Thread: My New Chopped Shoebox!

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Well guys I am now a new proud owner of a 49 Ford Coupe (shoebox)! I have had my eye on my old bosses chopped 49 for about 8 years now and FINALLY got rid of enough cars and got enough money together to purchase the thing! He has owned it for 30 years + and it has been sitting for most of the time in his shop. Him and a buddy chopped it I believe 3 inches (could be wrong, still need to measure it) and Brent from Fat Man Fab built the front end for it (MII with manual rack for steering). Brent and my old boss are good friends and they told me that this was the first MII Brent built and it was the test dummy you could say. It was featured in a magazine when the car was black for Fat Man Fab. Anyways the car needs about 3 weeks worth of work to get it on the road and I plan to change a LOT of things on it.

Drivetrain wise: What I have going into it is a basic 350 sbc from an early 80's Corvette along with a 200-4R trans out of a 87 Monte Carlo SS (From my research this is one of the best 200's to build off of). The car has a nice Maverick rear end and the whole underside of this car is perfect (NO RUST) and was a frame off. Now yes I know I will get hell for the small block Chevy but its what I have on hand and the mounts in the car are already set up for it.

Body wise: It's of course chopped... The headlights and tail lights are frenched. Deck lid is shaved and 51 Ford hinges were used. Door handles are shaved and on poppers (VW starter solenoid used for poppers) and bear claw latches used on the doors. I mounted the hood on a piano hinge for now since I do not have the original hinges for the hood and it's what I had on hand to open up sideways. Tops of the fenders have a peak brought all the way to the front of the frenched head light bucket. Door corners are rounded out, etc etc. List goes on. Also included are metal fender skirts. I cannot remember the names of them but they are full length about 3 feet long and supposedly very hard to find and very old but in perfect shape and painted to match the car.

Interior Wise: The original dash was not there so we made a 51 Ford Dash out of fiberglass reinforced with metal bracing underneath and housed with basic aftermarket VDO gauges. 50 Ford bench seat up front with 67 Thunderbird wrap around rear seat. In the meantime I will be using what I think is the stock 49 heater. I pulled it apart and it's in great shape. I will replace the two wires going to the blower fan motor and a new heater core. We will be installing electric windows with vent window removed (full one piece glass already cut).

Future plans: There are some things that were done to this car to modernize it in the 80's and 90's that I can't stand but I will slowly replace it all. One of the things that bothers me most is the trim around all the glass. I want to find all the original exterior window trim for all glass and install it. Currently it is all basic black rubber and tinted glass. I plan to replace all glass to NON tinted as well and possibly add the vent window back. I also plan to weld up the holes in the bumpers which are already freshly rechromed and have them done again as well as a pair of lake pipes. Interior wise I plan to do a basic tuck and roll in black and white. The color is called Misty Lavender which is OK but will be changed next summer. In the light it looks basic white with pearl. In the shade it has a pink hue to it (yeah I know it's pink say what you want).

Anyways I am stoked to have this car and plan to drive the HELL out of it (daily driver). The good thing is that it's not hacked to hell and a good job was done on the chop and assembly of the car with only a few corners cut that I plan to change very soon.

Here are a few more photos...

I like it! I have a FMF front end in my Nova and have always been impressed with their engineering expertise!

Great color and I think the chop is just about perfect (as long as you're not 6' 4" or some such!). T-bird seat is a nice touch - hope you can keep it as an integral component.

Maybe some true wire wheels??

Its all good - Congratulations on a good deal!

Regards,
Glenn

Glenn,
Thanks a lot for the compliments. The rear seat will be bolted in nicely and blend with the rest of the car when it's recovered. It's in perfect shape just dirty in the pictures is all. Once the side panels are in and those ugly speakers removed and it's reupholstered it will look nice I think. As for wheels, I plan to keep the stocks on there and throw some nice hub caps over them. I'm looking for the old Cadillac ones or the old Knight ones. I am going to try and stick with a 50's lead sled custom look on this one and not have it look so modern looking if at all possible. The color, trim around the windows and glass are holding it back from that look badly in my opinion but for now I am going to drive the hell out of it and once things are paid off and I have more time then I will refinish it in a different color and do the trim around the glass and new glass, etc.
For now I am happy with it and hopefully the engine will be done in no more than 2 1/2 weeks.

Great looking old Shoebox, great to pull a project like this out of the back corner of somebody's shop and get it on the road!!!! I like the windows and the color of the car, shows a bit of that something old and something new that when done correctly, as this car is, really pull the years together! Now, about that chebbie engine and tranny.........

Dave, I know I know... The Chevy Engine... If it were up to me I'd build a roller 351W and a C4 trans to put into the car but I just do not have the funds to do so. I have 2 very low mile Chevy engines and trans laying around and figured that since it's already set up for a 350/350 combo I'd throw a 350 engine and 200-4R over drive unit in it and make a nice cruiser out of it. My only problem right now is choosing a darn cam for this thing to finish it off. The cam is the only thing holding me up/back right now on getting this car finished...

