’34 Ford Coupe: Details Part VII – Fender Scoops

If you’ve been following the progress on Bill Evans coupe, you’ll remember that he sent us drawings of scoops he wanted added to the rear fenders. The customizing work done to the car before it came to us had resulted in a lot of mass in the rear quarters. The new scoops would either add more weight to the old girl’s hips or, if done right, could slim ’em down visually with the addition a new vertical design element. Here’s a “before” picture:

Bill wanted a WWII “Warbird” look for these scoops and, in our last post, we experimented with size and shape. Gary built a mock-up in aluminum for Bill’s review, then dove into the fender.

Gary fabbed a bucket with a lip that would become the base for a polished and finned stainless insert.

Each insert has sixteen fins, their spacing and angle designed to replicate the grille at the front of the car. Each fin was individually shaped and welded into the stainless lip, then meticulously ground clean and polished.

Gary also reshaped the leading edge of the fender to incorporate the new scoop into the flow of the coupe’s visual elements, including the beltline and re-styled door opening.

When done, it complimented the grille and visually removed some of the heft this ol’ gal once had in her bustle.