The Ultimate '55 Chevy 4-to-2 door Conversion!

For myself it wouldn't bother me a bit to buy one that has been converted, or convert a 4door to a 2door, if I had the skill, to do it!!
It all comes down to, its your car, and one needs to do with it, what ever you personally likes!!
If you like the lines of a 4door fine, but I always prefered the lines of a 2door 55-57. But the only way I would ever be able, to dream of owning one, is to take a 4door, and convert it.
Because what I could afford, in the 2door 55-57 chevy line, I would carry home a box!!
But sometimes, a person can run upon a decent deal, on a 4door builder.

Shadetree

 

You guys who're concerned with the car REALLY being a 4 door only need to be concerned if So-Cal Tex was trying to sell it as an original factory 2 door. THAT would be fraudulent as in illegal. Read his initial post again, he WAS going to turn it for some money, found no one wants a 4 door (imagine that?! haha), and decided to make a two door sedan out of it. It came out great and he's KEEPING it. IF he sells, I'm sure he'd let the next guy know the full story.

As long as I had full disclosure and the work was sound, I'd be completely fine with it.....LOOKS AWESOME by the way!

 

This was done years ago already...a guy in the Classic Chevy Club did the conversion and had the car at one of the national conventions...

 

Now THIS would TRULY be a MINIMAL ENTHUSIASM PROJECT!

 

My title says 2-Dr. and VIN# does not tell whether it was a 4 or 2 door

 

Squablo,

First you remove the 4-door B pillar and toss it then ,we went in under the drip rail and split the factory seam along the rear window opening. We were also able to reuse the inner fenderwells from the 4-door since they were the same as 2-door. Basically grafting the 2-door pillar and quarter and the same seam they use at the factory. There is no visual difference between a readl 2-door and this converted version doing it this way. Swaping the roof looks like a whole lot more work to me. This conversion was started in January and it is mostly done now working every other weekend. About 100 hours so far.

 

all the vin denotes on a 567 is weather it is a v8 , belair, 210, or 150, and the year.
the cowl tag states the model...2-4-conv-wagon.
usually all you have to do is tell the person at the dmv that there is a typo, and they will change the 4 to a 2

An interesting aside:
I was looking at the auction results of a (foose I think) nomad- one of those ones that they really F%#ked up with the modern headlights, and modern winshield, real mad?- 55 nomad, and they had the vin listed, it came up as a 56 210 6 cylinder... no way that vin plate was ever on a nomad,(not a belair vin).
went for big $$$$$$ but itwas a custom anyway, so who cares about its original pedigree.

 

There was a `57 Ambulance Drag Car here in Upstate NY back in the `60s that was just like that! It was cool.... and blew my mind the first time I saw it!

 

Man, I would have bought that car as a four door. What a perfect family ride!

 

Wouldn't it have been easier to just weld up the rear doors

Turned out great! Fuck the guys who want to tell you differet. Look at all the 49-51 Mercs that get 2-door conversions. Don't see many people bitchin about them...why is this different?

 

That is correct, but that is also very misleading and could get you into trouble, if and when you ever sell it. Your "Cowl Tag" will tell what body style it is.

http://www.danchuk.com/images/Downloads/Catalog/Original_Specs.pdf

 

We have a couple pretty decent 4-doors and can't sell them for any price. Running, driving, need some work, no one gives a shit. I say cut them all up and make 2-doors out of them.

 

Throw them up on ebay (I know that's a nasty word around here). I doubled my money on my first one I had.

 

2403 would be a 4 door belair sedan........... but I have never seen 2403 or any other series# in a vin# like that, and acording to my books that is not a valid vin#(the VC should be in front of 56 then a letter or letters telling where the body was made, then the non duplicated serial#).............in short the vin# doesnt tell if it is a 2 or a 4 door, only the cowl plate tells that.
I think your on the rite track but mistaken about what your vin# is

 

I retracted that statement awhile back, surprised it still quoted.

 

I would retract but now I stand quoted........sorry.

 

I see your taking some heat from others on this. I for one think its great, your working with what you have and you did a nice job with it. If you used the one piece floor, I may have done some subassembled it.

 

The better ones have been on eBay many, many, many times, priced the same as what others were bringing. Still have the '55 Chevy, and the '55 Chrysler I get told to pull the Hemi and scrap it, or I get offered $500 for it. For that I'll drive it for a winter rat until it's so rotty it really is only worth $500.

 

Throw a picture of them up on here,I doubt that I am the only one curious.
I dont think just pics would break any rules.

 

Great job. Makes me want a '55 again.

 

I agree that 4-doors are pretty much worthless, I like Tri-5 Chevies in four doors, but 2-doors are much prettier and valuable.

