Technical 4 DOOR TO 2 DOOR CONVERSION?

Cut the back doors off and shorten the whole shabang....we all know how that will turn out

 

Hey, I don’t know whether you posted that Pic as an example of good execution or a bad execution, but I’d rock that!


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Good.
It needs tweaking but I would drive it

 

IMO, shaving the rear door handles on a 4-door car or wagon is lame. No one is fooled...

 

Good job!


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I agree, shave them all or none!


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And in the end, are you willing to live with this car forever. If you decide to move it off at some point in time, it is only going to appeal to a very small group of people.

 

Here is a 59 Buick rendering

 

Yep, nothing wrong with a good old crew cab. the best part is the experience of driving something from that era, regardless of how many ways you have to get in and out of it.

 

I could be wrong but I think he was saying he wanted to do a wagon LIKE his only get another one that was is a little worse shape.

 

Here is a 58

 

A 60 OldsAmino would also be a nice project. You would still want to consider longer 2dr doors to get the proportions right. I designed and built my 56 ElCamino using a 2dr 210 Wagon as my donor. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/some-pics-of-my-friends-1956-elcamino.399170/
In your case a 57 ElCamino roof would be the right width and give your Olds a great design flow.

 

In 1960 Pontiac actually built the ElCatalina concept but it never went into production. Note the similarity to the Chevy ElCamino and how nice the longer 2dr doors go with the flow of the design. The second picture appears to be a conversion using a 4dr wagon and not replacing the doors. You can see that the shorter wagon doors simply look out of place.

 

My chopped 51 Merc 4 Dr with the rear door handles shaved and Carson top from a sedan looks OK to me if you stay away from ugly and stay traditional. Way too much "Ugly" going on today. JW

 

This is quite the ‘mashup’ of two year models. ‘58 front clip, ‘59 windshield, roof and upper quarter panels, ‘58 lower quarters.......

 

Locally, years ago, there were a couple of body shops that would do the 55-57 Chevrolet shorty wagon conversions. Some of you guys could go into the 4 door to 2 door conversion business; ya'll have some talent!!! That 58 Chevrolet "El Camino" is pretty cool, especially compared to some of the others. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I would guess that if you found a set of doors from a two door sedan, might as well spring for a set of repro quarter panels. I remember while in high school several guys welded up the back doors of a 4 door wagon, painted the inside of the side glass the same color of the car making it a 50 foot sedan delivery complete without a rear seat or that the rear seat was always folded down. This was great for prom night because you did not have to spend the bucks for a hotel/motel room. I often wonder what occupation those auto re-design specialist took up.

 

Gives you the opportunity to leave a door open to show off all your labor, and at the same time screw up the opportunity for a photographer to take a good picture of your car!

 

I would keep the four doors and maybe shave the handles, really not worth all the work to make it a two door, guess how I know that.

 

It won't be me. I dislike them, even on early Fords.
Bob

 

Another phantom

 

Love all the info here guys!

Curious, I see most folks that are doing this have accessibility to a stock two-door door... what if you're trying to make a two door out of a body that never had a two door option? Any links to tech articles?

 

Well, yeah, but they look good done right.

 

There was one of these at Pate this year. Looked great

 

Its not about fooling anyone. Its to prevent carjackers getting in the rear door at a red light. And yes, of course you could lock the rear doors but life is easier with no rear door handles. You would not believe how many people ask if my 4 dr 57 wagon is a Nomad

 

Full Custom Garage TV show had a 4 door to 2 door conversion.

Nick

 

Then you need a second set of front doors, determine the length you need, then cut one door long on the front and one long on the back and weld them together. That way you only have one seam in the door. Cut the B pillar out, hang the long door on the original front hinges, weld the B pillar back in where the door closes on it, then fill in the hole in the rear with the skin and upper window frame steel from the old back door. It's a bit more work but absolutely do-able. I've seen a couple of tri-5 Chevys in Australia done that way since the doors are much harder to get there.

 

Didn't even think of that. I was thinking of patching in the length I need, but that seems smarter and a cleaner way to do it.

 

Mid 50's GM and Ford had some of the nicest looking factory 4 door hard tops ever. Hard to beat, in MY OPINION.