Custom ideas

wyatt · Post by **wyatt** » January 25, 2009, 12:53 am

I've seen a lot of custom ideas on the club. I got to thinking about how the new trucks have the blue oval sunk into the middle of the tailgate. My idea was maybe to sink an oval on the front fenders where the fender badges are originally. I don't have a project to try it on but thought I'de throw it out there for someone else to think about. Maybe it would look good on the back corner of the hood also. There are plenty of other locations that this treatment might look good.
Here are a few of the things I did to my slicks:

I did the rollpan from the top edge of the bed
Used the side of the bed to smooth the tailgate
Did the big window conversion on my sons 64
Used seatbelt buckles for latches to hold the smoothed tailgate shut
Put the lip from an ashtray on the glove box lid to do away with the knob
Stretched a 62 Falcon console to set my shifter on
Cut and raised the center of the hood to make a cowl induction hood but scrapped that idea because I didn't like the sharp edges

I had thought about using the front section of a hood to flip upside down and put under the front bumper with running lights for an air dam.
Also thought about quartering an old hood way down to make a mini hood for an air cleaner.

How about some other ideas that are floating around out there?
I know of a few other ideas I've heard of from other members.

I think we should make a list of ideas for others to try if they like them. Could prove to be pretty interesting. After all, look at the LTD conversion, the disc brakes, the Mustang gas tank install (compliments of UncleSkip) and all of the other mods that have been done thus far.
Sooo, come on guys. Post your thoughts.

Wyatt

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » January 25, 2009, 8:18 am

The one thing I did was shorten a 8’/’64-’66/129”wb bed to fit my 8’/’62/120” wrongbed truck. I guess one small thing I did I never saw before was to use chrome plug buttons to replace the white center of the switch knobs as half of my white centers were missing, cheap fix that looks cool too.

I have thought about cutting around the indentation of the hood (side & rear) then removing the 1” wide “slope down” and flipping it so the center of the hood is raised a bit rather than lower.

I have not yet seen a sun visor on a slick that I was crazy about but have tried to vision the front of a hood as a sun visor.

As far as a roll pan I am going to try to use the top edge of a bad tailgate I have. Do a little metal work so the “rib” ends in the center for the license plate the same way it does at the ends. I have also thought about moving the tailgate pivot points down and stretching the tailgate so it is a roll pan and tailgate all in one. Only problem is when the stretched tailgate is open it would be lower then the floor of the bed (may look stupid). The plus side is it may offer enough space (between the open tailgate and the floor) to add a fuel filler to my mustang tank. It would be a tailgate, roll pan, and fuel door all in one. Then when it is closed people will scratch there heads trying to find the fuel filler unless I use the stock hole for a washer fluid bottle.

I have also wondered if a fresh air vent could be added to the center of the cowl like on the older trucks. I know they put a lot of air into the cab.

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » January 25, 2009, 11:42 am

jwh f-100 wrote:...I guess one small thing I did I never saw before was to use chrome plug buttons to replace the white center of the switch knobs as half of my white centers were missing, cheap fix that looks cool too...

Thats a good Idea...I might have to use that.

jwh f-100 wrote:...Only problem is when the stretched tailgate is open it would be lower then the floor of the bed (may look stupid)...

Well you would never realy see it open. Grant raised his bed floor on his Bump (Bumpside Buildoff in Clasic Trucks) so that he didn't have to have the hump in the bed floor. It looked fine.

One thing I am going to do is a hiden 3rd brake light.

Cut a hole obove the rear window and mount a red lense a little proud of the cab.
Fill in the gaps around it with bondo.
Sand it smooth.
Tape off the lense.
Paint truck as normal, only remove the tape before the final coat of color.

This will make it invisable untill you hit the brakes and then the light shines through the paint. It would be bedt to do this with LEDs as they are brighter and run cooler.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » January 25, 2009, 11:53 am

Chuck as you know I depend on YOU to come up with the custom stuff

since I have the BBW and the roll pan you invented. I have also filled all the body seams, filled in the gas cap location, and added a '78 side filler for the gas tank.