I tried to sell the car in first couple of pictures as a running driving V8-auto car and the only serious offer I got was $2,300. I had more than that in it without any labor.

I always wanted a '55 chevy 2-door post, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay $3-5,000 for a rusty 2-door shell. I have about $5,000 in this one now, but there is no rust or bondo anywhere and the car is factory correct 2-door ( with the exception of the cowl tag) which is the way I like them.

 

Now that I walked out to my donor car and looked at it I see how you did it and I think that's the way to go. The original roof skin and drip rail never gets cut and the welds are at all of the factory spot weld areas. Now the pictures make sense too.

I'm so glad you posted these pics, because I think your method is going to be the simplest way to get it done and get it to look 100% correct. Much easier than my initial plans to use the whole roof. When I had the pieces that you ended up getting, I thought I was going to have to mate them together in the roof skin somewhere. That would have been tough.

This thread probably saved me 50 hours of work. And if your 100 hour estimate is including the extensive floor pan work, then I'd say you're making excellent progress. I'm looking forward to seeing the car with paint and glass on it.

 

Is there a thread, where would show completed 4 door to 2 door conversions???
I did a little searching, but did not come up with one.
So If there isn't, I wish someone would post some, that is completed, with paint, windows, chrome etc.

I think this a great idea, for us poor ol boys, that would never have a chance to buy, a buildable 2 door.
The skill level is way over my head, but If I had a farly solid 55-57 4 door, and I could locate, some doors, and other parts, to do it, I would be very tempted, to try it myself anyway.

If I ever did, come up with a car, and the parts, and then after getting it done, I got hard up and had to sell, I would show any prospected buyer the build pics etc.
And If it turned out, how I think this ones going to turn out, I don't think that it would make very much difference to anybody that just wanted a 2door 55-57.
It might to one of these guys, that some kind of tri five restoration purist, but I am too poor, to have any contact with that class anyway.
I firmly believe if you really going to enjoy this hobby, especially if you are like me (no money) you had better get it in your head why, and who, you are building it for, and that's for ourselves.
And what others think, really doest matter, unless of course they are willing to help you with your goal of getting the job done!!
There has been some great post on this conversion, on here, and this one is also great.
And I hope we can start a thread of completed cars, to motivate us thinkers, but skiddish of there own ability to give it a try, if they ever had the chance.

Again I not saying anything against, anybody that likes 4doors, ( And I would love to own any 55-57 2door or 4 door anything, (especialy a 56 4door hardtop) and I wouldnt consider, starting out with a cherry condition 4door, (there is to many drivable, but builders, out there that can still be had, faily reasonable.
But for me, its build it how you like it, and that to me is what this hobby is all about anyway.
And I just love to watch these guys with the skills, and the courage, to do it the way they like it.
Because thats as traditional, and hotrod worthy as it gets, in my book!!

Shadetree

 

Wow, that´d be so boss if You could do that...would have to do what the gentleman in the post #9 did with his ´57 sedan, though, as the Sport Coupe body shares nothing in between the cowl and the trunk lid with a sedan. Like You already pointed out Yourself, though, the frames are all same on all "closed" bodystyles. If You had the whole entire roof, some kind of doors and quarters with at least the sloped-down top section usable, with all the window-regulator stuff, all it would take would be some careful measuring and lots and lots of welding...

 

Mate, I know that is not a 55 but it is Chev and has been converted AND completed. Type this in search

4 to 2-door conversion on a 52 chevy, with pics !

 

Hi fat141

Thanks and I have this thread saved, in my favorites!!!
Absolutely outstanding!! work, on that 52!!
I could only dream of having the skills, to build a car, that turned out that good!!
Thanks
Shadetree

 

Posted both plus a '60 Chevy 4dr ht just for the hell of it in one ad in the classified with one picture of each. As rust belt cars go, they're not bad, but I'm sure anyone from the southwest will see nothing but junk -

55 Chev hardtop is missing one door, but the top, quarters, glass except windshield is all there. Frame broke on the right side under the rear seat. Has a decent hood and steering wheel in it, and a core front seat (those were big bucks for a while, haven't checked lately), probably could do $500-$750 parting it out and still have enough to bring $150 or so at the crusher. Could be a roof/quarters donor for a conversion, or it could be used to re-skin a stock car. I can post that too if someone's interested.

 

Here's another conversion that is going on..not a tri 5 chev but just as good...I think it was posted on here before...All these conversions should be in the tech section or made into one big post for a reference for people.

http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/0eb228deb

 

Jeeesh, so what. Some people around here build their cars the way they likem, not with thought of what sort of money that they can turn it into.

 

Funny, no body bagged me that it is not a REAL two door. Who gives a rats?