Body side trim - opinions wanted

[markeb01]

I’ve toyed with the concept of creating side trim similar to the old Chevy Fleetline. It could be made out of aluminum or brass, or just airbrushed. For now it’s nothing more than a styling exercise.

So what do you think - cool looking, or the stupidest thing you’ve ever seen. All opinions welcome.

Before



After

[bubba327]

I really like your truck and the Torque thrust rims. Really nice profile. Something is needed here but I do not think that is quite it. The back fender looks good, but something is missing in the door area .... Maybe try adding a couple more on the door?

[Captainfab]

I'm thinking maybe shorten the ones on the front?

[scotts62]

I kinda like it, but yeah i would shorten the front ones by half or so but thats just my opinion.

[LILRED66]

I really like to looks of your truck without any trim. I think it is nicely stated the way it sits. Thanks for sharing.

[Roadhammer]

IMHO some trucks look good with trim some dont...ive always thought stepsides are generally the no trim side of that coin...I like yours as it is with not trim...

That being said you could put a giant chrome pig on the hood and that truck would still look good. LOL

Jory

[1964C10]

Since you dont have a whole lot of other chrome on your truck (painted mirrors, no window trim) I agree with some of the suggestions above, that flat/satin black gives it good look. What about some classic flames coming off the sides? something with bright colors?

[Roadhammer]

I think your truck is perfect as is and your itching for a project...
more toys = more fun....LOL

In tribute to fact that the truck is firmly held together and molded from a hefty amount of JB WELD I would put an old school JB Weld autobody sign on the door. Not really the style you going for tho i dont think.

[Sicboy]

Sorry, I'm not diggin it. Love your truck just they way it is.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Not bad.

But if it was me................

FLAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


LOOK HERE:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=313471

[lakeroadster]

Mark,

I like it, something to break up the side, but with a vintage twist.

What about modifying the stock style body side trim that would be used on a fleetside?

Heres my thought ....

-- Use Apache fender logo's.

-- The cab portion trim would be just like stock except a feathered look at the termination at the back of the cab. (think of an arrow..."Apache")

-- Then on the rear fenders it would be similar in apearance but a spearpoint at the front of the fender and again, a feathered look at the back of the cab.

Make any sense??

[markeb01]

Thanks to everyone that responded. I appreciate all the thoughtful input. And specifically:

Originally Posted by bubba327

. Maybe try adding a couple more on the door?

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm thinking maybe shorten the ones on the front?

Originally Posted by scotts62

I kinda like it, but yeah i would shorten the front ones by half or so.

Your comments mirror the variations in my own thoughts. I've created dozens of alternate layouts that are closer to what you've suggested, but didn't want to clog the post with too many pictures.

Originally Posted by LILRED66

I really like to looks of your truck without any trim. I think it is nicely stated the way it sits. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Sicboy

Sorry, I'm not diggin it. Love your truck just they way it is.

My wife agrees, which is probably why it will stay just like it is (that and I’m getting lazy in my old age).

Originally Posted by Roadhammer

IMHO some trucks look good with trim some dont...ive always thought stepsides are generally the no trim side of that coin...I like yours as it is with no trim...That being said you could put a giant chrome pig on the hood and that truck would still look good. LOL :

I have similar views on the trim issue. I grew up when magazines promoted the creativity of customizing, so I’ve always had an interest in trying to improve the factory styling. Problem being you need to know when to stop. If I had a fleetside I’d probably want something close to the original layout. I was really after the old speedlines styling, which I don’t think would work on a fleetside, since there wouldn’t be a good place to start or stop. In truth it probably doesn’t work on anything this new, it’s more of a 30’s-40’s concept.

The chrome pig observation reminds me of my late father-in-law. He had a 1960 Chevy carryall, and his son gave him a chrome bulldog from a Mack truck. First he mounted it near the front of the hood, which looked goofy but not too bad. But for some reason it needed to move, so he mounted it on the center of the rain gutter. Then it moved to the center of the hood, and finally it ended up just in front of the cowl. Each time it got relocated, two big rusty holes got left behind! After it was painted white he pinstriped it with black electrical tape, but alas it only lasted about 3 days before it shrunk up and fell off leaving a gooey mess behind. He was quite a customizer. I'm trying to remember to quit before I start drilling bulldog holes all over my hood!

