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Roof swapping on a '60's car

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by J Man, Nov 2, 2007.

  1. J Man
    Joined: Dec 11, 2003
    Posts: 4,131

    J Man
    Member
    from Angola, IN

    I think this was done on a Ford by one of the bigger name shops but has anyone ever swapped their roof to go for a different look? I guess for a more sleek look?
     
  2. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

    I remember seeing a galaxie with a starliner roof somewhere. It was pretty slick. I'd like to see more of it for sure.
     
  3. The coolest thing I ever saw was a 57 Ford with the roof reversed. They cut the orriginal "A" pillars way down, so the roof now slopped way down in the back. You now look out the rear window, and whats left of the front windshield.
     
  4. SinisterCustom
    Joined: Feb 18, 2004
    Posts: 8,277

    SinisterCustom
    Member

    T-bird with Starliner roof....
     

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  5. I've also seen an impala with a starliner roof on it as well...
     
  6. Wonder what a '62 Falcon would look like w/ a cut down starliner roof...

    hmmm...
     
  7. like a 63 1/2 falcon.
     

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  8. turdytoo
    Joined: May 14, 2007
    Posts: 1,568

    turdytoo
    Member

    If I remember right, back in 1962, Ford put a Starliner roof on a '62 Galaxie trying NASCAR ideas.
     
  9. hellbound gasser
    Joined: Dec 13, 2005
    Posts: 435

    hellbound gasser
    Member

    Am i missing something? I was under the impression that a starliner was a galaxy with a goofy roof? Why transplant?
     
  10. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

    Sounds pretty awesome. I'd like to find THAT car!
     
  11. turdytoo
    Joined: May 14, 2007
    Posts: 1,568

    turdytoo
    Member

    Not in 1962.
     
  12. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    Yes, I remember the NASCAR Ford flimflam from '62. I think there was more to it...Ford tried to imply it was an available kit, I guess using convertible body?? Don't remember it all from then, but anyway, they tried to push it as a legit option and of course it was rejected. That car, I think, then went to Bonneville, still sporting the sloper roof but with a huge stroker (I seem to remember about 480 cubes) and paid for itself by stacking up a bunch of long distance speed records, FIA type stuff, not speedweek. All murky memory from "Car Life" and "Motor Trend" long ago...probably plenty of errors, but Ford did produce one really neat swap!
     
  13. Da Injun
    Joined: Dec 22, 2006
    Posts: 410

    Da Injun
    Member

    There was an article in a magazine about that. Fairly recently (last 15 yrs) about that car. I have the magazine, I just don't know which one it is in. I don't remember if it was available through Ford or some other outfit, but I remember something being said about the windows needed to be down because of the different roofline( I could be wrong on that). I think it was actually some lift off option called the Starliner. I think the article was in a Muscle Car Review Magazine, but I could be wrong.
     
  14. Junkyard Jan
    Joined: Jan 7, 2005
    Posts: 738

    Junkyard Jan
    Member Emeritus

    Hee's the deal. The '62 Ford with the 'Thunderbird" roofline and the 406 engine was no match for the 421 powered Pontiacs. So a a stopgap, Ford cast a few fiberglass '61 Starliner tops. They named it the "Starlifter option" and supposedly it was an option for the '62 Sunliners even though the rear quarter windows didn't line up with the top. None were ever offered to the public. NASCAR, being smarter than they are now saw through this ruse in a NY minute and allowed them for one race only....I think it was either Atlanta or Darlington. BTW, the boxy roofline and underpowered 406 were the reason that Ford rushed the fastback rooflined '63 1/2 Galaxie and the 427 mill into production just in time to be introduced at the '63 Daytona 500.

    Jan
     
  15. Silent_Orchestra
    Joined: Jun 17, 2007
    Posts: 1,313

    Silent_Orchestra
    BANNED
    from Omaha, NE

    Ok it's not really sixties or a car, but i've seen plenty of vans with vista cruiser roofs. haven't seen many roof transplants on 60's cars except for the starliner galaxy deal.
     
