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Going Topless

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by _charles_, Mar 9, 2009.

  1. _charles_
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 305

    _charles_
    Member
    from Tampa, Fl

    I have searched the forums, and I know the typical response of "Don't ruin such a nice car", or just plain old, "don't do it". So if your gonna respond with one of those 2 phrases or one that closely resembles it, just save us all the trouble and don't reply. Cool..thanks.

    I have a 1953 Cadillac Coupe (Not CDV). for all intensive purposes, she is rust free, and in pretty darn good condition. I have dumped alot of good hard eraned money into her, and I don't want to get rid of her, but I do want a convertible.

    I have located a donor car that can provide all the needed parts to do the conversion. My question is on the reinforcement. My coupe is pillarless, from the bottom, the X crossmember resembles that of the convertible.

    What else should I consider bracing if I go ahead and do this?

    thanks
    Charles
     
  2. willys_truck
    Joined: Mar 4, 2005
    Posts: 785

    willys_truck
    Member

    The car will be worthless after cutting the top off, do not do it if you think you might EVER sell the car.
     
  3. For all intents and purposes you should post a photo.
     
  4. _charles_
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 305

    _charles_
    Member
    from Tampa, Fl

    Of my car?
    [​IMG]
     
  5. BloodSweatSteel
    Joined: Mar 5, 2009
    Posts: 30

    BloodSweatSteel
    Member

    BEAUTIFUL car! that being said do what YOU want to do, loose the top.
     
  6. brentthebarber
    Joined: Apr 8, 2008
    Posts: 265

    brentthebarber
    Member
    from San Diego

    HOLY SHIT, YOU"RE GONNA CUT THAT? do whatcha wanna do!
     
  7. Great lookin car. Just hang your head out the window.
    Trivia question:
    What Airplane inspired the Cadillac's style after WW2 ?
     
  8. choppintops
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,460

    choppintops
    BANNED

    Hard to do it and make it look RIGHT. Most come out looking like some late 1980s minitruck hack job. Been said, it is your car, do what you want, but you WILL destroy its value. Look in your wallet, that is your money too, tear it in half and throw it away,,,,, same thing.

    You making a convert roof? Or like mentioned above minitruck style? Man thats a good looking car as is,,,,,, better be damn sure.
     
  9. What the hell. To each their own. I cut the roof off mine. Never touched the frame. It's been 15 years, hasn't folded in half yet.
     

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  10. 402
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 115

    402
    Member

    The P-38 Lightning, which also inspired the '50/'51 Studebaker.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Hoptup Jalop
    Joined: Sep 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,118

    Hoptup Jalop
    Member

    my favorite plane of all time!!!!
    [​IMG]
     
  12. pyroimpala
    Joined: Mar 9, 2008
    Posts: 61

    pyroimpala
    Member
    from DFW

    You're out of your damned mind wanting to cut up a car that nice.

    I have a '52 Ford Customline I'd consider cutting the roof off of, but only because a bunch of drunk mexicans thought it'd be funny to smash all the windows in on it and I would rather not spend close to a grand to buy all new windows
     
  13. choppintops
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,460

    choppintops
    BANNED

    Good lord,,,, shave that dog and teach it to hunt :D
     
  14. nick_s
    Joined: Apr 11, 2006
    Posts: 436

    nick_s
    Member
    from Ohio

    Did the convertible has thicker side rails AND "X"? I know the prewar buick convertibles did compared to their closed counterparts. That said, I persoanlly never liked the look of the early 50's caddy in a convertible, The 55 and later looked much better in the topless variety... cadillacs, that is.
     
  15. Its pretty common to do what is called a bucket job, putting the convert bucket, the pinchweld area and all guts and bracing down into a hardtop shell, the side or B pillars are reinforced into the floor, and back towards the trunk, the trunk hinges might also be in another spot now that the package tray is gone. I know the converts have a heavy I beam X member on the center of the frame, it will fit into a stock frame with the old unit out and alot of sweat and work. Most of the time the bucket is spliced in at the beltline trim.
     
  16. saeger
    Joined: Feb 16, 2007
    Posts: 115

    saeger
    Member

    I had a teacher once that did that with his karman geih because he was bored, he just cut the roof off with a saws-all and bought all the convertible stuff from a junkyard. Hell I say do it, IF you think you can make it look right, I.E. nearly identical to how it would be from the factory.
     
