1949 Cadillac Roadster Build

[Jack 1957]

I left the tail light area till last because I hadn't decided exactly what I wanted to do there. I know I wanted a stretched version of the original pictured below but I needed to see the buck before I would know what to do. I taped off a couple versions to see what they would look like. I also see that the radius on the buck at the top of the tail light is too small and sits up too high. I'm going to bring that down and soften it with a larger radius.



The first version is small and I'm not too pleased with it. The second is medium length and leaves an area of body between the light and the side of the bumper. The last one brings the tail light all the way down to the bumper. Although it might present a smoother, cleaner look, I think it loses the identity of the 49. I'm going to go with the medium length. It will look like a stretched, laid down version of the original.

[Jack 1957]

I need to define a couple areas in back without getting overly complicated. There will be a lot going on back here with the sheet metal work, especially on the inboard side. It will be changing shape a lot in this last 12 inches. I think what's important is to locate the edges of the bumper and the tail light pocket. If I need more, I'll deal with that when I see how much room I have. I mounted the lower edge of the tail light and started plotting out the vertical edge. This vertical station passes diagonally through an area where the panel is tapering inward vertically and horizontally. I can't trace the arc of either plane (they will not be correct) so I used a straight edge along the stations to plot the rough shape then sanded them to shape.

[Kidpaint]

It's coming along nicely! Love reading your new posts! Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but how are you planning on stretching the lights? Making new bezels?

[Jack 1957]

They'll have to be hand made. Probably cast aluminum or pot metal then plated. Same with the body side moldings.

[Jack 1957]

These two pieces will be the vertical edges of the tail light opening. I spent most of the day struggling with size and shape. I'm not sure I have what I want yet.



As you can see by the numerous lines drawn on the buck, I have made quite a few attempts to get the proportioning right without much success. I want to get to a point where I feel "That's it!!" but I haven't gotten there yet. This is where some sort of 3D computer modeling would help but I don't have the equipment, skills, or time to develope them. I think I'm pretty close but the side corner of the bumper will be kind of small. I'm using the Dagmars from a 56 Cadillac for a front bumper and they are massive. The rear bumper needs to appear in proportion. The vertical line along the leading edge of the tail light and the leading edge of the bumper need to be the same but it doesn't have to bee parallel to the back edge of the panel. The last attempt I made is a little less than 60 degrees and gives the bumper a little more mass but not enough. I think I'll try going a little further forward at the bottom. Maybe another 1 1/2 or 2 inches. I know I'll get what I'm after, I just don't know how long it will take me.




I made these inboard and outboard halves identical. If the opening is symmetrical, I will be able to make the left and right tail lights with one casting.

[Gojeep]

Wrapping it with paper or cloth might change your view as well and help you picture it better. Lycra works well and used to make moulds off.

[Mike Motage]

The identity of that era Cadillac is a right triangle-ish tail light, as you've already hinted. Obviously modified to incorporate your newer lines. The lense is more difficult however.

I realize it's your vision, which is pretty cool already! I'm just offering another perspective that agrees with your gut instinct.

[RockHillWill]

very, very nice buck work!

[cliffrod]

Originally Posted by Gojeep

Wrapping it with paper or cloth might change your view as well and help you picture it better. Lycra works well and used to make moulds off.

This is excellent advice to help visualize- I use similar techniques when needed. Make it "solid"- permanent or temporary- to see it with better clarity.

It is also very, very helpful to

1. view the form- buck, solid, false solid or whatever- in reverse using a mirror, or flipped photograph (much easier now with digital everything and home copiers). This will quickly display uneven characteristics.
2. view the form in a different color, whether that's done actually or digitally. This can help flatten highlights or higher landmarks. Going between dark and light, even if only inverting an image digitally to show the negative, is one of my preferred techniques to see how a form will handle light and demonstrate under different conditions.
3. view the form in different lighting conditions. Too few people move a form between lighting environments before producing it. Natural light outdoors, various lighting indoors including overhead, lateral and most importantly raking and subordinate lighting positions. Raking light shows a lot of surface discrepancies, but when a form is resolved to handle light properly from both above and below, the quality of the form/surface is usually as good as it can be. Natural outdoor lighting is very aggressive and overwhelming, compared to controlled indoor conditions. Isolating the various directions of lighting indoors to address problems methodically makes for great work that demonstrates properly when it is placed outdoors.
4. viewing the composition upside down is a popular method, but not one I use very often. Transparencies superimposed over an existing image or previous image can also help. I don't do this much either but it is quick.

As far as developing the "right look" for your lights/lenses, do a little looking and comparative math regarding existing images or parts that please your eye. calculate a few ratios (length:width, area of fender profile vs area of light/lens profile, etc) of these items and the ones that you have made that make you happy. then play with these approx ratios. You might be surprised how well these can be employed to create a result that is pleasing to your eye in a formulaic way while not being obviously calculated to the passing eye.

1.6 : 1 is the approx value of the Golden Ratio. The Fibonacci sequence is also helpful. These work. Give them a try. The same with repetition of forms or lines, duplicated, echoed, etc. Contrast is important as well because it strengthens the unique qualities of both aspects.

There's other methods I use, no computer, very low buck if not free. Still no CAD stuff here. Glad to discuss them with you, Jack if you want to get in touch.

[Jack 1957]

Originally Posted by cliffrod

This is excellent advice to help visualize- I use similar techniques when needed. Make it "solid"- permanent or temporary- to see it with better clarity.

... do a little looking and comparative math regarding existing images or parts that please your eye. calculate a few ratios (length:width, area of fender profile vs area of light/lens profile, etc) of these items and the ones that you have made that make you happy. then play with these approx ratios. You might be surprised how well these can be employed to create a result that is pleasing to your eye in a formulaic way while not being obviously calculated to the passing eye.

1.6 : 1 is the approx value of the Golden Ratio. The Fibonacci sequence is also helpful. These work. Give them a try. The same with repetition of forms or lines, duplicated, echoed, etc. Contrast is important as well because it strengthens the unique qualities of both aspects.

Thanks for the input, guys. I was thinking about proportion last night and your post triggered memories of ratios. I am very familiar with Fibonacci's work, having some experience trading futures but never thought of applying it to design. I also remember there being some recurring ratios all throughout nature. Designers have used these for years without the consumers even giving a second thought to WHY something is appealing to the eye. The fact is that proportions used within a design can mimic those in nature that might trigger calm, soothing, interesting, or exciting emotions. At first I was more concerned with retaining the Cadillac identity at the rear of the car. Tail lights being the primary concern. It was only after seeing how small the bumper ends were that I started looking at proportions. The main things about the tail lights that need to be carried into the new design are first, the P38 inspired profile of the fin/tail light. I've smoothed this out some but kept a resemblance of the P38 rudder that is part sheet metal and part tail light lense. Second is the jewelry in back that dips down into the body below the tail light housing.
So, with this in mind I went back out to the garage and took another shot at it. Got It! First try. I taped some tin foil over the bumper area and I think that will look right.
The modifications from what I originally did are as follows. 1. I took about one inch of height off the peak of the fin and used a larger radius across the top. 2. The angle of the rear edge is 60 degrees. I changed the angle of the leading edges of the tail light and bumper to 75 degrees. That gives me a bulkier bumper edge and a wedge shaped tail light while keeping a straight line along the leading edges of both.