 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
TWIN PERKS - Not a girl to a merely content with enjoying hot rodding from the sidelines,
Tracy Perks insists on owning her own cars, even running a 290ci Rebel Rabler as a daily driver.
Words by Kev Elliott, pictures by Mike Key. |
|
The stock full length sill moulding is cool and is all
the more noticeable after the removal of all other brightwork except the belt moulding. 5 1/2 in
chop is just right and makes the once-stubby car appear longer. |
|
|
It's been around six years since Tracy first got
involved with hot rodding, whereupon she bought herself a tidy V6-powered Pop. As she became more aware
of the types and styles of cars she found herself hankering after a custom of some sort, an answer to
her problem coming when she heard of a 1950 Plymouth for sale in Sheffield. Her friend Melissa told her
that the guy who owned it wouldn't sell it to rodders or customisers so, armed with a photo of
Melissa's old stock Pop, and sensibly dressed (which must have entailed buying new clothes as anyone
who knows these two will realise - ed!), the pair posed as restorers and scored a direct hit, the
Plymouth arriving at Tracy's house on a trailer the following week, complete with a seized flathead
engine from its time in storage in a lock-up. |
|
 |
|
Another friend, Martin Palin, sourced a 3.3 litre straight six and C4 from an early
Mustang for £80, and fitted them in place of the old sidevalve, Tracy running the car around for
a year with the stock rear axle while she decided exactly what modifications would be made. By
now she had met future husband 'Crusty,' and become a member of the Throttlers, so it wasn't long
before the old Plymouth was booked in at fellow club member Paul Burnham's facility, Burnham
Autos, for some serious body alterations, but not before Crusty located and fitted a 9in axle,
chosen for its perfect width. This turned out to be a 4.11:1 equipped locker unit, not something
Tracy really needed in a straight six-powered custom, so the diff was swapped out for a more
cruise-friendly 2.73:1 item. Before you ask, the locker is being saved for another project, most
likely Crusty's own 355ci nostalgia-styled '27T. |
The cream tuck 'n'
roll neatly matches the steering wheel, and that dash chrome was apparently discovered while
stripping the original wood-effect paint? The interior door mouldings will be replaced when the
Plymouth receives its final paint. |
|
|
Diced 'n' sliced
Being friends of Paul Burnham meant that she and
Crusty could help as work progressed on the Plymouth down in deepest Northfleet. By the time the
car was driven back to their home near Leicester it had received a 5 1/2 in roof chop using the
original rear window and with slanted B pillars, frenched headlights and repositioned tailights.
It had also had 3in removed from the front coils to match the 3 1/2 in blocks the couple had
already fitted at the rear. |
|
 |
Hmmm, it must have
taken real vision to visualise what this could look like with a chop and some trim removal. Look,
the bonnet's up - a familiar position that first year. Crusty is now well versed in straight six
Ford mechanicals. |
|
|
Being an impatient female (her words not ours -
ed!) and wanting the car ready to debut at the SpringNationals, Tracy spent every night and weekend
in the garage for the next 12 weeks continuing with the body mods. She wanted a smooth late '40s/early
'50s look to the finished car so persuaded Crusty to de-trim the whole car and splice and weld the
original three piece front wings, a job which required re-radiusing the front wheel arches to get rid
of an ugly lip that appeared once the trim was removed, and weld the boot lid shut, a job that saw her
with welder's sunburn on one side of her face. Nice, especially when it peeled! |
|
 |
|
He also welded up what was a
two-piece bonnet and welded the rear wings to the main bodyshell. Tracy took care of all the
filler work herself, before Les Perrin was called in to finish it off. Les pulled an all-nighter
to meet Tracy's deadline in order that the Plymouth could be primed the following day, for which
she wants him to know she's extremely grateful. A coating of satin black was laid over the primer
for now, though eventually Tracy intends to get Les to paint the car in a real dark green.
|
Tracy is a lost cause
now - as well as the Plymouth she commutes in a V8 AMC coupe getting much satisfaction from
blatting past the queues at petrol stations during last year's petrol shortages. Then there's the
hearse she's currently after which is kinda apt as her house used to be a funeral parlour. And
Crusty wondered why the garage was so big when they moved in! |
|
|
Cream 'n' green
With the paint barely dry the Plymouth was shipped off to
Premier Auto Trim in Wigan (01942 833403), where Mick Sheppard was the next person to give in to
Tracy's deadline, pulling all the stops out to complete the gorgeous cream tuck 'n' roll vinyl interior
in a week, as well as a new cream head liner and dark green carpets. According to Tracy, 'I've wanted a
tuck 'n' roll interior since I saw American Grafitti - you know that line about tuck 'n' roll - but
don't put that in the mag.' Erm… |
|
|
The Plymouth was Collected from the trimmers on the
Thursday before the SpringNats, making Tracy's self-imposed deadline with a day to spare. Since
then the car has received a pair of heavily modified glass '49 Chevy fender skirts and a pair of
ribbed Briz bumpers. These were originally intended for a 49 Merc, Tracy swapping them so the
rear is now on the front and vice versa as 'they looked better that way.' Crusty fabricated a
couple of new gravel pans to match the new bumpers.
Since we shot these pictures chrome bullets have been added to the centres of the hubcaps,
apparently really transforming them, so they will now stay, as they were to be replaced.
|
|
|
Nice arse Trace! The
welded-up rear wings and boot lid certainly smooth the rear lines, though it's now a real bitch
to load the car for rod runs, so much so that last season the couple had to take along a 100E van
with all their year in as well! Lowered rear lights and the Briz bumper both help with the
smooth, wide look. |
|
|
 |
|
All that remains before the final
paint job is to add a set of wide whitewalls to complete the look.
So, will Tracy spend as much time in the garage now to get Crusty's T ready for this season, or
will she concentrate on that 'Wannabe Mopar' daily, as she has plans to repaint that too? Guess
well find out at the SpringNats!
Tracys thanks go to Crusty, Paul Burnham, Melissa, Les Perrin, Mick Shepherd, Stuart and
Martin Palin.
|
Careful alteration of
the stock Plymouth badge resulted in Crusty's thoughts on his then-fiancee. The badge no longer
appears on the car. Well, they are married now! Perhaps he should shorten PLYMOUTH to PMT these
days! |
|
|
|
<<<BACK<<< |
|
|
| |