Originally Posted by 1964C10

What about some classic flames coming off the sides? something with bright colors?

Originally Posted by 1Bad62Pro/Street

[B][SIZE="4"]Not bad.
But if it was me................FLAMES

I’ve thought about flames, and may actually do that someday. I did paint flames on my 54 Chevy back in the dark ages, and did the layout work for a friends El Camino. I thought they looked cool, and sure drew a lot of attention. But since it was my daily driver it wasn’t always fun, like when trying to sneak out of work early, or speeding past a cop!

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

I like it, something to break up the side, but with a vintage twist. What about modifying the stock style body side trim that would be used on a fleetside? Use Apache fender logo's - The cab portion trim would be just like stock except a feathered look at the termination at the back of the cab. (think of an arrow..."Apache") - Then on the rear fenders it would be similar in apearance but a spearpoint at the front of the fender and again, a feathered look at the back of the cab.

Make any sense??

I get it, sounds like an interesting idea. Going back to some of the earlier comments, it might look even better on a fleetside. I can see the cab portion, but not sure the rear fender shape lends itself. Perhaps with 73 style rear fenders, which better match the cab design.

I’ve grown to like the looks of the original stepside fenders on these trucks, but still remember how funny I thought they looked when they were new. I was 11 or 12 when I first saw this model and commented to my parents “what happened to the new fenders, those are the old fenders from the 55 model? After six years it became apparent GM wasn’t going to be releasing the new design fender that belonged with this body style.

Originally Posted by Roadhammer

I think your truck is perfect as is and your itching for a project...more toys = more fun....LOL In tribute to fact that the truck is firmly held together and molded from a hefty amount of JB WELD I would put an old school JB Weld autobody sign on the door.:

You have no idea how true this is. Since taking forced retirement in January I’ve got way too much time to sit and dream up things to do. I’ve built hobby cabinets, painted my truck, restored furniture, and dozens of other projects, in addition to spending way too much time on here!!.

With the popularity of pseudo shop trucks these days, I’ve actually thought about doing something like this, I could just never figure out what name to use. I should probably do that, and then see if they’ll hire me as their spokesman! LOL…

Anyhow thanks for listening and sharing your input.

[forestb]

I like it with the trim. Ive always wanted to do something with trim on my step side but could never figure out the rear fender.
Do you have a close up of those tail lights and how you did that? I've always wanted to do that

[markeb01]

Thanks for the input. Here’s another shot with the door trim shortened a bit.



The 59 Caddy tail light mounts are machined out of aluminum and then powder coated. They are shaped to resemble the profile of the stepside fender. The assembly bolts to the stake pocket, and can only be installed or removed with the fenders off. It’s comprised of two pieces, the part that bolts to the stake pocket, and the piece that contains the lens housings. They are held together with socket head cap screws between the lenses. The mounts are more complicated than I originally designed, but my son is a machinist so he added the extra touches that conceal the attaching hardware and wires. There’s a recessed cavity inside, and the wires run through the bracket into the bed wall and are connected under the bed.

Here are a few pics showing the pieces and the finished install:


http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3392/003jxx.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


Here’s the back side of the lens section which fits inside the mounting bracket, which in turn bolts to the truck.




And here it is bolted to the truck before the fender went on:


They attract a lot of attention at night:


I also thought about mounting the lights directly to the fenders using something like 1962 Plymouth tail light bezels, but I really wanted them side by side. I actually wanted 3 per side, to allow sequential turn signals, but it just doesn’t work on a truck like this.

[scotts62]

I like the lights too, they are different and i have never seen them on our style trucks.

[Northern lights]

Originally Posted by markeb01

You have no idea how true this is. Since taking forced retirement in January I’ve got way too much time to sit and dream up things to do.

Well, try this on for size. Since your truck is perfect the way it is and mine needs alot of work, how about you come up here for the month of March, all expenses paid and put some of that creative energy to work on mine.

[wild one]

Not trying to go too far off topic but wow, I mean WOW - that is a beautiful 1954 chevy. Any background on it?

