Technical CHOPPED 59 Chevy impala

ok, let's see where this goes..lol I do know how to, and have chopped lots of cars, but now I am thinking of chopping a 59 Pontiac [Impala] 2 door hartop. only concern is of course, the windshield....I have seen lots of pics of cars done, but would like to know what is done for the window..also they still have the tint on top, looking like the glass was cut off the bottom ?? thanks

 

Maybe try contacting the owner of this Elco if he still has it..



http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Paul_Cepeda's_1959_Chevrolet

While I could only imagine the amount of work involved, I personally love the lines of a '59-'60 GM hardtop as is..

 

HAMB'er mr 32 has a thorough build thread, with lots of pics.
HERE: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1959-chopped-el-camino.859854/

 

The rear window will be worse than the front. Lots of arch that must follow the roofline.

 

I think a 59 Impala windshield was used in the Elky which is 2in shorter than a Bel-Air/Biscayne windshield. The roof profile on a 59 Impala is perfect from the factory IMO.

 

What he said...otherwise it's going to look like shit. You said Impala not El Camino. you can get away with it on the EC but the Impala is a non starter.

 

I remember seeing a four door sedan done once that had the front and rear glass sunk down into the firewall and rear panel. I "think" the roof might have been halved and a center piece added.

 

thanks for the help..I did say I was just thinking..I do like it as is also..

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ped-a-custom-59-60-chevys-and-b-o-p-s.491878/

 

Look up a green '59 Buick LeSabre "Super Sonic" built by a gentleman named David Guymon for Lars Hellgren. Featured in several magazines 15+ yrs ago.

 

Issue #3 of Traditional rod and Kulture has an article about a guy that did just that, chopped a 59 impala. Just happen to have it on my desk at work. It states that he had a custom rear glass made and it took 6 different windsheilds cut six different way till he got one that didn't break during cutting. car looks killer, but I cant imagine how much glass would cost doing that. I would imagine a 59 impala windshield is not exactly cheap.

 

Do it, forget the nay Sayers


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Of course you could always wear goggles! All kidding aside, I thought I read somewhere that Buick or Oldsmobile windshields were somewhat shorter?

 

Guymon always cuts the glass first and chops the car to match it, just a thought..

 

??? Never heard of anyone doing that..?I´ve seen that idea float around this site before, but that sounds like a total hit-or miss approach to chopping anything, frankly.

My point was, (as seen the build-up pics of this particular Buick), the builder in question didn´t cut Any of the curved glass, neither the backlite nor the windshield.
-He started by lowering the roof slightly, and as the bottom mounting point of the "C"-pillar moved forward as a result, he moved the backlite forward, and cut a corresponding amount of material transversely out of the roofskin to allow for the forward transfer of said backlite, while filling in the resulting gap aft of the backlite. The rearmost lower corners of the windshield were sunken slightly into the cowl.
Anyway, his approach was quite genious, required no cutting of the original curved glass, and gave the most stylish result very much in theme of the original factory design.
-Looks like the OP hasn´t posted anything in months, I wonder what the status of the original topic is?