Challenge! 1950s HotRod for Grease: Suggestions.

[milan]

Another help question folks.
We are doing Grease. And there is a car set unit that is about 10 yrs old I may be able to borrow.
But I kind of want to get a nice one specifically created for our production and don't want to dive the '54 Bel Aire that I could borrow on stage.
I was thinking maybe having a foam CDC company making fender/door panels and then Sculpt coating/ painting and then framing it all up on a wagon.
-Any thoughts or helpful suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[ScottT]

What's your budget?

 

[mvp1114]

We did more of a "rat rod" hot rod effect; the original show has a clunker, the "pretty" hot rod everyone seems to like comes from the movie.

We hit a local "pick-a-part" for a front clip (grille, headlights, etc.), front fenders, and the driver's side door off of a very rusted out old 1940's Plymouth coupe. We bent & welded rebar to support the body parts and attached them to a pair of castered carts. The front clip and fenders went on one and the door and a seat went on another with a 4x4' platform behind the door so the kids could both dance and sit on it. With the car in 2 parts it went on & off stage easily and we could even stack the parts backstage, saving room.

We jury-rigged the windshield out of welded strap metal and a "tire" out of a wood donut with a sidewall cut out on it.

Where are you? I think the scrapyard kept the welded up parts in case anyone else needed a car for grease.

Mike

 

[SteveB]

The original, original Broadway was a golf cart with a fiberglass shell, painted to look like a convertible hod rod.

I know this as my dinner theater acquired the original car and all it required was touching up. A golf cart is very easy to use as it's electric and only needs charging overnight. Small as well, so easily moves around a stage.

 

[mstaylor]

I did the tourning company and they used a car with a dolly under it and pushed onstage. They gaffed the ugly parts on and just pulled them during the song.

 

[Tex]

Here's ours, straight out of the junkyard. Bad pictures, but you get the idea.
I was going to build a dolly that was hidden but ran out of time, then I bought some car dollies but without the weight of the engine, it just rolls off the dollies when it hits the slightest bump. We're now pushing it straight on and straight off. I hope the tires hold up for this next weekend..

 

[milan]

Here's ours, straight out of the junkyard. Bad pictures, but you get the idea.
I was going to build a dolly that was hidden but ran out of time, then I bought some car dollies but without the weight of the engine, it just rolls off the dollies when it hits the slightest bump. We're now pushing it straight on and straight off. I hope the tires hold up for this next weekend..
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Interesting ideas! Sorry I have been busy, my budget is about 1200 for the whole show. That is lighting and scenic/props. We're just a high school but I'm still amazed we have that as a budget.
I do have a golf cart I plan to use now. So I think I may pull the panels off of that and carve foam to make the shape. Then it's FoamCoat and many layers of paint I suppose.

 

[milan]

We did more of a "rat rod" hot rod effect; the original show has a clunker, the "pretty" hot rod everyone seems to like comes from the movie.

We hit a local "pick-a-part" for a front clip (grille, headlights, etc.), front fenders, and the driver's side door off of a very rusted out old 1940's Plymouth coupe. We bent & welded rebar to support the body parts and attached them to a pair of castered carts. The front clip and fenders went on one and the door and a seat went on another with a 4x4' platform behind the door so the kids could both dance and sit on it. With the car in 2 parts it went on & off stage easily and we could even stack the parts backstage, saving room.

We jury-rigged the windshield out of welded strap metal and a "tire" out of a wood donut with a sidewall cut out on it.

Where are you? I think the scrapyard kept the welded up parts in case anyone else needed a car for grease.

Mike

Hey Mike i'm down in OKlahoma so still finding my local treasure hot spots!

 

[milan]

Here's ours, straight out of the junkyard. Bad pictures, but you get the idea.
I was going to build a dolly that was hidden but ran out of time, then I bought some car dollies but without the weight of the engine, it just rolls off the dollies when it hits the slightest bump. We're now pushing it straight on and straight off. I hope the tires hold up for this next weekend..
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View attachment 5918

BTW Tex that "juke box" set was an awsome concept. I never even jumped to that. I need to think outside the box more.

 

[tdduck]

Hello. I realize that this may be to late for your particular production, but it may help some others as well. We just performed Grease this fall and we decided to go with a 1930 model T style hot rod, some times referred to as a Bucket T. The initial reason for choosing to go this route was the ease of replicating the body shape with lumber and/or foam. As it would happen our auto shop teacher had some connections with local industry professionals and was able to get us a fiberglass body on loan. This saved us time, but required us to paint the car with tempera paint which then led to us touching up the car during and after every performance. Not a bad trade off. The entire car was supported by a wood frame and plywood and rolled on casters. Even if we had not had the fiberglass body I would have chosen this style because I can replicate it out of wood easily and cheaply. Also the early ford cars were a very popular base for people to create their hot rods out of.
For a previous production I had pulled a '54 Buick out of the junk yard and adapted it, but after figuring in cost for the car, trailer, engine hoist, 1 and a half weeks of labor, and disposal fees I like the Model T better.