Why? I have seen a few in my area on CL for sale. I dont get the appeal on these. What is the history behind doing this? Personally I think they look wierd.
They are ugly and steer like a clown car from the fucked up ackerman. Feels like you are steering from 3 feet behind the back bumper! We worked on one for a guy who sunk way to much into a shorty wagon
It was a take on the altered wheelbase drag cars of the sixties. Before anyone knew what they would be worth ( like everything ) I always thought it was a stupid idea. Hell I had a 57 2dr hardtop with 348 and tri-power and a muncie 4 speed with 4:11 gears that I sold the day before I left for Viet Nam in 1967 for $550.00 and I thought I'd struck gold. If only...... oh well. Alot of good Tri 5s met thier fate by way of the cutting torch.
Most of them I have seen were folks trying to make a 4 door into a two door. Wagons mostly around here.
Thats what I have a seen around here to.. Making an unwanted 4-dr in to a very unwanted freak of a two door!!
Whatever they were trying to do it did'nt work. I think you're right though cause the door is definatly a rear door on the white car.
My experience is that they started gaining popularity in the very late '60s and at least around here they were still popular in the very early '80s. As Tman said they have a tendency to steer goofy because of the acerman being screwed up. That can be somewhat cured but I don't know that it can ever be completely overcome. The last one I played with was around '70. it was a '55 Ranchwagon that had been crashed. The doors had been removed so you got in through the tailgate or the window if it was slid open. We did a lot of tweeking with the front end but never made it steer exactly like it should. But it was a wheely machine if you just threw a tool box in the back. I guess it looked alright but it was mostly good for the high school parking lot or parades. There is still a '56 Chebby wagon over in Wyandot county that cruises around. The guy has had it forever so I guess he has figured out how to drive it.
Everytime I see one, I am utterly confused on my people would do it. Makes no sense to me. i can imagine it steering like ass. The 2drs look FAR FAR worse to me than the wagon. Both still make me want to puke. I imagine others feel the same. this one by me has been on CL for 5+months.
A lot of people still believe that the 4 door sedans are longer than the two door equivalents, and that making a 2 door requires shortening the car. Luckily mankind has advanced to the point where we know how to convert a 4 door properly. I don't like them at all either, but I'm sure back in the 70's when 4 door tri-5's were dirt cheap this was a low cost attention getter.
Waste of good iron,the VW buses look just as stupid ,almost as stupid looking as the old Lincoln Continentals turned into pickups.
Late 60's/early70's, there was a 1956 Chevrolet station wagon, Pacific North West drag car, known as "The Jelly Bean". In the off season, it was in all the large indoor car shows, and had a timeline of the build displayed with the car, and how it was shortened. I'm sure it inspired many of the street car builds. I had a friend that had a shorty 56, and the only time I drove it, it was a bit bouncy, and easy to get the front to raise up; the steering was fine, although somewhat "quick", but you got used to it fast. I can't see cutting one up now, and really hate to see any Tri-Five "butchered". Butch/56sedandelivery.
msmadison here on the hamb has a really cool 55 wagon that was shortened and actually looks really cool in person! but with the coupes and 4 doors shortened it really doesnt look right.