Repost: 2010 Crown Victoria Concept

One of my sillier chops from the past, this Crown Victoria concept was chopped in 2008 I believe. I worked in lower resolution then, hence the pixelation. I based this large, rear wheel-drive 6-passenger Ford sedan on a photo of an S-Class Mercedes, one of the few contemporary sedans with the correct rwd proportions built-in. I polished the front doors in a nod to professional pursuit vehicles nationwide and also indented the hood and trunk to catch the light in a way that would mimic Ford's classic racing stripes. Uplevel "civilian" versions would have a blanked out C-pillar, a la the classic "Galaxy" roofline, but fleet cars would use that very 1990s Crown Vic "sixth" window. Lastly, I'll just say that this was chopped way before the current Taurus hit the streets and it picked up my chromed trunk bar with the Ford oval almost 100%. I, of course, had based mine on the late '60s Torinos which had sort of similar trim pieces. My front end treatment used modified Cadillac headlights for a more vertical appearance, a nod to the '65-'67 large Fords and their stacked vertical headlights.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone, a day to remember all that have served and sacrificed for our country, and personally, happy birthday to me today, lol. (And a happy birthday to Clay, a longtime reader and contributor to those early car forums where I began chopping photos and posting them.)

Repost: 2014 Mustang?

One of my most widely-read, downloaded and reposted around the Web is this 2014 Mustang I created from the Ford Evos concept car. I first posted this rendering in September of 2011. I mentioned at the time that I felt the wheelbase was a little too long aft of the door. I thought I might go back and do a second one tightening up that space, but haven't gotten around to it yet! Interestingly I find the new Corvette Stingray to be too long aft of its doors, too. Maybe it's my eyes!

Just last week I was asked for permission for a website to run this Mustang. Sometimes you have no idea what types of "life" your work will lead once you've published it on the web!

21st Century Torino GT Sportsroof?

This reborn Ford Torino GT Sportsroof was chopped a few years ago, but had been posted only over at my other blog. I'm reposting some of those earlier pieces that never made it over here until I can carve some time out to finish new chops. In addition to being swamped with book projects I recently had a 16GB thumbdrive erase itself, losing my "Chops Start" folder with perhaps half  dozen new cars in various stages. Such is the electronic world!

This modern throwback coupe was created from a 4-5 door Tesla sedan if I remember correctly. I placed some of the German Alps behind it. I was born in Stuttgart in the Black Forest and at the time my Dad had his pink-and-black '56 Fairlane Sunliner shipped over there. I grew up with stories of how his Thunderbird-Special 312 V8's exhaust echoed through the Alpine passes and tunnels as he drove.

I think a 21st century Torino could once again be positioned as a powerful rear-wheel drive larger brother to the Mustang. I'd envision a 6-8 inch stretch in the 'Stang's wheelbase for a larger rear seat with added/upgraded luxuries.