Now I know this link is another thread,But this car deserves its own thread,To show what can be done with a little persistence and hard work, I check it every week for update.....I think the owner and builder is a Hamber also.. ...But he is doing a kick ass job of a 2dr conversion...Check it out..It will make you think about passing up on the next 4 dr.. ( I know some of you will bitch about the wheels he chose for the car but just look at the fit of the car, it looks like a factory 2 door.) http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/0eb228deb
The work looks excellent, but the link with the slide show is kinda hard to deal with. I think if you posted the pictures directly on the HAMB in order it'd get a lot more views/attention. This is the only car I've seen done in this way, the two door skins fully welded together and then cut at the door gap is odd but works out well in the end.
Guys who can do this blow me away. Really talented and dedicated to start and finish such a project. The thing is, if I was that talented I think I would pick a body style that never came in a two door. Then you could really lie to people when they are trying to understand what happened.
Chad, I'm at a loss for words, (and that doesn't happen too often) but you have done yourself what others can only admire. Congradulations on your endeavor. HellRaiser
If I had half as much talent as you; that would be twice as good as I am now. Great Job. Just shows that not everything good has to come from spending big bucks. When I was a kid all the rodding magazines were about do it yourself, from scrap yard parts, etc. Now it seems all the mags are about new parts from all sorts of suppliers. I was not fortunate enough to have built a rod back then(life set in) but now that I am older and grayer and better prepared finacially, I plan to do it the old way. People like you, Chad, and others are keeping the spirit alive. Keep up the good work.
That is a hell of a project to take on. Sectioning the doors is a hard way to go about it but it does seem to have worked out well.
Man, this guy is one of the fabricating gods. Imagine the number of hours in this project to date. My hat is off to you, dude!
I wish I could take the credit but I didn't build it...Its a member of the Hamb's car...It is just a build that I am follwing on the internet..The guy who built is is doing a wicked job and I thought I would share the site with all you here...Just to show what can be done with an old 4 dr....Maybe the owner and builder will chime in.... Sorry if I made it sound like I built it.....I have never done a 4 dr conversion,,But I was told quite a while ago by a fellow Hamber if you change a 4dr into a 2 dr you just have a pile of junk..Maybe this website I posted will change his mind.. But on the other hand I usually start with cars with no floors... LOL... Like this....This is one I did for a friend
I reworded the original post so it doesn't sound like I built it LOL.( I never intended for it to sound like I built it) ..I don't want their to be any confusion...I am not the type of person to take credit for other peoples work.....I just wanted to share the site to show you guys some cool fab work....
LOL..I re read the first post and it was worded kind of screwy so I hope I fixed it and cleared it up....
Thats great, a different approach to the doors and quarter panels but a cool way to do it, Looks great so far.
Thanks chad, very cool...lots of great pics of the work too eh! Got any others, will have to keep an eye on this one...
chad,i must have overlooked it,but what guage metal did he use for the floor pans? do you know? i have a 59 4dr that i was going to part out but not now. thanks for the link
Very cool! Please keep us posted as this come's together. I'm really looking forward to seeing it finished up..I could care less what rims he chose to run, that is going to be slick! Love the color too.
I don't know what he used for the 59.. But the pics of the floor of the coupe above I used 18 gauge with bead rolls in it...If you don't put some beads in, it will oil can..If you don't have access to a bead roller I would use 16 gauge..
(But I was told quite a while ago by a fellow Hamber if you change a 4dr into a 2 dr you just have a pile of junk..Maybe this website I posted will change his mind.. ) Damn, I wish someone would have told me all I have was a pile of junk,,,,,,!!!!! Well, I guess Ill just have to....Anyone want my junk? Heres a 4 to 2 I did. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229300 It can be done and not that Im apposed to moredoors its just that someone told me it couldnt be done.
grate fab work but, that is a lot of work for a car that is readily available. just the labor hours alone could pay for a nice 2 dr
He's doin a nice job on it but man, you'd have to absolutely be in love with 59 Chevy Bel Air's to put that much time into a 2 door conversion much less the restoration of the rest of the car. To each his own but I think he woulda been $$$ ahead if he started with a rusty 59 Impala 2-door or even a convertible carcass. At the end of the day it'll still be a converted 4 door post bel air, albeit a real nice one. Real nice work though.
Well I give the guy credit... it don't matter if you could buy a 2dr or not. Imagine when he's talking to people and then tells them this used to be a 4dr and HE did all the work to convert it to a 2dr!! Their mouths will drop...I know mine would. Sometimes it's about the journey rather then the actual destination.