Well I am moving forward in a few weeks to do something similar Foose did to a 54. Though I plan on keeping her a 4 door and on adding a Carson Top down the road. http://members.cox.net/overhauled/ I am going more for a non-show car look. I am looking at painting her primer black with bright blue pearl flames. Then have pin stripe accents around the car. I am starting by stripping out the interior, bracing the car, removing the roof, nosing, decking, and removing door handles and locks. It would be a good idea to paint at this point but don't know if I will have funds for the paint or time to do it since I have a show I want to get her to at the end of June. Things I need to decide on is do I keep the trim around the upper part of the car that sits below the window and do I keep the trim that goes down the center of the car. If I remove all of it I would put some sort of pin striping where the upper trim sits. What are your thoughts? I will need to figure a way of photo shopping what I want her to look like.
That sounds pretty cool. There is a video on youtube of someone cutting the top off a 53. They made it a 2 door though. It turns out ok, its worth checking out. I think they got rid of all the trim as well. Kandy paint job. Dumb wheels though. Keep us updated on whatever you decide to do!
Thanks, if you can remember the youtube link can you post it here? I would like to figure a way of getting rid of the center post between the doors and then suicide the back doors as well. One thing at a time though.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkmHQ3WqTEY I agree I dont like the wheels at all. So they welded the back doors in and didn't lengthen the front doors. Doesn't look as off as I would have expected it to.
Sorry, I had to leave for work and just got to my computer at work. Yeah, Its not too bad, but I think they should have lengthened them. Good luck with the suicide doors and no post. I wouldnt even know where to begin with that! Then again, I'm still a newbie at all of this. I wish you luck!
yeah doesnt look too off but putting victoria doors would be much better looking. Personally...i didnt love the wheels or the paint but showing how they transformed it was cool. Are you going to put a rag top on it or no?
If you have an outside shot of the car- preferably a profile or 3/4 view- with minimal obstructions in the background (no other cars, brick walls, people, animals, zeppelins, etc.), and the entire car in the photo, I will 'shop it for you. Sorry for all of the requirements, but you would be amazed what some guys want me to work with. Lemme know.
I admire your adventurous nature, but I think I'd tap the brakes on this project until I'd done a great deal of research, both mechanical and esthetic. Once in a great long while a project like this actually comes together and looks good. Chip's "Overhaulin'" project is an excellent example. Most, however, turn out hideously deformed and are soon rendered into so much cubed s**** metal, loaded onto a big boat headed for Japan to be returned in the form of a new Toyota. I often have delusions of custom car grandure, too...but then I wake up and remember the one big difference between Chip Foose and me: I ain't him.
mate, i like what your thinking,but have you got anyone to photo chop it or design a drawing?. I for one have a **** load of idea's that i want to do on cars, some worked out and some ended up in the s**** heap. Also would the suicide doors on the rear,would they be a first?? is there enough room for the hinges?so they dont intrude on the rear wheel well?.Hope these help with your qeust for a kool custom... please post some pics so some of us can help with your ideas...
Looked through all of my photos of the car and I am going to need to take another one that is easier to photoshop. I am finishing some work on it right now so as soon as I get down I will take her out for another photo shoot. When it comes to the suicide door \s I know that it will be hard to do. It is just something I am mulling around as another step after the top removal. I know that removing the top look is also something that may be tricky to pull off. I like the chopped look but with everything I have heard about how hard these cars are to chop I got looking around and saw what seemed to be a common thing to do with old 4 door Mercs was to chop the roof and then add a removable rag top. I know they arent the same car but I liked the idea. Something different that isnt done very often if at all. There may be a reason why you dont see that on these cars. I am working with a guy here localy that is helping me do this. Leaning on him and his experience to see if this is viable and if it is something that can be pulled off that I will enjoy. I do agree again that getting a photo or a drawing is a great starting point to see if I will like the look first.
I am not the best at photoshop but this gives an idea on what my car would look like with the roof removed, trim removed from the sides, and nosed. I haven't repainted her yet still working on that. What do you think? Before: After:
Im gonna have to ask you to please step away from the vehicle. That thing is just too cool to do that to. I like the way it is now.
no no no. Leave it as is. I would just lower it with 3in blocks in the rear and aerostar coils in frnt. Thats it...
Thanks for the input just looking to do something unique with it. Since you all like the lines so much what would you think of adding a rag top to it?
Nice ride Listen to kustomline54. Don't butcher her that would anger the car Gods. And you wouldn't want to have to drive a Prius the rest of your life.
Leave it alone! It's too nice to hack up,go find a '54 Chevy and take out your agressions on it instead, LOL!
I agree with most here who say to leave it alone. Go buy another one to cut on. You have a really clean looking car.
Ok, I will leave the top alone. The m***es have spoken. I do think that I will shave the back door handles and nose and deck her still. If everyone is ok with that ;o)
I can gather an image of a very smooth, low, heavily chopped, carson-topped phaeton-style custom made from a 4-door like yours in my head, but my brain explodes when I begin to think about the practical issues you'd have to overcome to make it streetworthy. The main problem is that the roof is the primary source of stiffness in the body structure, and without it you will encounter major distortion as the car navigates the road. A switch to a convertible frame would help, but the body structure would also need to be heavily reinforced at the "B" pillar and across the area below the rear window. Even the cowl would need to be braced to avoid "cowl shake" on uneven surfaces. As has already been mentioned, you'll also need to overcome the problem of esthetic proportion. These 4-door Ford bodies are short and stubby, not long and flowing like the '49 - '51 Mercury 4-doors and will need some major restyling to gain the graceful lines that must accompany this modification if it is to be successful. You'd almost need to section the car to reduce the stubbyness, and perhaps extend the front wheelbase and rear fenders to get the illusion to work. Then there's the contour of the carson-style top which would have to be spot-on perfect so as to enhance, rather than fight with, the new lines of the car. Such is not impossible, however. Tylerdurban (1950 Ford Carson Top) did a very nice job on his shoebox sedan, then drove it from Florida to California for the GNRS show last month. He was a big winner there, primarily because he overcame all the problems I've mentioned and created a drop-dead gorgeous car in the process.
it all seems to comes down to time, money and skill. just because you can, doesnt mean you should. but by all means, shave the handles. mine has most all trrim shaved except for the stone gaurds in front of the rear fender wells. i think it looks good that way.
Thanks again for the info. I will have to sit down with the guy that is helping me do the work and discuss what we feel will work best for the car and if he feels if he can confidently pull it off.
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