Featured Projects topless 49 ford sedan question

i'm getting ready to turn a 49 ford 4 door sedan in to a topless tail dragger, anyone have any pics of a shoebox with the top cut off, or know of any threads? i have an idea what i want, but i would like to check out a few before i go at it. thanks in advance

 

Don't do it. You will have floppy mess if you don't spend a whole lot of time re enforcing the body and frame.

 

plus, if you chop windshield plan that before chopping entire top off. ever driven a topless ride for any length of time in all types of weather?

 

the body will flex and the doors will pop open over railroad tracks. I was there when it happeed

 

Most folks take the Victoria and cut the top off of it because it’s essentially a convertible anyways. If you have the skills and time then yeah you can do the 4dr and make a convertible. Find some Vicky doors and make it into a 2dr by moving the door jambs and welding the rear doors to make a bigger quarter panel.

 

It’s just a fordor, give it a try. Might learn something.

 

Be sure to beef the frame up with a X brace to give it some stability.

 

. . . and challenge a few of the great artists on this site who could give you some ideas.

 

Convertibles had different (stronger) frames than sedans for very good reasons.

 

What part of Missouri? If close I might be able to assist. Both in what you're wanting to do and to make sure you still have something drivable after

 

Beef up the body and frame before you start cutting. Then it won't flop around on you.

 

not a good idea on any level, which is why you will have a hard time finding examples.

 

Reco is always to have a good driving car instead of creating a failed project for the next guy.
That way you enjoy the car first. Then think about long and hard about messing it up.

A pretty photoshop is just a dream. Making it real is on another level.

 

It won’t be a phaeton , sorry it will still be a topless floppy 4dr that folk will feel sorry for. And avert their eyes. What is wrong with cool 4 door with a roof> custom paint , lowered, maybe chopped??

 

Get an AMT 49 Ford coupe model car and cut it up, glue or tape it back together, repeat until it looks like the image in your brain.

 

south west

 

while i do appreciate all the answers not to me questions. none of you even know the car. the top is so trashed its un repairable. 2nd i am a great fab guy the structure is not the issue, just looking for ideas on the look. i'm not new to building customs. 3rd its my car and the top is coming off and the windshield is getting chopped. so if anyone as anything helpful that would be great. thank you

 

i saw one in springfield mo, i didnt have anything to get a picture with, it ws dang cool

 

Cut the roof down and build a new top Carson style but not removable. Frame with strips of steel, cover with padding and vinyl or canvas top. Like a 1951 Frazer convertible or fifties custom.

If you do this brace the hell out of the body before you cut the top. If you make a permanent welded top you can cut the braces out when you are done.

This would be a lot easier than trying to hammer weld and metal finish a roof, or adapt a roof off another car. Plus they look really cool.

 

More ideas.....

 

Keep it a 4 door with the door handles shaved of course, but hook the top over the rear door like on an old Chrysler 5th Avenue.

 

Odd. I had a '51 Ford 4 door sedan where the only decent sheet metal on it was the top.

 

for inspiration here is a 51 Merc 4 door, cut off roof, chopped and more, good looking custom. Hey go for it on your Ford.
Curt R

 

If you're going to pull this off successfully, other than correct frame-bracing(& probably a new stronger/stiffer one - maybe even a heavily-modified S-10/Ranger/some-pickup frame, since the OEM's weren't all that strong nor stiff), & A, B, & C, door-line-pillar-reinforcement(s), you also need to straighten out the A pillars above the door, so's they are flat & have no back-curve in them. So either splice in a real convert cowl-top n w/s frame/posts, or duplicate it. Unless you wan to emulate the convert Hudsons, which don't look right. Otherwise it'll look like a clown/parade/Shriners car, or worse, a rr. ;p . I myself, like convertible sedans, hard to do correctly, iffen it's not factory. ;( .
Marcus...

 

thats dang cool, thank you!

 

tree fell on it and set with leaves and water pooled on it. if my idea dont work, i guess it just didnt work. but i think i can make it look pretty good and get another old ford on the road

 

Do it! There was one here locally that they did that but didn't finish it. Also another 4dr sedan that had rough roof got heavy chopped and made to look like a 2dr..also cool.

 

Not a Ford, but I hacked the roof of a four door 49 Dodge Coronet years ago. I added diagonal braces from the B pillars, so the rear doors didn't move around too much. I never had the doors pop open while driving, but I did have to be selective on where to lift the car with a jack. Was a really fun car, but the weather is too unpredictable here in central Texas to have a car without a roof.

 

If you have enough undamaged sheetmetal in the door surrounds maybe a “convertible” style could be accomplished like this old Steve Stanford illustration. Not sure if this is more structurally sound than a complete removal. Vinyl top stretches from front to rear attaching with snaps or Velcro. Top bows can be made up of 1/4” solid bar and inserted in pockets. I had a CJ 5 Jeep that worked that way, or boat tops can be an inspiration.

 

Sept 2010. Hardly any good sheetmetal left. The dash buckled from the roof hitting it. I cut it up and used the frame and running gear under my '50.