He said in his first post "flat black paint with a little Von Dutch style accents, red and black interior, and red steel wheels with wide wall tires"

 

I am as amature as they come. I am not doing the work. A good friend of mine has a restoration shop (Blake Rod's). So he (Josh) gets all the credit! All I do is hunt parts down and decide on the direction of the theme. Oh and let's not forget cut a check at the end of every month.

 

It's a Gen II system. The numbers I have are:
1. 66005-vuz-a ac unit<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o></SPAN>
2. 491229 control panel<o></o>
3. 49053-vul vents qty.=2<o></o>
4. 07321-vuc drier

The builder had a condenser and compressor in inventory that were perfect for this application so I don't have the data on those.

 

Perhaps but I think there are a ton more that are Red, Green, Patina'ed, or a Rat Rod. I am not making a "Street Rod" (although this will share alot of mechanical updates that you would normally see on a street rod). But no 17" or 18" polished wheels, flashy metallic paint, captains chairs in the cab, crazy custom upolstery...you get the idea. Not that those aren;t cool....if I had enough $$$ I'd want both.

I want it to look like it's period correct for something you'd find in the early 50's. Although from your minds eye view since I don't think they had lowering kits back then...lol

I am only 39 so I never lived it but think that style is cool. Plus I think satin black with gloss red and Von Dutch accents looks cool. Not much around here in Florida like that.

Maybe that's different up north and every car or truck is a black and red hot rod?

Just curious, since its not painted yet, What would you recommend?

Not that I'll change my mind...just curious

 

Period correct would not be flat black. When it came to 50s customs it was all about candy, metallic, flames, pearl. All of the von dutch work I have seen rarely if any has been on flat black. They lowered everything in the early 50s customs where do you think reversing eyes and cutting coils came from? I am 27 so I understand not being there just from what I have seen or read thankfully lots of old pictures are still around.

Have you looked at any of the older 50s rod and custom magazines? They have had some great truck issues like rod and custom Jan 59 or Car Craft June 1958 showing some sweet trucks none in flat colors.

Just my thoughts and opinions even when I lived in Tampa area Florida black cars/trucks with red wheels where all over.

 

I guess i am a little more conservative because I am not looking for a "wild custom" with a flames job or candy etc.... to me that's a street rod. I see tons of those around here with 18" - 20" wheels....too flashy for this truck IMO.

Not sure how long it's been since you've been in Tampa but I almost never see a satin black truck. Must have been awhile or your looking at Rat Rods. I attend most of the larger local (Tampa/Orlando) shows and from what I've seen, thats how I got the idea to do this look. Just not many around.

But I appreciate your comments.

 

Ok, I see. Is your truck the stock color? Green?

Even if there are a bunch of flat black/red/white trucks out there...they still look good! You gotta agree with that Chappy!

 

Very well done !!!!

 

I lived the 50's, and hate to burst bubbles, butI can say with personal certainty there were no hot rodded trucks then unless they were 20's or 30's trucks. The F1 and F100's were new or nearly new back then, and were used as farm and work trucks not as rodding material. Hardly anyone thought trucks were "cool", they were what you hauled parts, animal feed, or towed your car to the drags with. Anyone who drove a truck as a daily driver was considered to be "poor", even by rodder's standards. Yes there were a few custom show trucks, typically built by a pro shop to attract attention to what they could do with "even" a truck and it was out of the norm at a show, so it was noticed among all the A's, 30's -40's roadsters and coupes, 50 Mercs and shoebox Fords. Only builds in progress wore any primer, and only until were painted. Primer was "getto" and the bodyis were painted often even before they had seats in them. Dark solid colors were preferred: black, marroon, deep blue, dark green or occasionally white. Last thing you wanted to do is attract the attention of the local john laws with flashy paint or primer.

 

If that is the case why are these done in the 50s and in car magazines?

 

Exactly like Ax said, as those trucks were done to show off the pro shops. They weren't common on the street. The only place you would see them is in magazines. I grew up hot rodding in that era and it was model A's, Tee's, roadsters, sleds, and coupes.

 

Very nice build so far. Please keep the pics coming!

-DV

 

There is a difference between hot rods and customs. Customs were built to show off the owner/builder's skill and vision (along with his bank account) much like show cars and concept cars are done today. They lived in garages and were seldom if ever meant to be driven. Customs were sometimes built from new to nearly new vehicles. Note that none of the pictured trucks were in primer or had built up engines. Show cars were judged by how many modifications were made, points were awarded for each, so many times the mods were just piled on to maximize the scores (for example, they would award so many points for each "scoop" the vehicle had, so there was a 58 Impalla on the circuit and in the magazines called Scoopie Doo that had over 100 scoops cut in every body panel on the car) . The had additions that were totally impractical or implausable, like 115V 45 rpm record players, TVs and non working home telephone handsets.

 

Hence the phrase " No Go Show Boat"

 

There are so many ways you could go. "Period correct" or not so much so won't matter in the end. I'm sure we'll all think it's great when it's done!

P.S.
Keep the pics a comin'!