I always thought it would be cool to take just the double indent on a slick, hood flip it over on another hood and make it into a scoop like a '71/72 Torino or a '68 Shelby, or even a '66 Cyclone

But I think I would want to photoshop that one from a few angles to decide which one is best

I would think the effect would be the opposite of a snorkel hood scoop and actually not look like crap.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » January 25, 2009, 12:07 pm

I'm in the process of re-skinning a 91 Chev box with the rear quarters from my 64 style side. My floor and frt panel were rusted out. I have been thinking of narrowing the box by about 1" when I hang the rear quarters, I think it would clean up the gap at the cab a little. Things get complicated in the tailgate area but I think it would be worth the effort.
Have any of you Slicksters narrowed the box?
Doug

Jarrod · Post by **Jarrod** » January 25, 2009, 12:40 pm

I have thought the tear drop hood scoop would look bitchen, I do like the GT 500 scoop as well. Mustang tail lights on a flair side bed always looks good.

wyatt · Post by **wyatt** » January 25, 2009, 1:52 pm

See, The ideas are popping out just as I hoped they would. I hope more will show for others to try.
JC, We are tinkering with the flipped hood idea that you had mentioned to make the hood scoop. When I say we I mean one of the guys locally. Do you remember Ben? He is the one that bought Garbzs' F-250 uni. It no longer looks like a F-250. He swapped out the 8 lugs for 5 lugs and is running chrome reversed w/ baby moons on it. I need to get some pics from him to post.
I like that hidden gas filler idea too. A lot of work for me though

Keep the ideas coming guys. I know there are plenty more out there.
I forgot to mention that when I installed the rollpan on my truck, I used the front fender to frame supports to run from the rollpan to my frame to give it more support. (Not that it needed it) I had to twist them a little to make it work but it's kinda cool. That way if I ever get Betty flying that fast, the wind won't rip it off.

Another good idea which I didn't do yet is, Drill holes across the bottom edge of the rollpan for water to drain out of that comes off your tires on rainy drives.
Later
Wyatt(Chuck)

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » January 25, 2009, 4:40 pm

i thought of the hood scoop modification too.

tired of cleaning stuff out of the cowl so i was thinking of some type of cover or air dam on the front and top to help keep the junk out. might take a junk hood nose and narrow it a bunch and make one to see how it looked.

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » January 25, 2009, 6:14 pm

That's interesting JC, my vision was the scoop facing the widsheild... Both ways would be cool!!

BackyardRest · Post by **BackyardRest** » January 25, 2009, 7:09 pm

Johnny Canuck wrote:Chuck as you know I depend on YOU to come up with the custom stuff since I have the BBW and the roll pan you invented. I have also filled all the body seams, filled in the gas cap location, and added a '78 side filler for the gas tank.

I always thought it would be cool to take just the double indent on a slick, hood flip it over on another hood and make it into a scoop like a '71/72 Torino or a '68 Shelby, or even a '66 Cyclone

But I think I would want to photoshop that one from a few angles to decide which one is best

I would think the effect would be the opposite of a snorkel hood scoop and actually not look like crap.

I just love those Gran Torino Sports. 429 4spd for me.

Here is my 66 Cyclone with home made tear drop hood in metal.

2400lbs with a 511 cube

Building a steel tear drop was a lot tougher than it looks. especially when you are not good at math to figure it all out. This car had coil overs front and rear. Was built for a daily driver with all out performance in mind.

frank66 · Post by **frank66** » January 25, 2009, 8:32 pm

MadMaxetc wrote:One thing I am going to do is a hiden 3rd brake light.

Cut a hole obove the rear window and mount a red lense a little proud of the cab.

Fill in the gaps around it with bondo.

Sand it smooth.

Tape off the lense.

Paint truck as normal, only remove the tape before the final coat of color.
This will make it invisable untill you hit the brakes and then the light shines through the paint. It would be bedt to do this with LEDs as they are brighter and run cooler.