  17. _charles_,
    If you have all the parts to make the conversion look legit get and do it.

    Structually speaking most of the 50's rigs had a different frame for the convertible version.
    OR If you have access to the donet car (a real converible) get the whole thing and put all your pretty parts on it.

    Do some research on other sites like Cadillac sites where other owners have done this sort of thing. See what the downfalls are or seek advise from people who've done this sort conversion. It's a nice but yours to do what you want with.
    Remember though, it'll never be a real convertible, and don't try to sell it off as one or it will bite you in the ass later on. Just make sure you say it's a custom convertible.
    good luck
     
  18. _charles_
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 305

    _charles_
    Member
    from Tampa, Fl

    First off, to those not familiar with the J body 50-53 GM Cars, the Coupe like mine and the convertible are the exact same body lines. Cut off the top and you wouldn't be able to tell it apart from a convertible, because there is no real difference. It's not like the Convertible had differently shaped sheetmetal or anything.

    So, if I had the correct factory parts, it should look JUST LIKE a factory convertible. NOT like a minitruck style.

    Here is what she would look like:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Here is the Farme on a 1952 Convertible
    [​IMG]
    and here is the frame on my 1953 Coupe.
    [​IMG]
     
  19. _charles_
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 305

    _charles_
    Member
    from Tampa, Fl

  20. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,590

    theHIGHLANDER
    Member

    A job like this is no cake walk. While at first it may seem easy to do going to OEM locations, guess again. The frame pics show the heavy strap iron they used to brace the X. Yes you'll need B-pillar castings. You'll need all the interior parts fron the donor to make room for the cylinders and springs as well as a bootwell for the bows to live when down, then the narrow rear seat frames and new upholstery for all of the above. The top of the windshield...different by far. Latch mechanism, might even be factory chopped. You'd need to do some research there, see if HT and Conv are the same glass. Stainless trim for the top seal, tops of the window glass, same? Just my initial random thoughts on the gig.
     
  21. flynbrian48
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 8,632

    flynbrian48
    Member

    Cut it. I cut the roof of a '56 Sedan DeVille, and shortened it 16". Spliced and plated the frame, it was as stiff as any convert, no cowl shake. I used the top irons from a '68 Catalina and made my own front header. It was chopped about 5". As far as I know, the car still exists today, still in the same paint, 20+ years later.

    As far as ruining the value, who cares, and if anybody here does, I would suggest they're on the wrong message board! Last time I looked, this was a hot rod and custom car crowd...
     

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  22. 38FLATTIE
    Joined: Oct 26, 2008
    Posts: 4,349

    38FLATTIE
    Member
    from Colorado

    That's a beautiful car!

    And it will make an awesome convertible! Looks like the x frame has been beefed up some on the vert, but i'm with you. Go topless.
     
  23. Comet
    Joined: Dec 1, 2004
    Posts: 2,571

    Comet
    Member

    I was going to suggest buying a donor 'vert and going that route. The one you found seems to be a good base to start from from what I can tell. You'll be dollars ahead in the end, it would be easier and quicker than a conversio, it would probably turn out nicer and it will be the real deal which makes it much easier if you ever want to sell.
    Just my opinion, but that hard top you have looks a lot nicer IMO than the 'vert.
     
  24. Vermonster
    Joined: Dec 16, 2008
    Posts: 60

    Vermonster
    Member

    My god that thing is fucking beautiful... I don't even like red, and that car makes me want to pee my pants.
     
  25. chappys4life
    Joined: Sep 10, 2008
    Posts: 460

    chappys4life
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    Dude dont cut it. That thing is to sweet to cut.
     
  26. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    An acquaintance of mine here in town has several 1958 Cadillac Eldorados. He converted an Eldorado Coupe into a convertible exactly as you want to do using an undoable convertible parts car.
    Worked great, looked, great, and is great.
    Most folks don't remember that what we call "hardtops", pillarless sedans or coupes, were originally called "hardtop convertibles".
    DO IT!
     
  27. STEP AWAY FROM THE SAWZALL!!!!

    Please do not do that to such a beautiful car.
     
  28. And we have a winner!!! :D. A life time supply of SBC crate engines to our winner.
     
  29. 402
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 115

    402
    Member

    Thanks! I'll PM you my info :)
     

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