Tyler, Here are some ideas for your your car. If you're going to customize your car, remember: the reason for chopping a top (or any other modification for that matter) is to improve the design. Make it FLOW! Early fifties Chrysler products are boxy, so just chopping the top can make them look squashed. I've taken your photo and made a series of alterations so you can see how each one affects the flow. 1 - Stock 2 - Simple shave: handles, gas filler, mirror, vent glass, and trim holes 3 - Lengthen front doors to eliminate one shut line and thin the B-post 4 - Move the rear of the C-pillar forward and lengthen the rear deck 5 - Remove an inch or so from the roof crown I think these mods give the car a sleeker look. And you don't have to cut the front or rear glass. Lowering the car will help, too. What do you all think?
This will take a lot of work reshaping and softening the curve around the rear door window frame. These cars have a very angular roof line which is even more pronounced if you just do a straight chop - you´ll need to work on getting a smooth transition in that area. You´ll probably need a different kind of rear window too. Shoebox maybe? If you do a straight chop, it won´t look very much like my pic. I also added some chrome tothe sides, to take some visual depth out of the body. (Poor mans section job).
I tihnk this is the best suggestion so far!!!! ^^ I think you should do that, but also move the front door back to the rear door to eliminate one of the vertical body lines.
James, I like your version. The spears and chrome definitely work with the design. The wide whites and sombreros are classy, too. I took your last update (hope you don't mind) and lengthened the wheelbase to put the center of the rear wheel in a diagonal with the center of the C-pillar. Easy in digital photo alteration, lots of work in real life!
Depends on who is doing it.Yea sure if you are a hack that doesn't have a clue of what you are doing in the first place it will look stupid. This guy is not just jumping in and whacking away. He is doing research for what it will look like FIRST . Some guys try it and get in over there heads and end up with stupid chops .As long as he knows what he is in for - My vote is CHOP IT !
I just ripped this off for fun at lunch here. You photoshop guys have some great ideas. Anything can look good with enough changes, the question is, how much of it all is the owner/builder willing to do. This sketch has a different grille treatment, different front bumper, that side trim shown earlier (poor man's section job) a lot of top work like raked A post, 4" + chop, different rear window, pancaked decklid and a "Cadzilla" like angle to the rear fenders with different tail lamps... not to forget the skirts...
It´s uncanny how much that looks like my photoshop effort! And I see you had some fun and games reshaping the rear side windows. Top job on the chop.
I drive a 2 door but I would buy a 4 door they can be very clean, I fell in love with a 56 the other day
Chop. Chop. Chop. Go for it. No one on here opinions should matter but yours. Unless they are paying for do it. I like being the unusual person
hey if ya need an extra roof for parts lemme know, the roof on mine is comming completely off... gonna figure out what i am going to do with the windshield at a later date lol...
4 doors are cheaper, easier to find, everbody always wants a 2 door when they're really impractical for hauling your friends in cause u always have to get our for people to get out of the back seat. chop that 4 door i would mine if it had a title and i could figure out how to do it and keep the roofline stock in form, chopping trim is a little intimidating as is the curved back glass and i like my wing windows
i say chop it ! if you wanna see some great 4door chops check out bo huffs site he has done a few and they look just as clean as a 2 door chop ,im in the middle of chopping my 4door 50 merc ,there is a few more cuts to do but not much more work realy
A friend of mine chopped his 53 chevy 4 door and just completely got rid of the post. but now one of the rear doors doesnt work because the pillar is crooked. lol but getting rid of the pillar makes things really easy
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