Chopmerc on here has one. Its carson topped, but still a vicky. Real nice chop on that car. If I remember correctly aren't the turqiose and purple ones above the same car? Purple was the first creation and it was followed by the turquoise version?
I hadn't spotted that, but the top, hood, and skirts look the same. He made a lot of changes for version #2: headlights, grille, wheel wells, bumper, side trim. I think it's very difficult to chop a Vic well -- when the side windows look right, the windshield and backlight are too low for my taste. I've studied that possibility on mine for a long time, and I'm still not sure how to get it right. I've seen pictures of a chopped Vic, done a long time ago, that used a '52 Ford wagon rear window with a vinyl-covered top. Looked great from the rear, but it still suffered from the tank-looking windshield. I can't remember where I saw the pictures, unfortunately. Rikster? Would you know about this car?
I don't think they're the same car. Front looks too different,and the wind-wings are cut on the purple one. Maybe i'm wrong,but I think they are two different cars. The blue one ,almost appears un-chopped.
Bob, good catch on the wind wings. Notice that the rain gutter and the backlight stainless form a V that just touches the beltline molding, though; the two chops (if there are two chops) are virtually identical. You're probably right that they aren't the same car, but they sure have several very similar features. Rik, my memory says that the pictures I saw (one rear 3/4, one front 3/4) were from Oakland and may have been B/W -- probably from the '50s. The car was a pale color, like gold, and had a light-colored top covering. I don't remember anything about the lower body; it was the rear window and top covering that got my attention.
Ive pondered 51 Vickys a lot, and come to the conclusion that the seam across the front of the roof that makes the top look removable is what ****s these cars up when chopped. if i had a vicky to chop (and i dont) i would lose that detail by using the front section of a coupe roof. this would allow a taller windscreen and alleviate that squashed look at the front of the roof. the sides and rear window are awesome on a shoebox vicky, the front detail ruins them in my opinion, even stock.
You're right that this seam is what causes the awkwardness. The '51 Vic was actually built from the '50 Convert with no new sheet metal except the roof, and that rain gutter over the windshield is exactly the same line as the front edge of the convertible top. The coupe and sedan have the top of the side windows approximately aligned with the top of the windshield, while the convert and the Vic have a lower windshield to make room for the wraparound line of the top. Somebody once suggested to me (while discussing chopping a Vic) to eliminate the top windshield frame altogether, and to run the gl*** and the center bar right up to the rain gutter. Who knows, it might be a good look.
I know they are both from the same area, northeast, as I've seen them at shows in this region. I thought I remembered seeing one and then the other, never at the same time. Maybe just a coincidence, but they're aren't that many chopped Vicky's around with that many similarities. Luke from Kustoms Iluustrated would know better.
For your information, I sold my old '51 Vicky to a French guy who's going to chop it. I'll post some pics when he's done the chop.
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