs in work that I really need to get back to.

[Geno]

Pretty neat, has that Studebaker look from the side view.

[Lunajammer]

7 hours ago, Impalow said:

oh, this is awesome!!!  I'm excited to watch this progress!

Nice work Mike!

Thanks Eric, high praise from someone who gave us this.

[Lunajammer]

6 hours ago, Geno said:

Pretty neat, has that Studebaker look from the side view.

I wasn't going for that, but even as I was shaving it down, it was unavoidable to make that connection. I decided I'm still okay with that though.