 Comparing this Mercury's stock,...  Comparing this Mercury's stock, square hood corner with the newly rounded side shows how significantly this subtle body mod can affect a car's appearance. Note how the curve mimics the shape of the hood's crown. |
 Before doing any cutting,...  Before doing any cutting, it's a good idea to sketch some proposed shapes for the new hood corner, and then stand back and study them to see which flows best. The smaller of these two proposed curves is more common; the larger is what the customer wanted. |
Some of best custom cars do not scream at you with outlandish body modifications and crazy paint. Instead, they whisper with refined, well-planned alterations and quality craftsmanship. Such modifications often look even subtler on mild customs where they enhance the original vehicle's shape rather than change it completely.
Rounding hood, door, and trunk corners is a practice that has stood the test of time because it's subtle, classy, and refines a vehicle's design, particularly on well-rounded rides from the late '40s and early '50s. Rounded corners often go unlooked by uneducated spectators, but that makes them all the more cool in the eyes of many customizers.
In the last issue we gave you a sneak peek at a '49 Mercury convertible going together at DF Metalworks in Huntington Beach, California. Shortly after shooting that story, the shop's metal masters got the nod to go ahead and round the car's hood corners, so we documented the process. As you'll see, the DF crew made the corner curves wider and flatter than many customizers do, the idea being to mimic the hood's natural crown and give it a shape slightly different than the scores of other Mercs that wear a similar mod. Take a look and consider how this approach might work on your next custom project.
 When you've set your shape...  When you've set your shape and drawn it consistently on both sides, it's time to get out the cutoff wheel and start slicin' steel. |  Sometimes you can re-use the...  Sometimes you can re-use the portion you cut off as your filler piece. The DF crew opted to cut a fresh piece of 18-gauge steel to fit, shaping it with an English wheel to get to the proper contour. |  Andy Humenik tack welded the...  Andy Humenik tack welded the filler piece to the fender and grille surround using a TIG welder. |
 A straightedge was used to...  A straightedge was used to check the fit of the filler panel against the hood... |  ...while a body hammer and...  ...while a body hammer and spoon dolly were employed to adjust the panel's contour as necessary. |  The new corner piece created...  The new corner piece created an open gap behind the hood, so another piece of sheetmetal was cut and contoured to fill it. Like any similar procedure, you'll want to trial-fit and fine-tune the filler piece shape to get it just right before welding anything. It's also smart to use a rust-preventive, weldable primer or paint to protect the bare metal in the area to be covered. |
 With proper fit achieved and...  With proper fit achieved and everything prepped, Andy again picked up the TIG and tack welded the panel in place. |  The hood can present its own...  The hood can present its own challenges when the corners are cut off, as seen by this gap between the outer skin and inner structure. |  To finish the hood edge, a...  To finish the hood edge, a patch piece of sheetmetal was bent 90 degrees, and then worked in a shrinker to get the right shape and contour. |
 Here's a look at the inside...  Here's a look at the inside of the hood edge after the filler strip was trimmed to fit and then welded. |  As the pieces start to come...  As the pieces start to come together, finish welding and metalwork can be performed... |  ...Here's what the completed...  ...Here's what the completed modification looked like before the Merc was shipped off to the body shop, where it should require only minimal amounts of body filler before being ready for primer and paint. |