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Features 55 Chevy sectioned and shortened

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Cerberus, Apr 12, 2020.

  1. cheepsk8
    Joined: Sep 5, 2011
    Posts: 640

    cheepsk8
    Member
    from west ky

    How about a crappy attempt of getting rid of the top. The proportions are still way off, 1955 sect short Washg.jpg
     
  2. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    Lookin' better ^^^^ (if that's possible :eek:). Now if ya could take about 6" out of that front wheel well length, and a couple of inches or so on the windshield height....It'd still be ugly, but a kinder, gentler ugly! :D
     
    upspirate likes this.
  3. ...I passed up clicking on this thread for a few days, now I wish I hadn't clicked at all, ...can't believe someone did that to a great looking car, ..it's only good now as a parts car IMO....if I parted it out, I wouldn't want anybody to see it in my driveway until it was in a hundred pieces....not feeling well now...
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2020
  4. Chopping the top and adding smaller wheels would go a long way to make it more palatable...

    55.jpg
     
  5. cheepsk8
    Joined: Sep 5, 2011
    Posts: 640

    cheepsk8
    Member
    from west ky

    Moose, you amaze me. I suck at photoshop. I did attempt to chop the 1955 sect short Washg.jpg windshield 2 inches. It still is not right. I don't have a clue how to bring the front end back 4 inches
     
    tb33anda3rd and Okie Pete like this.
  6. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Chop the top (off) then take 3-6 inches off the front end and drop the bumper down to the level of the rockers
     
  7. cheepsk8
    Joined: Sep 5, 2011
    Posts: 640

    cheepsk8
    Member
    from west ky

    I looked at pictures of mine. It looks like too much is gone behind the rear wheel instead of pulling the front back, I pulled the rear back a little. Moose could actually 1955 sect short Washg.jpg make this look good , instead of it looking like a 3rd grader did it.
     
    tb33anda3rd, Hombre and upspirate like this.
  8. In the world in general the car is worth less than it was stock and certainly worth less that an original 2 door.

    if the car has provenance in that it is a historic hot rod/custom. Built by someone that has become famous or at least famous in his own circles that could give it more value than just a car that some joe palooka built.

    That one is not nearly as wonky as some I have seen, it is hard to build a shortened sedan and have it come out alright. But it is still a mini five five and not something that is going to be in big demand to the general public so investment wise it is probably not a good investment.

    Now for the coup d'état, you must decide if you like it. If you are not buying it to flip or as an investment, you don't care what anyone else thinks (cool is not important to you) and have the money or the where with all to make the purchase then it is worth it to you.
     
  9. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Isn't four pages of comments enough? Photo shopping has almost make it look normal. It is what it is.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2020
    1934coupe, scotty t and olscrounger like this.
  10. I've got nothing to say that could help the car. o_O
    But I can say that if he got a taller ladder that would help the paint job on the deck. :cool:
     
    RMR&C and chopped like this.
  11. Never cared for any of those chop jobs, but that's subjective. What isn't subjective is the quality of work. If you're dead set on it, I would go over it with a fine tooth comb. What one guy considers safe may not be what is actually safe.
     
  12. X-cpe
    Joined: Mar 9, 2018
    Posts: 1,955

    X-cpe

    I look at it like this. If I am building a car, I am building it for me, to please me. If I am building it for resale value, I am building it for someone else, to please someone else.

    The things I think would make that car look better are:
    1) Lower it 1 or 2 inches with a small rake.
    2) Raise the wheel openings the same.
    3) Center the front wheels in the opening, or maybe a hair forward of center. (Realizing that it may be an optical illusion due to wheels being turned.)
    4) A pie cut section, starting below the tail light, to get rid of the fat front end look.
    5) No argument with the convertible or chop if that's what you like.
     
  13. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,437

    goldmountain

    Moore's chopped top definitely helps. I think the stainless side trim needs to be raised about 3".

    Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  14. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    AHHH YES!! that would help optical proportions a lot!
     
  15. flynbrian48
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 8,208

    flynbrian48
    Member

    Is it worth more or less? Much, much, much less. If it appeals to you and the builder, it's up to you to establish what you want to pay, and him to decide how badly he wants it to go away. It's too odd, but not so odd that it's desirable.
     
    Tman and dearjose like this.
  16. Country Joe
    Joined: Jan 16, 2018
    Posts: 517

    Country Joe
    Member

    Apparently, it's a thing
    56-Chevrolet-2dr-Wagon-1-630x355.jpg unnamed.jpg hqdefault (1).jpg 7ca0a5c04805f31e40f14aa7804aaf0b.jpg
     
  17. EAE
    Joined: Aug 31, 2007
    Posts: 11

    EAE
    Member
    from sweden

    I think there are some pros and cons with this.
    Pros
    In the 50s a lot of guys built themselves a sporty car with methods like this,
    so in a way its a piece of history created today.
    Cons
    Proportions are way off, the moose got it right it needs a top chop and also
    some customization of the front and rear.
    The next problem with these shortened cars is that way are just shortened
    and the chassis components are not changed, they drive and handle like shit.
    You got a lot of work before you fixing that.

    So, if you can buy it for a few bucks and then add a lot of work you can have
    a unique sports car with 50s feeling.
     
  18. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,172

    manyolcars

    Back in the 60s, there was 56 Fairlane 4 dr here with the rear doors removed. No roof at all and it did kind of resemble a Tbird. It looked like a fun car
     
  19. ...every shortened tri 5 in this thread looks like crap
     
    kidcampbell71, texasred, Tman and 4 others like this.
  20. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    Guy I know had a shorty '57 wagon in his youth. He always had a bent for the odd-ball stuff. Even he admitted the wagon was "unsafe at any speed". :eek:
     
  21. Billybobdad
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 960

    Billybobdad
    Member

    Pretty bad when you can't even photoshop the ugly & awkwardness off!:eek::eek::eek::confused::confused::confused:o_O
     
  22. One thing's for sure: it's a great way to meet people at the next car show! I like Moose's chop.
     
  23. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Theres a shorty panel wagon around my town, setup as a gas type stance. 99% of shorties look stupid. But that one got lucky.
     
  24. Hombre
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,075

    Hombre
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    To me personally a 4 door Tri-Five chevy has no value at all, that's just me and the way I feel about them, it's like Grandfathers car. Now with that said it can be worse and this chopped up car is a prime example of worse. What in the hell were they thinking? Tons of work in the mess of a car, and from the picture it even looks well done. Do you figure they had a plan when they started that?
     
    LM14 likes this.
  25. Ok, so it's a '55 Chevy go cart...
     
    Hombre likes this.
  26. gtokid70
    Joined: Jul 30, 2015
    Posts: 209

    gtokid70
    Member

    Lots of work to make a car look bad, would have been better off doing a 2 door conversion. Not a abomination NO NO NO

    Sent from my SM-T510 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Hombre and Gman0046 like this.
  27. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,458

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Let’s see 4 inches off the front end.
    I know how :D:D
     
    Tman, VANDENPLAS, Hombre and 2 others like this.
  28. henry29
    Joined: Sep 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,870

    henry29
    Member

    There's only one way to fix that,

    [​IMG]
     
  29. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,333

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

     
    Hombre and cheepsk8 like this.
  30. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,176

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Lot better, Thanks for sharing your photo shop.

    Doing away with the two tone would help. Take away the vertical paint divider. Make it all bronze color. Maybe a Chevy version of the T Bird...... A lowered stance with a slight rake wouldn't hurt it. White walls and Chrome reverse would help....

    1955 sec short washg.jpg

    here is a quickie... A lot better, I kinda like it...
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2020

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