[markeb01]

This 54 Chevy was number 6, and my last. I bought it in the early 70’s from the original owner. She was a self proclaimed old maid that spent her adult life as a school teacher and caring for her parents. We became friends and visited for years before she moved and we lost touch. The car was cherry. No dings, dents, chips or rust. She worked literally across the street from her house so the car was rarely used. It had no radio, no heater, but wore factory fender skirts.

I swapped in a 283 against the original torque tube 3 speed. It had a Duntov 30-30 cam and ran pretty sweet.

URL=http://img692.imageshack.us/i/1954003.jpg/][/URL]

After a couple years the rear axle gears finally broke, so I switched to a T10 4 speed and 57 Chevy rear end. Eventually the staggered cylinder heads wore out, so I went to the later style and had to replace the Corvette valve covers. I also upgraded to a Holley 650 double pumper. I also discovered the later 12v electric wiper motors were a direct bolt on, which can be seen in the photo:



For exhaust I used the original Walker Corvair Turbo mufflers with Cadillac tailpipe turndowns ending at the rear axle. It sounded magnificent – solid lifters, rough cam, throaty pipes.

I found an immaculate 1950 Oldsmobile steering wheel, and a chrome turn signal cup in the wrecking yard, so I slipped a chrome tailpipe over the column and had the only 54 with a chrome column in the neighborhood. The left hand emergency brake came from the same Olds, and surprisingly used the same handle that came stock in the 55-57 T-Birds.




Cosmetically I could never leave it alone. It was originally green with a cream top, which I repainted black.

URL=http://img511.imageshack.us/i/1954001.jpg/][/URL]

Over the 6 years or so I owned it, I ran full wheel covers, mags, reversed black rims, and stock wheels with dog dish caps and trim rings. I ran the flames for a while, but it was so distinctive, it became somewhat of a burden. It was both my daily driver and my primary family car, so I eventually went back to solid black.

The final configuration was as shown below. I had every factory accessory on the body except for the external sunvisor (which I didn’t want) and the grille guard (which I could never find). Showing below are the gas guard, front fender stone shields, door edge strips, door handle shields, fender skirts, and spotlights.



It looked like this the day I was cruising around with the wife in front, and my sons in two car seats in the back. Sitting at an intersection waiting for the light, a couple of young guys in a white over blue 55 Chevy 2 door sedan pulled up on the passenger side and gave challenge. It had radiused fenders with slicks, and a lumpy cam with headers. It was a typical kids car, kind of beat up, showy and badly tuned with no real suds.

About the time they noticed the exhaust note and idle of my car the light changed. I spun the engine and dumped the clutch, leaving them buried in a cloud of tire smoke. When they finally caught up I just got smiles and a couple of thumbs up. I enjoyed the sleeper image, it just looked so much like an old lady car, few suspected how quick it could be. Thanks for asking.

[frmula505]

Wow i love that bomb. I had a 50 business coupe back in the day (burnt in a house fire at my parents home).

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Side Trim ideas:


http://www.donshotrodpage.net/Editor...msV01.html#top

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...=304106&page=2

http://oldcarandtruckads.com/Packard/

[Vernski]

Markb01 that was a nice 54 chev thanks for sharing the pic's. IMO your truck looks great without trim on it. The trim might look better if it was longer and maybe just one or two strips, but over all it's better without trim. I'd like a classic flame job with yellow fading into orange and orange into red and all satin colors. I like the caddy tail lights and how you set them up side ways. That's one cool truck the way it is, I could say "sick" but that just don't sound right to me. I guess I'm old skool no changing a Taurus great thread.---Vernski

[markeb01]

Thanks Vernski, afraid I'm pretty old school myself. Like you I try to stay up on how the younger generation communicates so I can both teach - and continue learning.

[1964C10]

Thanks for sharing those pictures, very nice ride!

[19GMC63]

Mark, your truck makes for a perfect canvas... hope you don't mind.

[shrunken66stroker]

[quote=19GMC63;3596832]Mark, your truck makes for a perfect canvas... hope you don't mind.



Dude! That looks great. Nice work 63. Get to work Mark.