‘55 El Camino

[TNT]

Cool project. Great work. Looks really good.

[Ridge Rider]

Nice start. I finished one this year with grafted 57 rear panels. It turned out nice. I need to do an under glass for it.

[NOBLNG]

21 hours ago, Rattlecan Dan said:

Great work there Greg. Gonna' be a beauty. Bet they would have sold a million of those.

Thanks Dan.? Yeah, too bad Chevy didn’t come up with the idea sooner.

2 hours ago, TNT said:

Cool project. Great work. Looks really good.

Thanks Tony.?

1 hour ago, Ridge Rider said:

Nice start. I finished one this year with grafted 57 rear panels. It turned out nice. I need to do an under glass for it.

Thanks Steve.? Yes, please post some pics of it. I’m sure we’d all love to see it.?

[Steve H]

Great project Greg. That roof looked like a real mess to start with. Obviously no match for your talents tho. I think you have convinced me to try that putty, I’ve been using Tamiya, and it’s good, but not great. That stuff looks like it feathers out really nice. I’ll follow along, I love Elky’s, especially phantoms…

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, Steve H said:

Great project Greg. That roof looked like a real mess to start with. Obviously no match for your talents tho. I think you have convinced me to try that putty, I’ve been using Tamiya, and it’s good, but not great. That stuff looks like it feathers out really nice. I’ll follow along, I love Elky’s, especially phantoms…

Thanks Steve. You won’t regret switching to Milliput. Get the fine white stuff as there are a few different types.

[NOBLNG]

I have a second parts Nomad, so I’ve been exploring another option. Thoughts anyone?

I wasn’t kidding about the T-Bird roof Jim.?

Edited August 20, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

I'll have to admit, Greg, it's tempting . It's not as wacky as the 3100 roof but it's a Ford thing and it would cause some emotional distress for the brand zealots. The form is well in line with the Nomad's.   I may not be alone in saying that I actually like it. ?  The risk may be worth the reward. The thing that hits me though, is that it resembles a car with no trunk lid, and not a pick-up. The proportions of the greenhouse compared to the body doesn't work. That was already discussed somewhere. I get away with it due to the '57 fins.  My solution, if I was intent to make it work, would be to shorten the door to, let's say, a four-door length and move the roof forward. It might be enough to do the trick. You would need solenoids for the doors but shaving is always an option for me ?   Unless, of course you can save the handles or make new ones.  I can't wait to see what you decide ?

[LennyB]

That's one way to add extra leg room for us tall guys. ?.  Doesn't look terrible and the rear slope of the roof seems to mimic the slope of the tailgate.

[Zippi]

They both look pretty kewl Greg but I think I prefer the second pic.  

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

That's one way to add extra leg room for us tall guys. ?.  Doesn't look terrible and the rear slope of the roof seems to mimic the slope of the tailgate.

 

55 minutes ago, Zippi said:

They both look pretty kewl Greg but I think I prefer the second pic.  

Thanks Guys.? I’m going to play with it a bit more to see if I can get it looking better.

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, customline said:

I'll have to admit, Greg, it's tempting . It's not as wacky as the 3100 roof but it's a Ford thing and it would cause some emotional distress for the brand zealots. The form is well in line with the Nomad's.   I may not be alone in saying that I actually like it. ?  The risk may be worth the reward. The thing that hits me though, is that it resembles a car with no trunk lid, and not a pick-up. The proportions of the greenhouse compared to the body doesn't work. That was already discussed somewhere. I get away with it due to the '57 fins.  My solution, if I was intent to make it work, would be to shorten the door to, let's say, a four-door length and move the roof forward. It might be enough to do the trick. You would need solenoids for the doors but shaving is always an option for me ?   Unless, of course you can save the handles or make new ones.  I can't wait to see what you decide ?

So you think a Viper motor would be too much?? I can’t shorten the door unless I lose the side trim and I don’t want to do that.? I could lose the opera windows and shave the B (C?) pillar some in order to move the roof forward some.?