Yep, can't deny it's a great old shoebox, and it's one that was done right! It's got the potential to be a great street machine! I understand using what you have, but that powertrain combo is not going to win you any points unless you keep the hood locked closed except to add oil. Sorry, just my $0.02 - I'm a hardcore Ford in Ford fan. (Sorry, I was typing as you were posting.....)

to hell with them ford guy s most all of them are big Cry babbys run the chevy it,s your car drive it have fun .if mine you bet it would have a chevy in it but a big one and i would have the hood up every chance i had .i love when them ford guys cry almost as fun as them pontiac guys

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

to hell with them ford guy s most all of them are big Cry babbys run the chevy it,s your car drive it have fun .if mine you bet it would have a chevy in it but a big one and i would have the hood up every chance i had .i love when them ford guys cry almost as fun as them pontiac guys

I'd love to have the $$$ to grab a '63 Vette split window coupe and drop in a 427 side oiler FORD in it, tricked out with all the COBRA logo's and then listen to all the purists cry FOUL!!
I'm fine with Chevy stuff, but I prefer to stay OEM true - MoPar in MoPar, Ford in Ford, Olds in Olds, etc.

You got a real beauty and I think the 350 chevy setup will be just about perfect for it. I am a Ford fan, but the chevy setup is cheaper, easier, and probably more reliable(CAN'T BELIEVE i JUST SAID THAT ) Plus there are alot more after market setups for the 350. That being said, a 351 with a c6 would be cool!

Originally Posted by rspears

I'd love to have the $$$ to grab a '63 Vette split window coupe and drop in a 427 side oiler FORD in it, tricked out with all the COBRA logo's and then listen to all the purists cry FOUL!!
I'm fine with Chevy stuff, but I prefer to stay OEM true - MoPar in MoPar, Ford in Ford, Olds in Olds, etc.

you can do what ever you want but the bbc will make a side oiler look sick dollar for dollar . as for GM cars there all fair game but i live on the island of doctor moreau ... Gm was not so hot on brand loyalty as they did see the light most pro stock liked the bbc bottom ends with olds .pontiac heads . i been told even the mopar guy were using a botom end very close to the bbc bottom ends world pro block..with mopar heads you guys may remember them cool Nos fires they had on the line in Pro stock ?

Please lets not turn this into a Ford vs. Chevy deal... I like Mopar, Chevy and Ford. They all have their good and bad IMO. Some Chevy's I like, some I hate and same goes with Ford and Mopar. As for engine choice and me sticking to a 50's/early 60's lead sled custom, the 350 sbc still fits the era and look because it's my understanding back then when Chevy came out with the small block 350, lots of people were swapping them into their hot rods and race cars...
Either way, it's what I have, it's what is pretty much built and that is how I plan to drive it for now. If someone comes along and asks me what I have in it, I will tell them a sbc like everyone else. If they talk crap then my response will be "so be it, lets see your hot rod or classic car, and no I do not care to see your Camaro or Mustang like everyone else and their grandmother has".
I already got someone at the shop who came by and made fun of the pink hue to the color not knowing it was my car. I said "what do you own"? Their response was "a Honda Civic". I laughed inside and didn't say a word but 5 minutes later I told them that the car was mine. I didn't say anything else to teach them a lesson to keep their mouth shut next time because I think they felt stupid and embarrased enough without me having to make it known.

Anyways, I'm not trying to impress anyone with my car. The car is something I've always wanted, I finally have it and yes it needs a few things here and there to make it more period/era correct but in the meantime I'm happy and plan to drive the hell out of it and enjoy it while I still can.

hate is a strong word .i do not hate any of them if that was the case i would not own and run a engine machine shop .i work on hell of alot more then just chevys ..but i may be guilty of cranking up a ford guy when i can

Pat you rebel rowser! Us Ford guys have to have thick skins in this area! The old chevy 350 is a great engine and very hard to beat price per hp wise. FMX I don't care what anyone says, you did good! That's probably the nicest shoebox I've seen!

Originally Posted by FMXhellraiser

Dave, I know I know... The Chevy Engine... If it were up to me I'd build a roller 351W and a C4 trans to put into the car but I just do not have the funds to do so. I have 2 very low mile Chevy engines and trans laying around and figured that since it's already set up for a 350/350 combo I'd throw a 350 engine and 200-4R over drive unit in it and make a nice cruiser out of it. My only problem right now is choosing a darn cam for this thing to finish it off. The cam is the only thing holding me up/back right now on getting this car finished...

I understand where your coming from on the use what ya got engine plan!!!!! I'm just dang proud of you and really happy for you coming up with such a gorgeous car, Lord knows you waited long enough and worked hard enough to deserve it!!~!!!!!! U DA MAN!!!!!!!