MustangFanatic

+2!!

m05fastbackGT

Here's a suggestion..Take the greenhouse from a 69-70 fastback, and place it upon the S-197 body..For it appears, that in order for a full fastback to look right ! The greenhouse needs a flatter angle, before sloping into the rear decklid..

Otherwise both the rear glass and decklid, will appear to look too high and flat.

I would also recommend lowering the S-197's beltline as well, if possible

SonicBlue2005GT

notice the black one.. not a chop btw.

crucut

Personaly, I'm glad they didn't take the exact lines of a previous model, ala the new challenger. It gives the S197 it's own character, which I like. They probably discussed something like two versions durring early design phase and decided it was more cost effective to do the current design which to me comes down somewhere between the lines of the coupe and fastback. The high beltlines of today are for safety reasons as you know and I don't really know if it works for me in the true fatback/hatchback mode. Look at the black car above and to me the "shoulder", or hip if you will is too high above the fender to look right to me. But, as has been said many times, to each his own.

Twin Turbo

The black one is cool, although I think that particular kit makes the car looks a little short and, dare I say it, dumpy.

If the proportions where stretched a little and a bit of hight taken out of the side of the car, then the '69 look will work great.

n8rfastback

that black one is badass
tell us more tell us more

MustangFanatic

I agree, the black car appears too visually heavy in the rear, as I said before keep the current greenhouse, add some hips and you have a winner!!

Wolfsburg

I definately agree that hips would certainly go a long way in improving the looks of the rear end.

m05fastbackGT

I'm definitely with you guys, as the black CSR-69 concept's shoulder..is just way too high above the fender, and just doesn't look right at all..

As I mentioned before, the A-pillar posts would need to be moved forward..along with the greenhouse having a flatter angle, before sloping into the decklid..Otherwise the back of the car, looks way too heavy and flat..Guess that would be my definition, of stretching the proportions

But my question is..how will hips even look right, unless the car's beltline is somehow lowered ?

Moosetang

I have no artistic talent at all, but here's a quick shot showing how little has to change to make hips.

Before:


After:

AndrewM

heres my really quick crack at the fastback style. no retouch. yes i know, the wheels... i know... that is a quick "copy-paste" job... =]

m05fastbackGT

Moose ! You definitely have far better artistic talent, than I..that's for sure lol.

If I'm looking at your drawings correctly..It appears to me, the rear quarter panel remains the same height, however both the front fender, and door lines appear to look..just slightly lowered..

Or is the rear quarter panel line, slightly higher than before ?

m05fastbackGT

That's pretty darn good, for a quick crash Andrew..

Moosetang

Lol, don't give me credit for the drawings, they're from here on Brad's site, I just messed with the lines alitte in the second one.

But anyway yes, I just re-cut the door so that instead of a constant line to the rear 1/4 panel, it stop rising at the front of the window. Then the rear has the exact same dimensions, just with a curved panel to create the "hips" look. The end result is that the door isslightly smaller, the window slightly bigger, and now you have hips without changing the Greenhouse or vehicle dimensions at all. Obviously Ford's going to more extensively re-skin it than I have, but I wanted to illustrate that hips go quite easily with the Greenhouse without looking wierd or forced.

m05fastbackGT

Let's just hope, this is also what Ford has in mind..Otherwise, if they end up increasing the rear height dimensions for creating the hips ! Then I honestly can't see it looking right..

However the other hand.. Ford really has no other choice, if they intend on keeping both the greenhouse, and vehicle dimensions the same..

grrr428

Old chop of mine with "hips" and ducktail" ala 1969

jarradasay

The total beltline does not have to be lowered. A couple of the above drawing/chops show this, as does the one I did.
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...4&d=1196472969

What has been done is the doorline has been lowered in the rear, this creates the visual appearance of having a lower beltline, but leaves the structural body alone. One side note of doing this:

My mother (5'3") does not like my 05 because she feels "consumed" in it. Sitting in it she can easily see over the dash, but feels that there is not enough sight out the sides. The drop in the door adds to the door glass and corrects this problem, that I presume does not only lie with my mother.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

rhumb

I agree with Jarradasays mother. So many cars nowadays seem to have this very high beltline with rather small windows.

Not sure what the intended image is supposed to be, but the effect comes off that you are sort of buried in the car with mediocre sightlines and visibility.

To my mind, performance cars are all about interacting with the road and the outside world, not hiding away from it in some dark, confining bunker. Rather, I'd prefer lower beltlines and much greater glass area in the greenhouse to best be able to see the road and just lend a lighter, airier feel. Besides, it makes it hard to cruise with you elbow on the window sill!

Outside, the cars end up looking somewhat pudgy and heavy rather than muscular and light, fat and heavy being much the opposite impressions of what I'd want in a performance car. The high beltlines creates a lot of vertical visual mass and bulk with a look that says Sumo wrestler rather than sprinter. The visual CG (and actual?) is raised and the height:length ratio gets stubbier rather than lean, long and low.

While the S197s basic architecture is pretty much set in that regard, I would hope follow-on Stangs would be a touch leaner, lower and airier looking, more like '64-'66 model.

jarradasay

I think you are the first person in my life who has admitted to agreeing with her. I like you comments tho, especially about the hanging the elbow out the window. Right now it is kind of possible for me to get my elbow up there, but it is near shoulder level.

elcaminoguy

Great effort on the photoshop work.
But still, I think we're getting into Supra territory here. For one thing the S197 is not as massive as the 70 to 73's and all that extra sheetmetal back there just makes the S197 look butt-heavy.

To make a fastback work I think you'd have to stretch the S197 about another foot to make it work right.