[LennyB]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

So you think a Viper motor would be too much?? I can’t shorten the door unless I lose the side trim and I don’t want to do that.? I could lose the opera windows and shave the B (C?) pillar some in order to move the roof forward some.?

If you lose the opera window the dogs can't see out.?

[customline]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

So you think a Viper motor would be too much?? I can’t shorten the door unless I lose the side trim and I don’t want to do that.? I could lose the opera windows and shave the B (C?) pillar some in order to move the roof forward some.?

Viper?  Where'd that come from?  ?....mmmmm naaah. But the door thing is not beyond your skills, Greg. If I can do it...? I use Dymo tape and a PE razor saw, you can keep the trim as is.  Your way is a good one and it seems like you've already done some work to the roof anyway. If it's just the need for a roof, and the porthole is not specifically desired then yeah. As a "Kustom" though, I like the porthole. But then I would be compelled to make more mods for balance....and then down the rabbit hole I go ?  don't get me started ?

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

If you lose the opera window the dogs can't see out.?

Yeah, I kinda want to keep it even though that is what identifies it as a T-Bird roof.?

1 hour ago, customline said:

Viper?  Where'd that come from?  ?....mmmmm naaah. But the door thing is not beyond your skills, Greg. If I can do it...? I use Dymo tape and a PE razor saw, you can keep the trim as is.  Your way is a good one and it seems like you've already done some work to the roof anyway. If it's just the need for a roof, and the porthole is not specifically desired then yeah. As a "Kustom" though, I like the porthole. But then I would be compelled to make more mods for balance....and then down the rabbit hole I go ?  don't get me started ?

It’s just that I happen to have a couple of Viper engines.? I am just going to lower the back end of the roof a bit and see how it looks. Only one of these two are going on to be finished…so we’ll see what they look like after primer.?

[customline]

54 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Yeah, I kinda want to keep it even though that is what identifies it as a T-Bird roof.?

It’s just that I happen to have a couple of Viper engines.? I am just going to lower the back end of the roof a bit and see how it looks. Only one of these two are going on to be finished…so we’ll see what they look like after primer.?

My feeling about the roof is that, as a full-blown show custom its a cool identifiable element.  I think it depends on what else you do to make the picture complete like, say, monochrome treatment, rolled pans, a nice teak bed deck, slammed to the asphalt, billet rims, all that. Oh sorry....??

[espo]

Like the T-Bird roof. 

[NOBLNG]

I puttied the roof on the second one and primed them both to get a better comparison. I’m still torn between the two.?

Edited August 24, 2024 by NOBLNG

[mrm]

Great job, man. Body looks really smooth and everything flows as if factory. I am not a fan of the porthole however. It is beautifully executed, but it is like a Thunderbird trademark and it is out of place on a chevy in my personal opinion. It's like putting Buick portholes on a Mustang. 

[Rattlecan Dan]

In my humble opinion, the T-Bird roof is Yuk! Lol.

[customline]

I say add some Buick portholes (Roadmaster portholes ?) and keep the 'Bird lid. Then see if you can find a '57 Desoto front bumper and some '58 Edsel tail lights. Awesome! ?

[Kenmojr]

Awesome work. I think the T-Bird roof looks out of place, but great working on grafting it to the 55 Chevy.

[LennyB]

9 hours ago, customline said:

I say add some Buick portholes (Roadmaster portholes ?) and keep the 'Bird lid. Then see if you can find a '57 Desoto front bumper and some '58 Edsel tail lights. Awesome! ?

Actually that’s not half bad an idea.  Although I would add a Buick grill and just make it a Buick, portholes and all.  

[customline]

I was looking to see if Buick had a version of the Nomad  and I ran across this. 

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1957-BUICK-CENTURY-CUSTOM-WAGON-138984

Pretty cool, huh? ?

[slusher]

I like the T-Bird roof..

[rv1963]

Nice neat work cutting this one and I really like your idea of the custom hobby blade.