I was thinking about doing this a different way. I would like to replace the back window with a thick piece of lexan. I would etch my stop light into the window, either just a plan rectangle or maybe the word "STOP" and have it edge lit with red LED's.

Here are some examples of edge lit signs

wyatt · Post by **wyatt** » January 25, 2009, 8:53 pm

Gotta love them tear drop scoops. Wonder what a slick would look like with one of those. (Nice car too.)I know I would never be able to pull something like that off. Too many angles for this dummy

I like the edge lit glass too. Only problem I see with that is , Would it be legal for the road? You could remove the center of the tailgate and put a really big piece in there to say STOP.
One thing a guy must do is look at the state laws before you spend too much time and money on something.
Like we say here in Pennsylvania.
If it's fun, It's illegal in Pennsylvania

Wyatt

frank66 · Post by **frank66** » January 25, 2009, 9:00 pm

I don't see why it wouldn't be legal considering these trucks didn't come with third brake lights.

36truck · Post by **36truck** » January 25, 2009, 9:03 pm

I did the 72 Gran Torino Sport hood scoop on a 79 Bronco 30 years ago. It came out nice. I can't find a pic of it though.

wyatt · Post by **wyatt** » January 25, 2009, 9:28 pm

I figured they would say it's illegal due to distractions. I think that's what they said about the ricers running their neon lights under their cars.
Distraction, Can you imagine what they will think of next?
I'm only going by what I've heard though. That's why I said that a guy should look into the laws first. You can't really go by he said she said. I like your idea. That would be so cool.

Hey Ice, Maybe you could just close the vents up across the front of your windshield. You just wouldn't have any fresh air coming in. That would look pretty cool. Just go easy on bean soup or chili before you drive your slick

Wyatt

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » January 26, 2009, 2:59 pm

A hood rise (scoop) over 2.5 inches in PA is illegal, unless it was a factory install.. Impairs vision...According to PADOT

The officer can make you remove it on the spot or impound the vehicle..

The also have laws on rear brake lights as to size and color. No other light is allowed on a tailgate while running except the license plate light and that has to be white. no neon or color...

Also no blue dots...

Yep,, PA sucks..

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » January 26, 2009, 5:34 pm

Johnny Canuck wrote: I always thought it would be cool to take just the double indent on a slick, hood flip it over on another hood and make it into a scoop like a '71/72 Torino or a '68 Shelby, or even a '66 Cyclone...

That's just about what you're describing here...

This pic is from a newbie that popped in here a while back, then disappeared. Said he & his Dad made the scoops from scratch, if I recall.
I think the hood looks b-e-a-utiful!

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » January 26, 2009, 5:48 pm

A couple other ideas I've seen that I've liked. I'd like to find two of these scoops with grilles & mount 'em facing forward. Then build an underhood Ram Air plenum that would seal to the air cleaner, like the Ram Air 'stangs & others.

...or maybe even face them backwards.

This Ram Air setup is kinda cool too, not as cool as my dual scooped idea, though.

I like this fan shroud.

I LOVE this fuel filler door.

I like these door panels.

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » January 26, 2009, 10:04 pm

Slick Fan wrote:
Johnny Canuck wrote: I always thought it would be cool to take just the double indent on a slick, hood flip it over on another hood and make it into a scoop like a '71/72 Torino or a '68 Shelby, or even a '66 Cyclone...
That's just about what you're describing here...

http://onfinite.com/libraries/1235461/f33.jpg

This pic is from a newbie that popped in here a while back, then disappeared. Said he & his Dad made the scoops from scratch, if I recall.
I think the hood looks b-e-a-utiful!

Dude...that looks better than I thought it would.

I would pull them a little further forward so that the intake was almost at the front just after the "nose"

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » January 26, 2009, 11:01 pm

Slick Fan wrote: That's just about what you're describing here...

This pic is from a newbie that popped in here a while back, then disappeared. Said he & his Dad made the scoops from scratch, if I recall.
I think the hood looks b-e-a-utiful!

Yep that's pretty much it, I agree with max I might move the intakes forward about 6" or so