I have a 61 Comet that is begging to be a permanent convertible topless. It is a four door and I am planning to weld the rear doors shut and shave the handles. I am not sure if I should reinforce the body or the windshield. If so where do I reinforce it?
If I can make a suggestion, DONT DO IT! There's just not enough support in the unibody frame to pull this off. I saw a Falcon at the wrecking yard - they cut the top off and it just folded in the middle. A lot of support comes from that roof. Even cars WITH good frames sag a bit when the roof is removed.
So true... The only unibody cars I've seen de-roofed without a lot of regret are the early ('58-'65) T-Birds and ('61-'69) suicide door Lincolns. Probably why the Linc's and 'Birds kicked ass at the derbies and the Falcon/Comet's didn't.
With enough tubing and a welder, anything is possible. Didn't those come as a factory convertible? There's your first point of reference for mods.
Hopefully its not a rust bucket. Extra reinforcement needs to be added to the rockers and where the rockers join the front and rear frame rails. Think big boxes. Gene
I had a 62 Falcon 2dr we cut the top off in high school. I drove the piss out of it like that for a couple years. No issues with folding body, etc. But it was a hardtop (no post) originally, so maybe it was already braced. I would not do it to a 4dr, or a good two door today. If you must do it, then run some 4-6" C channel iron along the inside of the rockers, all along them. You dont see that bend too often.
There is Mustangs Plus in Stockton CA www.mustangsplus.com that has a 'Roadster kit' that involves cutting the roof off a mustang coupe. The cars are identical with the exception of yours being a 4 door. Check out how they are doing it for some ideas.
Convertible falcons and Mustangs have a lot of additional bracing. The inner rockers sections are bigger and there are under body panels added. There is also some additional support structure in the rear of the car at the taillight panel. Most of them have torque boxes installed at the forward end of the rocker. It's not a small deal to prevent a chassis like this from twisting excessively. If you want to do this, definitely look up the Ronster and see how they reinforced the unibody. Also take a look at some of the Datsun 240Z topless conversions. Same issues with a different body.
Well now I have a ton of concern, while before I just had a little. If I do not take the top off does anyone have a suggestion on what I could do. If not I have a 61 comet, 4 door, for sale
There are readily available Frame Connectors sold by a few vendors that would probably make the old Comet at least as strong as a rusty "unconvertiblized " Falcon/Comet. The original convertible Fal/Com's have extra tin in the rockers and additional "torque boxes" connecting the subframes with them. Here's a source for the connectors: http://www.globalwest.net/mustang_1964 -73 catalog.htm#Subframe Connectors Sounds like a neat idea but using a four door and welding up the rear doors means the bench front seat won't fold, the doors may look short and weird... - Perfect, please send some pics when it's done! Powerband
A good set of frame connectors would be in order along with the additional convertible type bracing. Mustangs also have a cross brace along the seat risers and a solid plate across the trunk to cabin divider. Your car would benefit from these additions and as someone mentioned the addition of torque boxes. Typical early Falcon/ Mustang chassis's had a driver side only box but when they dropped FE's in them they realized they needed two.
Send a PM to "Beach Hop" if you still wanna do it. He has converted a 4 door Falcon to 2 door convert, with correct inner strenghthening and it worked out fine.
If you have to ask this question, you are preparing to turn an old car into junk. that's what I was thinking, but I have found that here on the HAMB sometimes people just don't want to hear it. what is wrong with cruising a 4 door comet until you find your dream ride? I've never met an old car in reasonably stock condition I did not like. seen quite a few 4 doors with the doors welded up and the roof cut off that I just felt sorry for.
'If I do not take the top off does anyone have a suggestion on what I could do. If not I have a 61 comet, 4 door, for sale ' You just answered your own question. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Actually, it doesn't hurt to know what kind of things you need to brace up on a project like this. Example, I have a 55 Ford ragtop in the shop that was a real bondo'ed up piece of crap, but it looked good. Doors would not close if you parked on an uneven surface! I am now planning out extra bracing on the car, even though I'm doing all the repairs right, new floors, body mounts, braces, lower panels. Just doing it to stiffen up the body even more than factory. Just a few things...2 x 2 16 ga tubing welded into the inner rockers, tieing into the sills, as well. 1 x 1 1/2 16 ga goin up the door jamb. 1 x 1 tieing in the jam brace to the rocker brace, just in front of the wheelwell. Another 1 x 1 from the top of the wheelwell back to the rocker brace. Tough fitting it all and having the windows work! 1 x 1 1/2 across the bottom of the backseat, gussets to the other braces. Might do something in the dash area as well.
Well… I think I am going to let this project sit for a while. At least until I feel my experience level is high enough for it. Until then I will keep working on my t-bug and 53 Chevy 5-window. If I decide to move on I will post pics. A thanks to all for the input.
Go look under a 68 Galaxie Convert....they had Sturdy frames...then Ford went and gave them a X cross-member....it would work the same for the Comet.
Except that the Comet doesn't have a sturdy frame to start with...... The acceptability of four-doors has been beaten to death here (recently, even), but you can summarize thusly: If the old girl makes you smile, then it's OK.
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