  16. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    Next...Chevy...what was the deal on the very few '62 Chevies with '61 roof??
    Not a swap, but VERY scarce even in 1962. Backdoor NASCAR deal?? Leftover shells??
     
  17. I tried, you need a clean side shot of a galaxie, it would be a ton of metal work to get that same dam bubbly rear glass the sedans have. you might as well chop up a sedan to make something like this.

    THere was a ford starliner model with an accessory hardtop called a "starlift' top, very rare. might be the way to go especially on a hardtop.
     

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  18. jonzcustomshop
    Joined: Jun 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,927

    jonzcustomshop
    Member

    On the 61 -2 chevs: the 62 belaire 2 dr hardtop had the "bubble top"- the 61 style roof. the 62 impala 2 dr hardtop had the sportier hard top that looked like a raised convertible top.
    I would assume that the belaire was not that much cheaper than the sportier impala, thus creating less demand and sales.
     
  19. jonzcustomshop
    Joined: Jun 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,927

    jonzcustomshop
    Member

    Gene winfields "maybeline" is a 61-2 caddy with a 59-60 4 dr hardtop roof.

    jimmy vaughn, and gary howard built a 61-2 caddy with a 61-2 4 dr hardtop roof.

    I have transplanted a chopped - shortened 59-60 4 dr hardtop roof on my 60 elcamino.
     

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  20. Bigger pictures please!!!! That ElCo looks great.
     
  21. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    I would love to see more pics of this as well!! I have built this one in my mind a few times over the years! Lets see some more pics pls!
     
  22. Tuxedo
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 287

    Tuxedo
    Member

    This cat used a '60 Fury roof on his Cheby. Looks nice, even though he wouldn't hook a brother up with a piece of trim from the plymouth..
     

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  23. Magazines all showed a while back a guy put a '60-'61 Plymouth hardtop roof on a '63-'64 Impala. It's painted tomato red. That and the T-bird shown are about the only ones I know that got done. The ugly customs thread shows a couple more, unfinished, late '50's Mopars with roof swaps - a '57 Plymouth with a '65 AMC Marlin top, and I forget what the other one is but it has the 60-61 Plymouth/Dodge top on a finned body.

    The biggest obstacle to a roof swap is the tape measure - you need to make sure the rear window and frame will fit the car that's to recieve them. The only exception to that is if you use a '57 Buick/Olds donor - because it has a three piece window with a fairly flat center section, you can narrow it and it's not hard to make a new middle piece out of plexiglass or even cut it from a late model windshield if need be. I have a '58 Rambler I want to put one of those tops on, one of these days.
     
  24. triplexkustoms
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 327

    triplexkustoms
    Member

    what about the 54 ford that was in rod and custom a while back? i cant remember what kind of roof they used.
     
  25. jonzcustomshop
    Joined: Jun 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,927

    jonzcustomshop
    Member

    these are the best I have so far.....
    I am going to try to do a build post in the future.
    I need to learn how to use the photo bucket first.


    chopped 4 1/2 sectioned 2
     

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  26. Nailhead
    Joined: Oct 3, 2007
    Posts: 540

    Nailhead
    Member

    Your not by chance thinking of (D'Agastino's) green 57 Lincoln Premier are you ?? I still have that issue of Custom Rodder in my collection...

    Todd
     
  27. Tony
    Joined: Dec 3, 2002
    Posts: 7,350

    Tony
    Member

    The blue one?? I thought they said that car had a buick wildcat roof grafted on..mid 60's maybe?? can't remember..
    That's probably one of the slickest roof swap's i've seen, or at least the one i like the most..I couldn't believe how smooth it flowed considering the major difference's in body style's..
     
  28. Tony
    Joined: Dec 3, 2002
    Posts: 7,350

    Tony
    Member

    That's the one i was thinking of..Perfection!
     
  29. Now that I think about it, there is about a '53 Buick that was done about 1993 or so and was in Custom Rodder - they put a '65 Impala fastback top on it, shortened and narrowed to fit. Didn't look too bad -
     

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