I've been staring at my roof for a long time and one of these days, I'm gonna cut it off. I haven't seen many chops on a 55 Fairlane/Victoria, but I'd like to see them if you have the pictures. I hope its ok if I use the F word - its a fordor. I know, sell it for s**** and by something with less doors. I'm a little nuts and a saw a few 60's 4 door Cadillacs recently with no post in between the doors and I got this crazy idea. I want to lose the post and drop the top about 3-4 inches with a mild slope down in the back. Anyway, if anyone has pics of something like this already done, I would love to see them. I'd be interested to see 2 door 55's chopped too. Here is the "before" shot -
Nothing? I guess that means this idea is either completely revolutionary and original....or really really bad. 50/50 shot at least...
55fairlane: If you want to do it...and you like it..that should be the answer? I've seen a lot of chopped 4drs..all different makes and models..Mordoors are in... Heres a Ford I saw at this years Hunnert... Bill j.
Bill, you saved me from having to post my photo of the same car. That is one good looking Ford. Roo Man
Generally speaking most guys avoid chopping these cars not because of the number of doors but the curve of the Gl***. It's a very dificult windshield to sucessfully cut. If you've never done a top like this I'll offer you some advice. Find a Gl*** guy that will comitt to doing your windshield before breaking out the Hacksaw. We have a Vetran Gl*** cutter on here named Old Beet. You might drop him a line for some sound advice. Best of luck with your project, I like the sound of your idea. The Wizzard
Hudson - Thanks for the photochop - That's pretty much what I had in mind. Some early 60's Caddy's had that clean gl*** from the vent window back ---> The curved gl*** could be a problem to cut, but how about this insane idea..... Has anyone ever used the back window as a windshield after the chop on a car like this? It still has the curve but its about 4 inches shorter. You could do something different in the back like move the posts so a flat window worked out. If I had any photoshop skills at all, I would show you what I'm thinking. Just a thought. Thanks for all the input everyone
rooman: I liked it too...i liked the way the trim is all back on.. Lowered, skirts,,it has the look.. 55fairlane: good advice from the guys...take heed, or you'll have a convertable, hey wait, that could work.... Bill j.
Back gl*** is tempered, a big rock chip will get you spittin gl*** corn , while bein blind. Those are hard to cut, might want to think of sumptin else. Gl*** will cost twice as much as the car, if its a nice one......OLDBEET
Screw it...I just cut a windshield for a 54 ford with a 4 inch chop..it took a lot of test fitting and extra cuts to get it right, but the ol wetsaw worked wonders!!!!
That looks fantastic! There are only so many 49 Mercs out there so its nice to see proof that something else can make a nice custom. Thanks for all the input.
Do you have to always cut the windshield? What about dropping it down, or "channelling" it into the body? I've got a similar dilemma on my 55 Lincoln. I'm thinking of a 3" chop and it's a 2dr (no posts/metal door frames). The rear is easy, but the front door pot metal vent frames are the problem. They look like '54 chevy vents, not the square 55's. If I shorten the windshield (either cutting or lowering) and keep the same angle, I have to shorten the pot metal vent frames - ugh; Or do I lay the ws back, then try to make the frames fit the new angle...Wait a minute, is that why I never see any of the magazine chop tops deal with working windows?!
Someone chopped a '56 Lincoln and painted it in a Winfield style purple fadeawy job about 10-12 years ago, it was big at the time... they turned the entire top around and used the back gl*** as a front. Of course that was a show car, but... hell I remember chucking some big-*** rocks at the back gl*** in like a '74 Impala that had 4 cars on top of it and I couldn't bust it... Anyhow, I've seen them sink the gl*** in, too - a lot of metalwork, you end up with a gap at the base of the windshield usually also, but it can be done and has been shown in one of the mags in the last 15 years. An early Custom Rodder (RIP) if I remember right. Sometimes you can buy a whole '55 Ford sedan for $200. In fact I could have gotten a fairly nice one had I some more cash when the one junkyard s****ped out. It had the rockers on it, decent interior, and fairly shiny black paint with red wheels even. So I'd cut the gl***, you can find another one, and if you do it right, might even be able to figure it so you can get some that are cloudy on the edge and trim them. for the back gl***, move it up or down, keep the frame intact, or put another (smaller?) window into it. Or make one the ol' school way out of plexigl***. Hardtopping will require bracing the B-post a bunch to keep the back doors on - or suicide them. Still will need to brace it though to keep it from moving. Maybe look at 57-58 Ford 4dr hardtops for pieces you can adapt. Maybe you can work in some 55-56 Ford 2dr ht vent window frames into it, the gl*** chrome frames could be cut from 2dr frames too. Gl*** shop can make you the gl*** to fit. Here again maybe adapting pieces from a 57-8 hardtop will help to get everything to fit together and seal properly. Was it me, I'd say screw the vent windows, lop off the front post so it fits, and put a one-piece window in the car. Cheating, probably, but hell when you go from post to hardtop you need gl*** made anyways, and on an actual hardtop, it's worth the $45 over trying to rework a potmetal vent frame. FWIW, I did read someone claiming you can "weld" pot metal now, but I have nary a clue just how you'd do that. It will be a lot of work for a fairly subtle modification, the hardtopping that is - but it would make it unique. Just put a screaming paint job on it if you want people to stop and look.. someone ran photos in the last two years (R&C maybe) of a chopped 2dr in lime green with purple ribbon flames all over the entire car. I think it was even on the cover.
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