Skirts - What do you think.

[2FAST4U]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Hey! No reason to attack the people that don't like the skirts. The starter of this thread wanted opinions and he got them - a bunch of people don't like them and would not put them on their cars.

The opposite is also true : there is a bunch of people who do like them. Sorry if I sounded a little upset...but I was the one feeling attacked...

Claude.

[Gobird]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Like many posts on this site dealing with mods. It's best to move on and just forgetaboutit.

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

I like the photos of Claude's blue Thunderbird with the the skirts on. But while I think the look is fine, I probably wouldn't spend the money to do it myself. Like others have already said, it's your car so do what pleases you.

[2FAST4U]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

I like the photos of Claude's blue Thunderbird with the the skirts on. Like others have already said, it's your car so do what pleases you.

Aaaaah!...THANK YOU Greg! ...Finally, someone who appreciates...
thanks again,
Claude.

[bikebird]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Claude, If that is your garage, I like the floor. and you tiled a wall? I also like the white top.

[2FAST4U]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Claude, If that is your garage, I like the floor. and you tiled a wall? I also like the white top.

lynn, thanks for the compliment...I had the floor done with a fiberglass-based coating which looks great and is very low maintenance. The garage's whole walls are done with white ceramic tiles with the two top rows done in a checkered pattern.
As for my car's hardtop, when I initially bought the car, it had a blue top, which after a few years I sold to buy a white one giving the car a true "retro" look.
Claude.

[sdman]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Claude i like your skirts. I have the chrome around my wheel wells. Would that have to be removed to add skirts shown on your car ??

[2FAST4U]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Claude i like your skirts. I have the chrome around my wheel wells. Would that have to be removed to add skirts shown on your car ??

Yes they'd have to be taken off so the skirt can sit flat against the body...but you could keep the ones in front ( which I assume you have...)
Claude.

[lasuvidaboy]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Skirts look good if the design of the car was meant to support skirts. Skirts should blend in with the car's lines, not stand out.

Retro design doesn't fit the mold.

I agree. I love fender skirts on many older cars but the ones that appear to be tacked-on (on any car not originally designed for them) can look odd. I love the look of the '57 TBird w/out skirts as it has a sportier less formal look w/out the skirts installed in my opinion. The design of that car works very well w/out skirts as do the later sport roadster models of the 1960s. My '75 Pontiac Grandville convertible has skirts and I think it adds so much to that car by giving it a longer look than a skirtless '75 Catalina which has basically the same body. Just my opinion but if you like them-then go for it!

[Jimz56]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

[QUOTE=2FAST4U;427538]Here are several pictures of my 'Bird with skirts. /QUOTE]

I like the blue skirts on this one also. The proportion of wheel well covered looks pretty close to the old Birds. These match up pretty well and end with the "crease" in the new Bird's side. My 56 Greenie skirt goes about half way down between the top of the wheel well and the bottom of the rocker and shows more than half of the wheel also. A regular car with skirts tended to fill the wheel well as on the 57 Ford and the Mercruiser style. They were suppose to give more of a Nautical look to the cars - hence the name "Crusier" as in Navy Cruiser.

Here is a side view of my 56 and one maybe like Leroy is talking about. The last is the style of wheel I want to get and run WITHOUT skirts for a change of pace look occasionally. Old School 5 spoke Cragar Mags and blackwalls.

[WyrdBird]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

They are Waaaaay too small, in my humble opinion. But then I don't believe that the designers at Ford laid down a design that was set in stone. To my mind, a mass-produced car is a starting point, not a dead-end.

Alex The Heretic

[5bird7]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

Personally,
When I have nice wheels on a car, I prefer to show them off:


I talked to a retired Ford designer many years ago, who had worked in the design studio when the 55 was being designed. He ordered a 55 early on and he specifically ordered one without the skirts because he liked his wheels to show.

However, now my car looks like this

[WyrdBird]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

However, now my car

Pretty, pretty car. Particularly like the fins. Hmmm... I wonder...

ATH

[jerrym3]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

For the last few years that I owned a 58 Bird, I removed the skirts. I just liked the look of "more tire/wheel".

If I could, I'd put skirts on my 64 Galaxie (there's hardly much tire/wheel showing anyway).

But, back in the 1980's, I had replacement metal overlayed on rusty lower body panels, and I doubt anything would now look flush.

[sdman]

Re: Skirts - What do you think.

WOW Jim that is one good looking 56. And the color is awsome. I want one LOL. Now that's when they made cars.