Hello, I recently started working on restoring a '53 cranbrook and I need some advice, I've been looking around checking out things to do and I think my best bet would be to chop it or have it chopped. I've been photochopping it a bit and included a picture (sorry I'm a little rusty on PS) but I was wondering if my idea is even doable!? if not I'll head back to the drawing book. any other ideas of what I could possibly do would b e great?! the proportions are all fucky and I'm not set on the wheels but that's the look I'd be going for. ANY help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kerry
cran1 by andrew snyder, on Flickr all black. thin the chrome on the sides so its not as bulky. fenched lights and simple oval rears. tucked and shortned bumpers with two pushbars in rear. bagged or slammed but no fenderskirts, smoothie rims with simple caps but 18" not small ones. chrome round the sindows and some frenched antennas. as for motor either keep whats in it, or a six cylinder. why? why not
seriously though, i think although your PS skills need some work, i think the real life chop if ya did it like that would look good.... btw, I did that with paintbrush lol....
Yeah I wasn't sure if it was too much or not or even possible for that matter. Should I replace the rear window or lean the original? If I replaced it are there any smaller sized windshields I should look for? it's got a weird hump look to it that I'm really not keen on. PS is a little harder than I remember I did a better job with Paint the other night. Thanks for the inspiration guys, now I just need to move somewhere that I can work on it again haha
honestly i would rid of the whole rear section of the roof, and then lean the window. but chop it first (the glass)
that may turn heads but not the kind of look I'd be going for haha looks almost military! she may be an ugly beast but at least she's my ugly beast
sure you can do it! i'd swap the back glass, maybe 49-51 chevy coupe or plymouth coupe glass. i'd also rework that angle at the bottom of the side glass, the part that kicks toward the front. ya gotta keep that side trim, it's cool, looks like lincoln cosmo trim.
You might find some inspiration HERE: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=350134&highlight=1953+dodge&page=20 (Not that the other ideas aren't good, mind you. ) Ed Sloan's Barris built '53 Plymouth is being cloned by HAMB'er xxwelderxx. Search his posts.
Replace the rear window with a 49-51 ford rear window section..French the headlights..Maybe a floating grille bar??..
10pm on Wednesday night (NZ Time) and i find myself laughing my ass off, Its been said before, ill say it again, The Hamb is a wealth of knowledge, how can one possibly go wrong with advice such as this! You have so many stunning ideas to choose from, its gonna be tough!
I will advise you that chopping this is maybe worse than a shoebox ford. few more angles and things to contend with..
Make sure you talk to a competent glass man before you start cutting. A curved windshield can be tricky. Flat glass is not a problem. The back glass is tempered and cannot be cut. That is one reason why so many chops replace their wrap-around rear windows with oval-type ones, which can be "laid down" intact.
If you don't go too wild with your proportions that car could look really nice. Just make sure someone who has chopped before helps you or does it. (And look carefully at a car they have chopped! There are a lot of hacks running around. If someone claims to be an expert at it they probably suck, and if they say they don't really know what they're doing and figure it out as they go they're probably okay. Not sure why it works that way, but it sure seems to.) Getting the windshield cut down can be insanely expensive - shop around. I called every glass place in my region and most told me that it can't be done, a couple of them offered to do it for several hundred dollars, and then I found a local guy who did it for less than $100! (And he did a nice job, too.) AFTER your windshield is cut you can chop the roof to fit it. For the rear window you will have to try different ones to find something with the right curve to it. '49-51 Ford MIGHT work, or '46-48 Chevy.
I'd been through that whole 51-53 dodge/plymouth thread the other day, it's awesome what people have done to these cars! It was the custom cranbrook with the carson top that really got my gears going. I guess anythings possible if you put your mind to it. It'll be a while before any top chopping will be done but these ideas and input are great! Thanks everybody!
there is a fine line in there where a chop becomes too much and ruins the lines of the car, don't over do it.
Would the picture I made (black shitty one) be to much? I'd love to have that look but if it can't be done it can't be done. Saw this one the other day... caption read "my first attempt at a roof chop" not my cup of tea. the barris custom is fricken sweet, good luck to xxwelderxx
The rear glass could be a pain in the butt...how about leaving it alone and then do about a 2" cut forward? There is alot of room above the rear glass. Maybe one of the photoshop wizards could try it. .
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